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Investigating Student Understanding of Perturbation Theory and the Inner Products of Functions
written by Gina Passante, Paul J. Emigh, Tong Wan, and Peter S. Shaffer
We have investigated the extent to which students can qualitatively determine the effect of perturbations to a Hamiltonian on the energies of the eigenfunctions. The results indicate that after lecture instruction many students cannot determine some important features of the first-order correction. We examine the possibility that this failure may stem from a lack of understanding of the inner product.  Since perturbations are often represented graphically, the focus has been on student ability to determine the inner product of functions represented graphically. In the process, we have found that some students are unable to find inner products even in contexts outside of quantum mechanics.
Physics Education Research Conference 2015
Part of the PER Conference series
College Park, MD: July 29-30, 2015
Pages 247-250
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education Foundations
- Assessment
= Conceptual Assessment
Mathematical Tools
- Calculus
= Integral
- Linear Algebra and Tensors
Quantum Physics
- Approximation Techniques
= Rayleigh-Schrodinger Perturbation Theory
- Foundations and Measurements
= Hilbert Space
- Upper Undergraduate
- Reference Material
= Research study
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- application/pdf
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Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2015…
Access Rights:
Free access
License:
This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the published article's author(s), title, proceedings citation, and DOI.
Rights Holder:
American Association of Physics Teachers
DOI:
10.1119/perc.2015.pr.057
NSF Number:
1022449
PACSs:
01.40.G-
03.65.Ta
03.65.-w
Keyword:
PERC 2015
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created December 16, 2015 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
December 23, 2015 by Bruce Mason
Last Update
when Cataloged:
December 18, 2015
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Record Link
AIP Format
G. Passante, P. Emigh, T. Wan, and P. Shaffer, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2015, College Park, MD, 2015, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13883&DocID=4301).
AJP/PRST-PER
G. Passante, P. Emigh, T. Wan, and P. Shaffer, Investigating Student Understanding of Perturbation Theory and the Inner Products of Functions, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2015, College Park, MD, 2015, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13883&DocID=4301>.
APA Format
Passante, G., Emigh, P., Wan, T., & Shaffer, P. (2015, July 29-30). Investigating Student Understanding of Perturbation Theory and the Inner Products of Functions. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2015, College Park, MD. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13883&DocID=4301
Chicago Format
Passante, G, P. Emigh, T. Wan, and P. Shaffer. "Investigating Student Understanding of Perturbation Theory and the Inner Products of Functions." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2015, College Park, MD, July 29-30, 2015. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13883&DocID=4301 (accessed 19 April 2024).
MLA Format
Passante, Gina, Paul Emigh, Tong Wan, and Peter Shaffer. "Investigating Student Understanding of Perturbation Theory and the Inner Products of Functions." Physics Education Research Conference 2015. College Park, MD: 2015. 247-250 of PER Conference. 19 Apr. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13883&DocID=4301>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Gina Passante and Paul Emigh and Tong Wan and Peter Shaffer", Title = {Investigating Student Understanding of Perturbation Theory and the Inner Products of Functions}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2015}, Pages = {247-250}, Address = {College Park, MD}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {July 29-30}, Year = {2015} }
Refer Export Format

%A Gina Passante %A Paul Emigh %A Tong Wan %A Peter Shaffer %T Investigating Student Understanding of Perturbation Theory and the Inner Products of Functions %S PER Conference %D July 29-30 2015 %P 247-250 %C College Park, MD %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13883&DocID=4301 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2015 %O July 29-30 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Passante, Gina %A Emigh, Paul %A Wan, Tong %A Shaffer, Peter %D July 29-30 2015 %T Investigating Student Understanding of Perturbation Theory and the Inner Products of Functions %B Physics Education Research Conference 2015 %C College Park, MD %P 247-250 %S PER Conference %8 July 29-30 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13883&DocID=4301


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