College Physics

On the teaching of uncertainty principle in university physics

LI Tang-ning

Published Jan 1, 2012• 0 citations

Abstract

The Heisenberg uncertainty principle is one of the foundations of quantum mechanics,although meaning of this principle is disputed in the region of physics.The teaching of this principle should help students to discard the conventional conception of orbit and estab lish the idea of wave-particle duality.However,the conventional conception of orbit is still used in many domestic textbooks of university physics.The stude nts tend to be confused consequently.Therefore,tens of textbooks of university physics are investigated and different accounts about uncertainty principle are compared,and then advice of teaching on this principle is brought forward.

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On the teaching of uncertainty principle in university physics

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Published Jan 1, 2012• 0 citations

OpenAlex

Abstract

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N=25

) from Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The phenomenographic data analysis revealed that it is possible to construct three qualitatively different categories to map students' depictions of the concept wave-particle duality, namely, (1) classical description, (2) mixed classical-quantum description, and (3) quasiquantum description. Similarly, it is proposed that students' depictions of the concept uncertainty can be described with four different categories of description, which are (1) uncertainty as an extrinsic property of measurement, (2) uncertainty principle as measurement error or uncertainty, (3) uncertainty as measurement disturbance, and (4) uncertainty as a quantum mechanics uncertainty principle. Overall, we found students are more likely to prefer a classical picture of interpretations of quantum mechanics. However, few students in the quasiquantum category applied typical wave phenomena such as interference and diffraction that cannot be explained within the framework classical physics for depicting the wavelike properties of quantum entities. Despite inhospitable conceptions of the uncertainty principle and wave- and particlelike properties of quantum entities in our investigation, the findings presented in this paper are highly consistent with those reported in previous studies. New findings and some implications for instruction and the curricula are discussed.