Identifying students' misconceptions about nuclear chemistry - A study of Turkish high school students

Abstract

Some prerequisite concepts for learning nuclear chemistry are chemistry fundamentals. Concepts associated with nuclear science are prevalent throughout the science curricula at all levels of elementary and secondary education in Turkey. Turkish high school chemistry textbooks have been investigated to ascertain whether they contained statements that could lead to students' misconceptions or learning difficulties. Based from the results in the diagnostic test conducted among the Turkish high school students, one misconception discovered indicates that the students are confused about atomic structure stability and noble gas stability. The second misconception has been about the difference between bonding in molecules and the binding energy in a nucleus. Other misconceptions of the Turkish high school students have included topics related to half-life, practical applications of nuclear chemistry and radioactive decay rate. Two obstacles to effective learning are the concepts and topics related to nuclear chemistry are quite abstract and the lack of prerequisite knowledge.