This theoretical paper provides a case-study in the history of nuclear physics that could likely help overcoming a learning difficulty that upper secondary school students have in dealing with conservation of energy topics. As reported in the physics education literature, among the learning difficulties encountered by the students figures indeed limiting the validity of the principle of conservation of energy to mechanical and thermodynamic processes. The historical case-study here proposed concerns Bohr-Pauli controversy in late 1920s to early 1930s about the continuous beta decay spectra. As it is well known, in order to explain this feature of the beta decay, Bohr suggested a violation of the principle of conservation in radioactive processes. On the contrary, Pauli defended the view that the unobserved portions of energy was carried off by one, or more, very light neutral particles, eventually named neutrinos.

The beta decay and the conservation of energy: A historical case-study to overcome learning difficulties in the upper secondary school

LEONE, Matteo;
2014-01-01

Abstract

This theoretical paper provides a case-study in the history of nuclear physics that could likely help overcoming a learning difficulty that upper secondary school students have in dealing with conservation of energy topics. As reported in the physics education literature, among the learning difficulties encountered by the students figures indeed limiting the validity of the principle of conservation of energy to mechanical and thermodynamic processes. The historical case-study here proposed concerns Bohr-Pauli controversy in late 1920s to early 1930s about the continuous beta decay spectra. As it is well known, in order to explain this feature of the beta decay, Bohr suggested a violation of the principle of conservation in radioactive processes. On the contrary, Pauli defended the view that the unobserved portions of energy was carried off by one, or more, very light neutral particles, eventually named neutrinos.
2014
The World Conference on Physics Education (WCPE 2012)
Istanbul
July 1-6, 2012
Proceedings of the World Conference of Physics Education 2012
Pegem Akademi
495
499
9786053646587
http://www.wcpe2012.org/proceedings.html
M. Leone; N. Robotti
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2318/147315
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