The sharing-out of nuclear attraction: or I can't think about Physics in Chemistry
One of my publications is:
Taber, K. S. (1998) The sharing-out of nuclear attraction: or I can't think about Physics in Chemistry, International Journal of Science Education, 20 (8), pp.1001-1014. https://doi.org/10.1080/0950069980200807
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"I can't think about physics in chemistry, I have to think about chemical things in chemistry."
(Student studying both chemistry and physics at A level)
Abstract:
Pre-university chemistry students were found to consider that an atomic nucleus gives rise to a certain amount of attractive force which is shared equally among the electrons. Students used this 'conservation of force' principle in their explanations of such phenomena as patterns in ionization energy. It is suggested that teachers of chemistry should be aware that although they may be using conventional electrostatic principles in their presentations, their students may be reinterpreting their explanations through this alternative conception. The present research concerns the interface between two scientific disciplines (chemistry and physics) and suggests that learners do not readily integrate their knowledge across such domains. It is mooted that more research into how such demarcations encourage learners to compartmentalize their knowledge may prove fruitful.
Contents:
- Introduction
- Methodology
- Context of the findings
- The 'conservation of force' conception
- Application of the 'conservation of force' explanatory principle to ionic size
- Applications of the 'conservation of force' explanatory principle to ionisation energy
- The 'conservation of force' explanatory principle as a common notion
- Contextual dependence of the alternative conception
- Discussion
"However, the data discussed show that:
- some A level students interviewed applied the 'conservation of force' conception in their explanations of physical phenomena (relative sizes of ions, patterns in ionisation energies);
- similar arguments were found in the written work both of these students, and their peers who were not involved in the interview study;
- a simple diagnostic instrument then revealed that something like three quarters of a larger sample of learners would judge statements based on the 'conservation of force' conception as true rather than false.
There seems to be sufficient evidence to suggest that the 'conservation of force' conception may be widely used by chemistry students at this level." (p.1010)
