An interdisciplinary approach to the topic of energy has been receiving increased attention in the science education literature, as it plays a critical role across the STEM disciplines.  Potential energy, specifically, is a conceptually rich topic that is relevant for providing the explanatory power for numerous energy changes.  For example, in chemical contexts, energy changes related to phase changes, bonding, and solution formation are all related to changes in a system’s potential energy.  Yet, potential energy presents many documented difficulties for students.   Our data from student responses to written surveys and small-group interviews reveal that students do not spontaneously draw upon existing ideas they ought to have about potential energy from physics classes to help guide their decision making in chemical contexts.  However, we have shown that with minimal intervention, students can be guided to make these connections.  A series of short student surveys were developed that paired chemistry examples with common macroscopic examples from physics.  These surveys served to explore and refine the best examples from physics to help support an interdisciplinary understanding of potential energy.   We hope that by having students make these interdisciplinary connections, it leads them to a more robust and functional understanding of this important topic throughout the chemistry curriculum. <br/>

Which macroscopic examples from physics best support student understanding of potential energy in chemistry

254th National Meeting (2017)

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