Document Type
Article
Version Deposited
Published Version
Publication Date
8-8-2013
Publication Title
Physical Review Special Topics - Physical Education Research
DOI
10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.9.020110
Abstract
One goal of physics instruction is to have students learn to make physical meaning of specific mathematical expressions, concepts, and procedures in different physical settings. As part of research investigating student learning in statistical physics, we are developing curriculum materials that guide students through a derivation of the Boltzmann factor using a Taylor series expansion of entropy. Using results from written surveys, classroom observations, and both individual think-aloud and teaching interviews, we present evidence that many students can recognize and interpret series expansions, but they often lack fluency in creating and using a Taylor series appropriately, despite previous exposures in both calculus and physics courses.
Recommended Citation
Smith, T. I., Thompson, J. R., & Mountcastle, D. B. (2013). Student understanding of Taylor series expansions in statistical mechanics. Physical Review Special Topics - Physics Education Research, 9 (020110), 1-16.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Comments
Physical Review Special Topics - Physical Education Research is a peer-reviewed open access journal published by the American Physical Society.