Tutorials in Thermal & Statistical Physics
Developed by: John Thompson, Michael Loverude, David Meltzer, Warren Christensen, Don Mountcastle
Level
middle schoolhigh schoolintro collegeinter-mediateupper levelgrad school other
calc based
alg based
middle schoolhigh schoolintro collegeinter-mediateupper levelgrad school other
calc based
alg based
Topics
Setting
Research
RESEARCH VALIDATION
Bronze ValidationThis is the third highest level of research validation, corresponding to:
- at least 1 of the "based on" categories
- at least 1 of the "demonstrated to improve" categories
- at least 1 of the "studied using" categories
Research Validation Summary
Based on Research Into:
- theories of how students learn
- student ideas about specific topics
Demonstrated to Improve:
- conceptual understanding
- problem-solving skills
- lab skills
- beliefs and attitudes
- attendance
- retention of students
- success of underrepresented groups
- performance in subsequent classes
Studied using:
- cycle of research and redevelopment
- student interviews
- classroom observations
- analysis of written work
- research at multiple institutions
- research by multiple groups
- peer-reviewed publication
References
- B. Bucy, J. Thompson, and D. Mountcastle, What Is Entropy? Advanced Undergraduate Performance Comparing Ideal Gas Processes, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2005, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2005.
- W. Christensen, An investigation of student thinking regarding calorimetry, entropy, and the second law of thermodynamics, Ph.D., Iowa State University, 2007.
- C. Kautz, P. Heron, M. Loverude, and L. McDermott, Student understanding of the ideal gas law, Part I: A macroscopic perspective, Am. J. Phys. 73 (11), 1055 (2005).
- C. Kautz, P. Heron, P. Shaffer, and L. McDermott, Student understanding of the ideal gas law, Part II: A microscopic perspective, Am. J. Phys. 73 (11), 1064 (2005).
- M. Loverude, Student understanding of basic probability concepts in an upper-division thermal physics course, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009.
- M. Loverude, Investigating Student Understanding for a Statistical Analysis of Two Thermally Interacting Solids, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, 2010.
- M. Loverude, They Still Remember What I Never Taught Them: Student Understanding of Entropy, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2012, Philadelphia, PA, 2012.
- M. Loverude, Identifying student resources in reasoning about entropy and the approach to thermal equilibrium, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 11 (2) 020118 (2015).
- M. E. Loverude, "Student Understanding of Thermal Physics," in The International Handbook of Physics Education Research: Learning Physics, edited by M. F. Tasar and P. R. L. Heron (AIP Publishing, 2023).
- M. Loverude, C. Kautz, and P. Heron, Student understanding of the first law of thermodynamics: Relating work to the adiabatic compression of an ideal gas, Am. J. Phys. 70 (2), 137 (2002).
- D. Meltzer, Student Reasoning Regarding Work, Heat, and the First Law of Thermodynamics in an Introductory Physics Course, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2001, Rochester, New York, 2001.
- D. Meltzer, Investigation of students' reasoning regarding heat, work, and the first law of thermodynamics in an introductory calculus-based general physics course, Am. J. Phys. 72 (11), 1432 (2004).
- D. Meltzer, Student Learning In Upper-Level Thermal Physics: Comparisons And Contrasts With Students In Introductory Courses, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2004, Sacramento, California, 2004.
- D. Meltzer, Observations of General Learning Patterns in an Upper-Level Thermal Physics Course, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009.
- T. Smith, W. Christensen, and J. Thompson, Student difficulties with concepts related to entropy, heat engines and the Carnot cycle, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2009, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 2009.
- T. I. Smith, D. B. Mountcastle, and J. R. Thompson, Student understanding of the Boltzmann factor, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 11 (2) 020123 (2015).
- T. Smith, D. Mountcastle, and J. Thompson, Identifying student difficulties with conflicting ideas in statistical mechanics, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2012, Philadelphia, PA, 2012.
- T. I. Smith, J. R. Thompson, and D. B. Mountcastle, Student understanding of Taylor series expansions in statistical mechanics, Phys. Rev. ST Phys. Educ. Res. 9 (2) 020110 (2013).
- T. Smith, J. Thompson, and D. Mountcastle, Addressing Student Difficulties with Statistical Mechanics: The Boltzmann Factor, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2010, Portland, Oregon, 2010.
- J. Thompson, B. Bucy, and D. Mountcastle, Assessing Student Understanding of Partial Derivatives in Thermodynamics, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2005, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2005.
- J. Thompson, C. Manogue, D. Roundy, and D. Mountcastle, Representations of partial derivatives in thermodynamics, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2011, Omaha, Nebraska, 2011.
