Advanced Level Physics Students' Conceptions of Quantum Physics.

This study addresses questions about particle physics that focus on the nature of electrons. Speculations as to whether they are more like particles or waves or like neither illustrate the difficulties with which students are confronted when trying to incorporate the concepts of quantum physics into their overall conceptual framework. Such questions illustrate the difficulties in using analogies taken from ordinary experience, described mostly by classical models, in explaining the subatomic world. Data for this study were obtained from a semi-structured questionnaire completed by physics students (N=57). The questionnaire consisted of open and closed questions, drawings of particular situations, and attitude scales. Findings indicate that students are inclined to incorporate the new quantum phenomena into the older mechanistic conceptions and that most students are not epistemologically aware that quantum physics constitutes a new paradigm. Contains 16 references. (Author/DDR)