Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics

Vignal, Michael; Siegel, Reese R.; Emigh, Paul J.; Gire, Elizabeth

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Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics

written by Michael Vignal, Reese R. Siegel, Paul J. Emigh, and Elizabeth Gire

Thermodynamic potentials (or free energies) are different energies that can describe the same system using different sets of independent variables. While the flexibility to consider one system in multiple ways is powerful, deciding which variables to treat as independent--and therefore which thermodynamic potential to use--is challenging for students. As part of a larger study investigating student reasoning about independent variables in thermodynamics, we interviewed five thermodynamics experts to learn how they make decisions about independent variables and thermodynamic potentials. This paper outlines the variety of approaches these experts used to determine appropriate independent variables and thermodynamic potentials for given situations.

Physics Education Research Conference 2018
Part of the PER Conference series
Washington, DC: August 1-2, 2018

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Last Modified: December 31, 2018

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Education Foundations - Problem Solving = Expert-Novice Comparisons Thermo & Stat Mech - Second and Third Law = Thermodynamic Potentials	- Graduate/Professional	- Reference Material = Research study

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Mirror:: https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2018…
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.2018.pr.Vignal
NSF Number:: 1323800
Keyword:: PERC 2018
Record Creator:: Metadata instance created December 31, 2018 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:: December 31, 2018 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update when Cataloged:: December 31, 2018
Other Collections:: The PER-Central

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=14861">Vignal, M, R. Siegel, P. Emigh, and E. Gire. "Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2018, Washington, DC, August 1-2, 2018.</a>

AIP Format

M. Vignal, R. Siegel, P. Emigh, and E. Gire, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2018, Washington, DC, 2018, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14861&DocID=5008).

AJP/PRST-PER

M. Vignal, R. Siegel, P. Emigh, and E. Gire, Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2018, Washington, DC, 2018, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14861&DocID=5008>.

APA Format

Vignal, M., Siegel, R., Emigh, P., & Gire, E. (2018, August 1-2). Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2018, Washington, DC. Retrieved April 19, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14861&DocID=5008

Chicago Format

Vignal, M, R. Siegel, P. Emigh, and E. Gire. "Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2018, Washington, DC, August 1-2, 2018. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14861&DocID=5008 (accessed 19 April 2024).

MLA Format

Vignal, Michael, Reese R. Siegel, Paul Emigh, and Elizabeth Gire. "Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics." Physics Education Research Conference 2018. Washington, DC: 2018. of PER Conference. 19 Apr. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14861&DocID=5008>.

BibTeX Export Format

@inproceedings{ Author = "Michael Vignal and Reese R. Siegel and Paul Emigh and Elizabeth Gire", Title = {Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2018}, Address = {Washington, DC}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {August 1-2}, Year = {2018} }

Refer Export Format

%A Michael Vignal %A Reese R. Siegel %A Paul Emigh %A Elizabeth Gire %T Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics %S PER Conference %D August 1-2 2018 %C Washington, DC %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14861&DocID=5008 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2018 %O August 1-2 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Vignal, Michael %A Siegel, Reese R. %A Emigh, Paul %A Gire, Elizabeth %D August 1-2 2018 %T Expert reasoning about independent and dependent variables in thermodynamics %B Physics Education Research Conference 2018 %C Washington, DC %S PER Conference %8 August 1-2 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=14861&DocID=5008

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