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Scientific Report 2007-2009
History of Physics and Physics Education
H3. Physics education: new perspectives on the problem of the
transition from classical to quantum physics
Its well known that the problem of teaching Quantum
Physics at school, is of outstanding priority in the
international research on Physics Education. Yet, the
various groups of research dont share the same opinions.
The debate is still open. The group of Rome is improving
a path-proposal starting from substantial changes in
the teaching of Classical Physics. Two aspects of the
entire question are being stressed.
1. The links and the gaps between the Classical and
the Quantum views of the physical world;
References
Ċ. Tarsitani, Dalla fisica classica alla fisica quantistica,
Editori Riuniti Univ. Press, Roma (2009)
Authors
C. Tarsitani
2. The formal structure of Quantum Physics;
3. The conceptual interpretation of the formalism.
As regards the first issue, we think that a meaningful
teaching of Quantum Physics cannot be actuated if the
main lines of the conceptual changes in the transition
from the Classical to Quantum views would not explicitly
treated. From this point of view, the research on
teaching must be integrated with historical and epistemological
knowledge. Our work is oriented towards the
construction of a clear insight of the deep conceptual
problems that emerge in the period 1890-1925, also by
individuating some important experimental situations in
which these problems appear in a form easy to understand.
As regards the second issue, its well known that the
Quantum formalism has a conceptual meaning in itself.
Our research aims to find strategies for a simple approach
to Quantum formalism, which can be used also at
school level. The research is oriented to create a logicalmathematical
structure, based on a simplified form of
the notion of Hilbert space. We develop the fact that
Quantum Physics, at an elementary level, is based on a
linear theory, which in turn finds its natural representation
by means of vector spaces. The mayor obstacle to
this development seems to be the use of complex numbers.
We have developed a formal structure based on
classical linear systems, that can be described in terms
of the well-known Diracs notations. Therefore we are
looking for a better integration between the teaching of
Physics and the teaching on Mathematics.
As regards the third issue the research is oriented
to the examination on the various misconceptions that
infest many textbook introductions to Quantum Physics
and are deeply impressed in the understanding of the
subject of the majority of students. Obviouly this
kind of research is based on an accurate analysis of
the debates that followed the formulation of the new
theoretical structure. A new line of research regards
the impact of Quantum Field Theory on the conceptual
issues raised by the above traditional debates. This last
research is carried on in collaboration with the Group of
the Department of Physics of the University of Bologna.
Sapienza Università di Roma 174 Dipartimento di Fisica