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University Students Explaining Adiabatic Compression of an Ideal Gas—A New Phenomenon in Introductory Thermal Physics

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Abstract

This study focuses on second-year university students’ explanations and reasoning related to adiabatic compression of an ideal gas. The phenomenon was new to the students, but it was one which they should have been capable of explaining using their previous upper secondary school knowledge. The students’ explanations and reasoning were investigated with the aid of paper and pencil tests (n = 86) and semi-structured interviews (n = 5) at the start of a thermal physics course at the University of Eastern Finland. The paper and pencil test revealed that the students had difficulties in applying content taught during earlier education in a new context: only a few of them were able to produce a correct explanation for the phenomenon. A majority of the students used either explanations with invalid but physically correct models, such as the ideal gas law or a microscopic model, or erroneous dependencies between quantities. The results also indicated that students had problems in seeing deficiencies or inconsistencies in their reasoning, in both test and interview situations. We suggest in our conclusion that the contents of upper secondary school thermal physics courses should be carefully examined to locate the best emphases for different laws, principles, concepts, and models. In particular, the limitations of models should be made explicit in teaching and students should be guided towards critical scientific thinking, including metaconceptual awareness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics and Mathematics, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 111, FI-80101, Joensuu, Finland

    Risto Leinonen, Mervi A. Asikainen & Pekka E. Hirvonen

Authors
  1. Risto Leinonen
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  2. Mervi A. Asikainen
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  3. Pekka E. Hirvonen
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Correspondence to Risto Leinonen.

Appendices

Appendix A

The task involving adiabatic compression of an ideal gas (adapted from Loverude et al. 2002)

There is a mole of ideal gas in a cylinder-piston system. The piston is dense so the gas cannot exit the cylinder. The friction between the piston and cylinder can be ignored. There is an insulating layer (insulation) in the cylinder so it is insulated from the environment.

figure a

The piston is used to compress the gas inside the cylinder. What happens to the temperature of the gas? Explain carefully how you have reached your conclusions.

Appendix B

A few examples of interview questions:

  • What quantities did you need when solving the problem? Why? What happens to these quantities during the process? Why?

  • What does thermal insulation mean? Can you provide examples from elsewhere in addition to this task?

  • Does the temperature of the outer surface of the cylinder change during the process? Why?

  • Can you explain the phenomenon in terms of particles?

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Leinonen, R., Asikainen, M.A. & Hirvonen, P.E. University Students Explaining Adiabatic Compression of an Ideal Gas—A New Phenomenon in Introductory Thermal Physics. Res Sci Educ 42, 1165–1182 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-011-9239-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-011-9239-0

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