Article

Abstract

• A common task when problem solving in quantum mechanics, including in a spins-first curriculum, involves changing the basis of a given state. Our research in undergraduate quantum mechanics courses at three institutions explores student thinking about basis, basis expansion coefficients, and change of basis in the context of spin- systems. Our investigation is based on conceptual and computational written questions as well as student reasoning interviews. We identify student ideas about whether and how changing basis affects the state, examine how students perceive notation as indicative of choice of basis, explore students’ interpretations of the structure and meaning of a basis expansion, and identify the range of methods students employ when changing basis. For instance, we find a recurring idea that changing basis alters the physical system, and observe that some students chose to relabel the ket representing a quantum state vector after changing basis. Together, these results paint a broad, qualitative picture of a variety of ways that students grapple with basis and change of basis, with potential implications for instruction.

Creator

• Pollock, Steven J
• Villaseñor, Armando
• Passante, Gina
• Sadaghiani, Homeyra
• Corsiglia, Giaco
• Schermerhorn, Benjamin P.

Date Issued

• 2022

Academic Affiliation

• Physics

Journal Title

• Physical Review Physics Education Research Journal

Journal Issue/Number

• 1

Journal Volume

• 18

Last Modified

• 2024-11-21

Resource Type

• Article

Rights Statement

• In Copyright

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevphyseducres.18.010144

ISSN

• 2469-9896

Language

• English [eng]

License

• Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 International

Relationships

Items

Thumbnail	Title	Date Uploaded	Visibility	Actions
	PhysRevPhysEducRes.18.010144.pdf	2024-11-21	Public	Download