Student difficulties in understanding probability in quantum mechanics

AIP Conference Proceedings

Volumn 818, Issue , 2006, Pages 61-64

  Sadaghiani, Homeyra ^a   Bao, Lei ^a  

^a OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

Physics education research; Probability; Quantum mechanics; Student difficulties

Indexed keywords

EID: 33751243370     PISSN: 0094243X     EISSN: 15517616     Source Type: Conference Proceeding    
DOI: 10.1063/1.2177023     Document Type: Conference Paper

References (12)

1. L. McDermott "Millikan Lecture 1990: What We Teach and What Is Learned- Closing the Gap," Am. J. Phys., 59, 301-315 (1991).
2. L. Bao and E. Redish, "Understanding Probabilistic Interpretations of Physical Systems: A Prerequisite to Learning Quantum Physics," Am. J. Phys. 70, 3, 210-217 (2002).
3. D. Styer, "Common Misconceptions Regarding Quantum Mechanics," Am. J. Phys., 64, 1 (1996).
4. C. Singh, "Students' Understanding of Quantum Mechanics," Am. J. Phys., 69, 8, 885-895 (2001).
5. D. Domert, C. Linder, and A. Ingerman, "Probability as a Conceptual Hurdle to Understanding 1-D Quantum Scattering and Tunneling," Eur. J. Phys., 26, 47-59 (2005).
6. C. Konold, J. Res. Math Education 24, 392-414 (1993);
7. M. Barnes, Australian mathematics Teacher 54, 17-20 (1998).
8. The homework question was a modified version of Problem 2.25 in "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics," by D. Griffiths, Prentice Hall, page 59, (1994).
9. H. Sadaghiani "Conceptual and Mathematical Barriers to Students Learning Quantum Mechanics," Ph. D. dissertation, The Ohio State University.
10. We did not have 100% participation for these two questions and that is the reason for different numbers for students in each class on tables 1 and 2.
11. The topics of delta function and Fourier transform were not discussed quantitatively in the introductory course P263.
12. L. McDermott, P. Shaffer, and M. Somers, "Research as a Guide for Teaching Introductory Mechanics: An Illustration in the Context of the Atwood's Machine," Am. J. Phys., 62, 46-55 (1994).