Quantum Physics from Waves: an Analogy-Based Approach for High School

ARLEGO, MARCELO; FANARO, MARIA DE LOS ANGELES; GALANTE, L

Revista Brasileire de Ensino de Fisica

Sociedade Brasileira de Física

Año: 2021 vol. 43

In this paper we present a proposal for teaching basic aspects ofquantum mechanics in high school. Our proposal is based on a waveapproach that makes use of the analogies between wave phenomena atmacroscopic scales and phenomena at atomic or subatomic scales.Although the classical and the quantum model are completelydifferent, there is a common underlying wave mathematical layer.This allows to address, via analogies, quantum aspects that are notaccessible to direct experience . The quantization of energy levels, thequantum interference and the uncertainty relations are examples ofquantum aspects having an analog concept in classical physics wavephenomena. In our approach we break the wave-particle "duality",which is totally counterintuitive. Instead we enhance the underlyingwave mathematical structure as a path to reach and explain emergingfeatures of particles and quantum systems in general.