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SUMMARY:When a solid metal is heated\, do the atoms expand? What kind of q
 uestion is this? - Dr John Oversby\, University of Reading
DTSTART:20130211T163000Z
DTEND:20130211T180000Z
UID:TALK41841@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Ann Waterman
DESCRIPTION:I was rather puzzled recently by two text book particle diagra
 ms on opposite pages. On the left hand page were particles depicted as sol
 id balls touching\, so show how the metal is almost incompressible\, and a
  fixed shape. On the right hand page\, the atoms were a little way apart\,
  with extra lines to indicate movement\, as the heated metal expands sligh
 tly and the vibrating atoms push each other apart. Could the atoms be touc
 hing\, yet slightly apart? As I searched the scientific literature\, I beg
 an to think this was a philosophical question\, about the nature of modell
 ing\, and about the nature of science. We chose to explore this dilemma wi
 th a group of 17 year old physics students in a school in Malta\, through 
 discussions about explaining both thermal expansion and thermal contractio
 n. Our evidence comes from written explanations provided by the students\,
  and their conversations in class recorded in class by their physics teach
 er (JBM) over a period of one month as we posed contradictory evidence to 
 see how their theories changed. What came out were typical characteristics
  of resistant to change\, even in a strong case of cognitive dissonance. T
 he seminar links theoretical research with a case study of how it plays ou
 t in a class of learners. 
LOCATION:GS1\, Donald McIntyre Building\, Faculty of Education\, 184 Hills
  Road\, Cambridge
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