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Conceptual understanding of quantum physics across varying levels of expertise
written by Bogusia Gierus
Conceptual understanding in quantum physics acts as a bridge between the abstract mathematical framework and the physical reality it describes, fostering intuition, guiding research, and enabling communication. Although, accurately pinpointing or describing an individual's conceptual understanding is challenging, language, imagery, and gestures could offer a proxy, as is suggested by Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT). A core idea in CMT is that we understand abstract concepts by relating them to concrete physical experiences or familiar knowledge via metaphors, images, or actions. Adopting a CMT perspective, this poster explores how individuals, across varying levels of expertise, express a conceptual understanding of quantum physics. Through classroom observations, focus groups, and interviews with expert-physicists, physics teachers, and students, recurring metaphorical mappings within the field of quantum physics were identified. The findings revealed increasingly interconnected metaphorical structures with greater expertise: experts demonstrated richer, integrated networks of metaphors, while novices showed fragmented and less developed conceptualizations.
Physics Education Research Conference 2025
Part of the PER Conference series
Washington, DC: August 6-7, 2025
Pages 160-165
Subjects Levels Resource Types
Education - Basic Research
- Assessment
= Conceptual Assessment
- Cognition
- Learning Theory
= Representations
Quantum Physics
- General
- Graduate/Professional
- Lower Undergraduate
- Upper Undergraduate
- 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.2025…
Access Rights:
Free access
License:
This material is released under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 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.2025.pr.Gierus
Keyword:
PERC 2025
Record Creator:
Metadata instance created October 20, 2025 by Lyle Barbato
Record Updated:
October 27, 2025 by Lyle Barbato
Last Update
when Cataloged:
October 28, 2025
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Record Link
AIP Format
B. Gierus, , presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2025, Washington, DC, 2025, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17134&DocID=6062).
AJP/PRST-PER
B. Gierus, Conceptual understanding of quantum physics across varying levels of expertise, presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2025, Washington, DC, 2025, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17134&DocID=6062>.
APA Format
Gierus, B. (2025, August 6-7). Conceptual understanding of quantum physics across varying levels of expertise. Paper presented at Physics Education Research Conference 2025, Washington, DC. Retrieved February 11, 2026, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17134&DocID=6062
Chicago Format
Gierus, Bogusia. "Conceptual understanding of quantum physics across varying levels of expertise." Paper presented at the Physics Education Research Conference 2025, Washington, DC, August 6-7, 2025. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17134&DocID=6062 (accessed 11 February 2026).
MLA Format
Gierus, Bogusia. "Conceptual understanding of quantum physics across varying levels of expertise." Physics Education Research Conference 2025. Washington, DC: 2025. 160-165 of PER Conference. 11 Feb. 2026 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17134&DocID=6062>.
BibTeX Export Format
@inproceedings{ Author = "Bogusia Gierus", Title = {Conceptual understanding of quantum physics across varying levels of expertise}, BookTitle = {Physics Education Research Conference 2025}, Pages = {160-165}, Address = {Washington, DC}, Series = {PER Conference}, Month = {August 6-7}, Year = {2025} }
Refer Export Format

%A Bogusia Gierus %T Conceptual understanding of quantum physics across varying levels of expertise %S PER Conference %D August 6-7 2025 %P 160-165 %C Washington, DC %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17134&DocID=6062 %O Physics Education Research Conference 2025 %O August 6-7 %O application/pdf

EndNote Export Format

%0 Conference Proceedings %A Gierus, Bogusia %D August 6-7 2025 %T Conceptual understanding of quantum physics across varying levels of expertise %B Physics Education Research Conference 2025 %C Washington, DC %P 160-165 %S PER Conference %8 August 6-7 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=17134&DocID=6062


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