Journal Article Detail Page
![]()
written by
Stamatis Vokos, Peter S. Shaffer, Lillian C. McDermott, and Bradley S. Ambrose
This paper reports on a study of student understanding of the wave nature of matter in the context of the pattern produced by the diffraction and interference of particles. Students in first-year, second-year, and third-year physics courses were asked to predict and explain how a single change in an experimental setup would affect the pattern produced when electrons or other particles are incident on a single slit, double slit, or crystal lattice. The errors made by students after standard instruction indicated the presence of similar conceptual and reasoning difficulties at all levels. Among the most serious was an inability to interpret diffraction and interference in terms of a basic wave model. Other errors revealed a lack of a functional understanding of the de Broglie wavelength. Students often treated it as a fixed property of a particle, not as a function of the momentum. An important goal of this investigation was to provide a research base for the design of instruction to help students develop and apply a basic wave model for matter.
American Journal of Physics: Volume 68, Issue S1, Pages S42-S51
ComPADRE is beta testing Citation Styles!
![]() <a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=3005">Vokos, S, P. Shaffer, L. McDermott, and B. Ambrose. "Student understanding of the wave nature of matter: Diffraction and interference of particles." Am. J. Phys. 68, no. S1, (July 1, 2000): S42-S51.</a>
![]() S. Vokos, P. Shaffer, L. McDermott, and B. Ambrose, , Am. J. Phys. 68 (S1), S42 (2000), WWW Document, (https://doi.org/10.1119/1.19519).
![]() S. Vokos, P. Shaffer, L. McDermott, and B. Ambrose, Student understanding of the wave nature of matter: Diffraction and interference of particles, Am. J. Phys. 68 (S1), S42 (2000), <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.19519>.
![]() Vokos, S., Shaffer, P., McDermott, L., & Ambrose, B. (2000, July 1). Student understanding of the wave nature of matter: Diffraction and interference of particles. Am. J. Phys., 68(S1), S42-S51. Retrieved February 12, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.1119/1.19519
![]() Vokos, S, P. Shaffer, L. McDermott, and B. Ambrose. "Student understanding of the wave nature of matter: Diffraction and interference of particles." Am. J. Phys. 68, no. S1, (July 1, 2000): S42-S51, https://doi.org/10.1119/1.19519 (accessed 12 February 2025).
![]() Vokos, Stamatis, Peter Shaffer, Lillian C. McDermott, and Bradley S. Ambrose. "Student understanding of the wave nature of matter: Diffraction and interference of particles." Am. J. Phys. 68.S1 (2000): S42-S51. 12 Feb. 2025 <https://doi.org/10.1119/1.19519>.
![]() @article{
Author = "Stamatis Vokos and Peter Shaffer and Lillian C. McDermott and Bradley S. Ambrose",
Title = {Student understanding of the wave nature of matter: Diffraction and interference of particles},
Journal = {Am. J. Phys.},
Volume = {68},
Number = {S1},
Pages = {S42-S51},
Month = {July},
Year = {2000}
}
![]() %A Stamatis Vokos %A Peter Shaffer %A Lillian C. McDermott %A Bradley S. Ambrose %T Student understanding of the wave nature of matter: Diffraction and interference of particles %J Am. J. Phys. %V 68 %N S1 %D July 1, 2000 %P S42-S51 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.19519 %O text/html ![]() %0 Journal Article %A Vokos, Stamatis %A Shaffer, Peter %A McDermott, Lillian C. %A Ambrose, Bradley S. %D July 1, 2000 %T Student understanding of the wave nature of matter: Diffraction and interference of particles %J Am. J. Phys. %V 68 %N S1 %P S42-S51 %8 July 1, 2000 %U https://doi.org/10.1119/1.19519 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.
Citation Source Information
The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual. The AJP/PRST-PER presented is based on the AIP Style with the addition of journal article titles and conference proceeding article titles. The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References. The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation. The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ. |
ContributeSimilar Materials |