Categories: Alternative conceptions
An example of an alternative conception:
A study with undergraduates reported that most thought that if a solid was melted and then re-frozen any particular molecule would be likely to return to its original position in the solid lattice. Given the scale of molecules (so that even a single grain of a solid contains vast numbers of lattice positions to occupy), and the inherent motion found in liquids, it is extremely unlikely this would happen.
Read about this research, and a classroom probe to test learner thinking: Where does the molecule go? A diagnostic question
