Bulletin of the American Physical Society
2006 APS April Meeting
Saturday–Tuesday, April 22–25, 2006; Dallas, TX
Session W6: Research on Teaching Thermal Physics and Quantum Mechanics |
Hide Abstracts |
Sponsoring Units: FEd Chair: Paula Heron, University of Washington Room: Hyatt Regency Dallas Cumberland J |
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 10:45AM - 11:21AM |
W6.00001: Investigations of Upper Division Student Understanding of Thermal Physics Invited Speaker: In research on the teaching and learning of upper-level (junior-senior) thermal physics, we are probing student understanding of topics that are taught at the introductory level (e.g., work, heat, the first and second laws of thermodynamics, entropy) as well as more advanced topics (e.g., thermodynamic potentials, the Maxwell relations, chemical potential). Many of our findings are consistent with prior work at the introductory level [1,2], however we find some differences for 2nd law topics. Preliminary results suggest that upper-level undergraduates often enter a thermal physics course with little understanding of entropy, and emerge from the course with an ability to apply some features of entropy and the 2nd Law appropriately. Difficulties with specific properties of entropy persist, especially with the state function property. Another aspect of this research deals with student functional understanding of mathematical concepts applied in the context of thermal physics (e.g., path integrals, partial differentiation). Most system properties can be represented as partial derivatives of one variable with respect to another while holding appropriate others fixed. Our findings indicate that although students are able to take partial derivatives easily, many students have difficulty understanding the mathematical and/or physical significance of their differentiation, even after instruction. I will present data regarding student understanding of mixed second-order partial differentiation in general, and the Maxwell relations in particular. Finally, I will discuss the development of instructional materials to address specific difficulties found in our research. 1. M.E. Loverude, C.H. Kautz, and P.R.L. Heron, Am. J. Phys. 70, 137 (2002). 2. D.E. Meltzer, Am. J. Phys. 72, 1432 (2004). [Preview Abstract] |
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 11:21AM - 11:57AM |
W6.00002: Improving Student Understanding of Quantum Mechanics Invited Speaker: We are investigating the difficulties that students have in learning upper-level quantum mechanics and designing quantum interactive learning tutorials (QuILTs). Our investigation includes interviews with individual students and the development and administration of free-response and multiple-choice tests. The preliminary results from the QuILTs are promising. \newline \newline Coauthors: Mario Belloni and Wolfgang Christian, Davidson College. [Preview Abstract] |
Tuesday, April 25, 2006 11:57AM - 12:33PM |
W6.00003: Addressing students' reasoning difficulties in thermal physics Invited Speaker: Recent investigations into student learning of thermal physics at the undergraduate level have shown that most students in introductory courses face significant obstacles in mastering fundamental concepts in this area. [M. E. Loverude, C. H. Kautz, and P. R. L. Heron, Am. J. Phys. \textbf{70}, 137 (2002); D. E. Meltzer, Am. J. Phys. \textbf{72}, 1432 (2004).] Results from a variety of institutions indicate that up to 80{\%} or more of all students fail to complete introductory courses with an ability to use the first law of thermodynamics in problem solving, while related confusion with entropy and second-law concepts is also widespread. Our ongoing investigation of student learning of thermal physics at the advanced undergraduate (junior-senior) level is probing the evolution of students' reasoning as they attempt to integrate the macroscopic and microscopic /statistical viewpoints into a coherent understanding. This work confirms that difficulties with fundamental concepts persist for a majority of students at this level as well. Among the specific difficulties identified are a strong tendency to attribute state-function properties to process-dependent quantities such as heat and work, a complementary failure to recognize the state-function property of entropy in irreversible processes, and confusion regarding the application of the second law to entropy changes in non-isolated systems. I will present data that characterizes these learning difficulties in more detail and reflects their prevalence at different levels of instruction. We have been developing and testing a variety of pedagogical strategies aimed at addressing these difficulties at both the introductory and advanced undergraduate level. I will outline and discuss these strategies along with a preliminary assessment of their effectiveness, and show examples of the curricular materials that are under development. [Preview Abstract] |
Follow Us |
Engage
Become an APS Member |
My APS
Renew Membership |
Information for |
About APSThe American Physical Society (APS) is a non-profit membership organization working to advance the knowledge of physics. |
© 2024 American Physical Society
| All rights reserved | Terms of Use
| Contact Us
Headquarters
1 Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740-3844
(301) 209-3200
Editorial Office
100 Motor Pkwy, Suite 110, Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 591-4000
Office of Public Affairs
529 14th St NW, Suite 1050, Washington, D.C. 20045-2001
(202) 662-8700