Previous research has shown students’ difficulties with gaining a conceptual understanding of the electronic structure of the atom. Students at all levels seem to have major difficulties understanding the quantum model of the atom. This study focuses on investigating both first-semester general chemistry and second-semester physical chemistry students’ understandings of the electronic structure with regards to the ideas of electron probability and quantized energy of the atom. We conducted semi-structured interviews with first-semester general chemistry (N = 26) and second-semester physical chemistry (N= 8) students using particulate representations of the electronic structure of the atom and symbolic representations of the energy in a hydrogen atom. The data from these interviews were analyzed and used to develop a multiple-choice assessment to measure students’ understanding of the electronic structure of the atom. The Quantization and Probability Representations Inventory (QuPRI) consists of 27-multiple choice questions. In addition to measuring students’ ideas about energy quantization and probability, the QuPRI includes three survey items that ask students to choose which representation of the atom they prefer and which representation of the atom they consider to be scientifically accurate. The QuPRI was administered to chemistry students at various institutions across the United States after they had been formally instructed and assessed on the subject of the electronic structure of the atom. Results of students’ performance on the assessment will be presented. <br/>

Implementation of the quantization and probability representations inventory at institutions across the United States

2019 Spring National Meeting

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