IFLP   13074
INSTITUTO DE FISICA LA PLATA
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Teaching Basic Quantum Mechanics in Secondary School Using Concepts of Feynman's Path Integrals Method
Autor/es:
FANARO, M. A.; OTERO, M. R.; ARLEGO, M.
Revista:
THE PHYSICS TEACHER
Editorial:
American Association of Physics Teachers
Referencias:
Año: 2012 vol. 50 p. 156 - 159
ISSN:
0031-921X
Resumen:
This work comprises an investigation about basic Quantum Mechanics (QM) teaching in the high school. The organization of the concepts does not follow a historical line.The Path Integrals method of Feynman has been adopted as a Reference Conceptual Structure that is an alternative to the canonical formalism (Arlego, 2008) We have designed a didactic sequence for teaching the basic ideas of Quantum Mechanics (QM) according to our theoretical frame (Otero, 2006; Vergnaud, 1990) eluding the mathematical formalism and using simulation software. Other proposals have used the Feynman method applied to photons to introduce quantum concepts (Taylor (2000, 2003 and 2006) of MIT, Massachusetts; Ogborn (2006) of Institute of Education, University of London; Hanck and Tuleja (2005) of Slovakia). Nevertheless, according to authors like Jones (1991) the early introduction of the term photon to teachconcepts of quantum physics causes many problems to students, and produces half-baked and incorrect conceptual models which make the understanding and the development of their interest in the subject difficult. Our experience is consistent with this point of view.Therefore, we decided to start with electrons instead photons. As object of analysis we propose the "unexpected" behavior of electrons, from a classical point of view, in the double slit experience (DSE).We start by discussing with the students about the experimental results that would be observed in an idealized DSE. With the assistance of software simulations, we focus on the changes observed as the objects masses are reduced from macroscopic to atomic values.After that we introduce the basis of quantum mechanics by means of the concepts of path integrals, which from now on we will call Sum of All Alternatives (SAA). Finally it is shown how the transition from classical to quantum behavior naturally emerges within the framework of SAA.