PERC 2019 Abstract Detail Page
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| Abstract Title: | Improving Students' Understanding of the Wave Function for a System of Identical Particles |
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| Abstract: | We discuss an investigation of student difficulties with concepts related to the many-particle stationary state wave function for a system of non-interacting fermions or bosons in cases in which the many-particle stationary state wave function can be written as the product of the spatial and spin parts. The investigation was carried out in advanced quantum mechanics courses by administering free-response and multiple-choice questions and conducting individual interviews with students. We find that students share many common difficulties related to these concepts. Many students struggled to write a many-particle stationary state wave function consistent with the symmetrization requirements for the system (a completely antisymmetric wave function for a system of fermions or bosons). |
| Abstract Type: | Contributed Poster Presentation |
| Session Time: | Poster Session III |
| Poster Number: | C44 |
Author/Organizer Information | |
| Primary Contact: |
Christof Keebaugh Franklin and Marshall College PA |
| Co-Author(s) and Co-Presenter(s) |
Emily Marshman, University of Pittsburgh Chandralekha Singh, University of Pittsburgh |
