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Student difficulties with quantum states while translating state vectors in Dirac notation to wave functions in position and momentum representations
written by Emily Marshman and Chandralekha Singh
Dirac notation is often used in upper level quantum mechanics courses, but students struggle with this representation. To investigate the difficulties that advanced students (i.e., upper-level undergraduate and graduate students) have while translating state vectors in Dirac notation to wave functions in position and momentum representations, we administered free-response and multiple-choice questions and conducted individual interviews with students. We find that students display common difficulties with these topics.
Physics Education Research Conference 2015
Part of the PER Conference series
College Park, MD: July 29-30, 2015
Pages 211-214
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education - Basic Research
- Problem Solving
= Representational Use
- Student Characteristics
= Skills
Mathematical Tools
- Linear Algebra and Tensors
= Eigenvalues and Eigenvectors
Quantum Physics
- Foundations and Measurements
= Hilbert Space
= Wave Functions
- Upper Undergraduate
- Graduate/Professional
- Reference Material
= Research study
PER-Central Type Intended Users Ratings
- PER Literature
- Researchers
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Format:
application/pdf
Mirror:
https://doi.org/10.1119/perc.2015…
Access Rights:
Free access
License:
This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the published article's author(s), title, proceedings citation, and DOI.
Rights Holder:
American Association of Physics Teachers
DOI:
10.1119/perc.2015.pr.048
NSF Number:
1202909
PACS:
01.40.Fk
Keyword:
PERC 2015
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created December 16, 2015 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
December 23, 2015 by Bruce Mason
Last Update
when Cataloged:
December 18, 2015
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AIP Format
E. Marshman and C. Singh, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2015, College Park, MD, 2015, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13873&DocID=4291).
AJP/PRST-PER
E. Marshman and C. Singh, Student difficulties with quantum states while translating state vectors in Dirac notation to wave functions in position and momentum representations, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2015, College Park, MD, 2015, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13873&DocID=4291>.
APA Format
Marshman, E., & Singh, C. (2015, July 29-30). Student difficulties with quantum states while translating state vectors in Dirac notation to wave functions in position and momentum representations. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2015, College Park, MD. Retrieved December 5, 2024, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13873&DocID=4291
Chicago Format
Marshman, Emily, and Chandralekha Singh. "Student difficulties with quantum states while translating state vectors in Dirac notation to wave functions in position and momentum representations." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2015, College Park, MD, July 29-30, 2015. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13873&DocID=4291 (accessed 5 December 2024).
MLA Format
Marshman, Emily, and Chandralekha Singh. "Student difficulties with quantum states while translating state vectors in Dirac notation to wave functions in position and momentum representations." Physics Education Research Conference 2015. College Park, MD: 2015. 211-214 of PER Conference. 5 Dec. 2024 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13873&DocID=4291>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Emily Marshman and Chandralekha Singh", Title = {Student difficulties with quantum states while translating state vectors in Dirac notation to wave functions in position and momentum representations}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2015}, Pages = {211-214}, Address = {College Park, MD}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {July 29-30}, Year = {2015} }
Refer Export Format

%A Emily Marshman %A Chandralekha Singh %T Student difficulties with quantum states while translating state vectors in Dirac notation to wave functions in position and momentum representations %S PER Conference %D July 29-30 2015 %P 211-214 %C College Park, MD %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13873&DocID=4291 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2015 %O July 29-30 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Marshman, Emily %A Singh, Chandralekha %D July 29-30 2015 %T Student difficulties with quantum states while translating state vectors in Dirac notation to wave functions in position and momentum representations %B Physics Education Research Conference 2015 %C College Park, MD %P 211-214 %S PER Conference %8 July 29-30 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=13873&DocID=4291


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