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Conceptual understanding of quantum physics across varying levels of expertise
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
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<a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=17134">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.</a>
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).
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>.
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
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).
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>.
@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}
}
%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 %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 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
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