Student understanding of the ideal gas law, Part II: A microscopic perspective

Evidence from research indicates that many undergraduate science and engineering majors have seriously flawed microscopic models for the pressure and temperature in an ideal gas. In the investigation described in this paper, some common mistaken ideas about microscopic processes were identified. Exa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of physics 2005-11, Vol.73 (11), p.1064-1071
Main Authors: Kautz, Christian H., Heron, Paula R. L., Shaffer, Peter S., McDermott, Lillian C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Gases
Physics
Science education
Thermodynamics
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Summary:Evidence from research indicates that many undergraduate science and engineering majors have seriously flawed microscopic models for the pressure and temperature in an ideal gas. In the investigation described in this paper, some common mistaken ideas about microscopic processes were identified. Examples illustrate the use of this information in the design of instruction that helped improve student understanding of the ideal gas law, especially its substance independence. Some broader implications of this study for the teaching of thermal physics are noted.
ISSN:0002-9505
1943-2909
DOI:10.1119/1.2060715