Enhancing Student Visual Understanding of the Time Evolution of Quantum Systems

Item request has been placed! ×
Item request cannot be made. ×
loading   Processing Request
Read More Add to Saved list
  • Author(s): Passante, Gina; Kohnle, Antje
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Physical Review Physics Education Research. Jan-Jun 2019 15(1).
  • Publication Date:
    2019
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Reports - Research
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      American Physical Society. One Physics Ellipse 4th Floor, College Park, MD 20740-3844. Tel: 301-209-3200; Fax: 301-209-0865; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: http://prst-per.aps.org
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      14
    • Education Level:
      Higher Education
      Postsecondary Education
    • Subject Terms:
      Physics; Science Instruction; Simulation; Quantum Mechanics; Teaching Methods; Energy; Probability; Thinking Skills; Concept Formation; Scientific Concepts; Correlation; Visualization; Cues; Pretests Posttests; Foreign Countries; Student Attitudes; College Students; Hispanic American Students; Institutional Characteristics
    • Subject Terms:
      United Kingdom (Scotland)
    • Accession Number:
      10.1103/PhysRevPhysEducRes.15.010110
    • ISSN:
      2469-9896
    • Abstract:
      Time dependence is of fundamental importance for the description of quantum systems, but is particularly difficult for students to master. We describe the development and evaluation of a combined simulation-tutorial to support the development of visual understanding of time dependence in quantum mechanics. The associated interactive simulation shows the time dependence of an energy eigenstate and a superposition state, and how the time dependence of the probability density arises from that of the wave function. In order to assess transitions in student thinking, we developed a framework to characterize student responses in terms of real and complex mathematical reasoning and classical and quantum visual reasoning. The results of pre-, mid-, and post-tests indicate that the simulation-tutorial supports the development of visual understanding of time dependence, and that visual reasoning is correlated with improved student performance on a question relating to the time evolution of the wave function and the probability density. The results also indicate that the analogy of a classical standing wave for the infinite well energy eigenfunctions may be problematic in cueing incorrect ideas of time dependence.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2019
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1208619