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.

This 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 examined as well.

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	- High School - Lower Undergraduate - Upper Undergraduate	- Instructional Material = Best practice = Instructor Guide/Manual - Reference Material = Report

Appropriate Courses	Categories	Ratings
- Physics First - Conceptual Physics - Algebra-based Physics - AP Physics	- Assessment - New teachers	Currently 5.0/5 Rated 5.0 stars by 1 person Want to rate this material? Login here!

Intended Users:: Educator
Researcher
Formats:: text/html
image/gif
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

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This resource is part of a Physics Front Topical Unit.

Topic: Wave Energy
Unit Title: Teaching About Waves and Wave Energy

This Power Point presentation condenses the results of a study on student misconceptions about wave mechanics and motion. The results indicate that many students have incorrect mental models of waves and use these erroneous models to interpret/solve problems. The researchers also tested teaching methods to see what may help students overcome these difficulties. A must-read for the teacher of advanced students who will study calculus-based physics in college.

Link to Unit:

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Record Link

<a href="https://www.compadre.org/precollege/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 October 5, 2024, 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 5 October 2024).

MLA Format

Wittmann, Michael. Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts. 1997. 18 Sep. 1997. 5 Oct. 2024 <http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index.htm>.

BibTeX Export Format

@misc{ Author = "Michael Wittmann", Title = {Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts}, Volume = {2024}, Number = {5 October 2024}, Month = {September 18, 1997}, Year = {1997} }

Refer Export Format

%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

EndNote Export Format

%0 Electronic Source %A Wittmann, Michael %D September 18, 1997 %T Student Difficulties with Wave Concepts %V 2024 %N 5 October 2024 %8 September 18, 1997 %9 text/html %U http://www.physics.umd.edu/perg/papers/wittmann/seminartalk/index.htm

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