Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts

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written by Michael C. Wittmann

This presentation contains the results of a research study on misconceptions students have concerning wave mechanics and motion. The results indicate that many students have incorrect mental models of waves and use these erroneous models to interpret problems related to wave mechanics. The study also tested instructional methods to help students overcome their difficulties, which represent an obstacle to learning quantum mechanics. Student thinking on classical wave motion and the related mathematics is also examined.

http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index....

Subjects	Levels	Resource Types
Education Foundations - Alternative Conceptions Modern Physics - General Oscillations & Waves - Wave Motion = Interference and Diffraction = Longitudinal Pulses and Waves = Phase and Group Velocity = Transfer of Energy in Waves = Transverse Pulses and Waves Quantum Physics - Probability, Waves, and Interference	- Lower Undergraduate - High School - Upper Undergraduate	- Instructional Material = Best practice = Instructor Guide/Manual - Reference Material = Report

Intended Users	Formats	Ratings
- Educators - Researchers	- text/html - image/gif	Currently 5.0/5 Rated 5.0 stars by 1 person Want to rate this material? Login here!

Access Rights:: Free access
Restriction:: © 1997 Michael Wittmann
Keywords:: PER, Power Point, physics education research, report, student thinking, wave mechanics, waves, waves misconceptions
Record Creator:: Metadata instance created June 17, 2005 by Blake Laing
Record Updated:: October 28, 2011 by Caroline Hall
Last Update when Cataloged:: September 18, 1997
Other Collections:: The PSRC

The Quantum Exchange

The Physics Front

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<a href="https://www.compadre.org/portal/items/detail.cfm?ID=2493">Wittmann, Michael. Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts. September 18, 1997.</a>

AIP Format

M. Wittmann, (1997), WWW Document, (http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index.htm).

AJP/PRST-PER

M. Wittmann, Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts (1997), <http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index.htm>.

APA Format

Wittmann, M. (1997, September 18). Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts. Retrieved May 2, 2025, from http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index.htm

Chicago Format

Wittmann, Michael. Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts. September 18, 1997. http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index.htm (accessed 2 May 2025).

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Wittmann, Michael. Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts. 1997. 18 Sep. 1997. 2 May 2025 <http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index.htm>.

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@misc{ Author = "Michael Wittmann", Title = {Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts}, Volume = {2025}, Number = {2 May 2025}, Month = {September 18, 1997}, Year = {1997} }

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%A Michael Wittmann %T Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts %D September 18, 1997 %U http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index.htm %O text/html

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%0 Electronic Source %A Wittmann, Michael %D September 18, 1997 %T Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts %V 2025 %N 2 May 2025 %8 September 18, 1997 %9 text/html %U http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index.htm

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