Forces in circular motion: Discerning student strategies

Students often use incoherent strategies in their problem solving involving force and motion, as revealed, e.g. when they are asked to draw force diagrams for amusement rides involving circular motion, whether in horizontal or vertical planes. Depending on the questions asked, assignments involving circular motion can reveal different types of more or less correct and coherent strategies used by the students. This paper presents a number of different assignments involving circular motion. Alternative drawings, as found in student responses, are presented as a support for teachers to discern the strategies - an educational discernment. In addition, different strategies and examples used by textbooks concerning free-body diagrams and acceleration are discussed, as well as degrees of abstraction and realism.