Open AccessRetention of a Double Slit Single Photon Interference Demonstration of Particle-Wave Duality
Author(s) -
Ed van den Berg,
Hajo Brandt,
Aernout van Rossum,
Jan van der Veen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of physics. conference series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.21
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1742-6596
pISSN - 1742-6588
DOI - 10.1088/1742-6596/1929/1/012049
Subject(s) - double slit experiment , duality (order theory) , matter wave , wave–particle duality , photon , physics , particle (ecology) , test (biology) , interference (communication) , mathematics education , quantum , psychology , optics , quantum mechanics , electrical engineering , engineering , mathematics , paleontology , channel (broadcasting) , oceanography , discrete mathematics , biology , geology
In the past there has been great faith in the power of laboratory activities and teacher demonstrations to enhance the learning of physics concepts. However, reviews of the effectiveness turned out to be disappointing [1-3] and have shown that lab activities and demonstrations need to be carefully designed and embedded in lessons to realize cognitive benefits [4]. Nevertheless, for secondary school quantum physics we developed a portable double slit demonstration mounted in a suitcase in which photons pass the slits approximately one by one and yet together produce an interference pattern. Based on experiences in 5 schools, we carefully designed the educational aspects of the demonstration and investigated its longterm learning effects through a written test of 68 students after 4 weeks and retention interviews after 4 months (10 interviews) and after 9 months (5 interviews). Students did remember the setup and results of the demonstration quite well. They were quite aware of the unexpected and strange wave-particle behavior of quantum particles in the demonstration including the effect of measurement or observation on the outcomes. However, half of them still had trouble defining duality in their own words and most of them did not remember de Broglie particle waves and how that related to the double slit experiment.