Learning about space and time dependence at the atomic level: Addressing the problem through visualization

CHED 157

Peter Garik, garik@bu.edu1, Dan Dill, dan@bu.edu2, Alexander Golger, golger@bu.edu2, and Morton Z. Hoffman, hoffman@bu.edu2. (1) School of Education, Boston University, Two Sherborn Street, Boston, MA 02215, (2) Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215
Many students demonstrate misconceptions about the space and time dependence of waves. This erects for them a fundamental barrier to understanding the wave-like nature of electrons and radiation, and how the two interact. Although the Planck relationship for quanta, E = hν, is taught in general chemistry, the analogous Planck relationship for electrons waits for upper division courses. To properly grasp this time dependence, students need a sound understanding of both the spatial and temporal aspects of waves. We report here on the difficulties that students display in mastering the time dependence of waves; their confusion between time and space oscillations; the results of a software based intervention we designed to support the learning of the Planck relationship for electrons; and, its extension to atomic spectroscopy and selection rules. This research is based on interviews with students and two trials with a large general chemistry class (N = about 600).
 

Chemical Education Research
1:30 PM-4:45 PM, Monday, 11 September 2006 San Francisco Marriott -- Salon 10, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 10-14, 2006