Students' misunderstanding of the concepts of energy and thermal processes in thermodynamics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22399/ijcesen.4163Keywords:
Thermodynamics, Energy, Learning Difficulties, Alternative Conceptions, University EducationAbstract
This study investigates university students’ misconceptions about energy and thermal processes in the thermodynamics course. It aimed to diagnose conceptual difficulties related to the fundamental principles of thermodynamics, especially the concept of energy and the related notions such as heat, work, and internal energy. The sample consisted of 88 students enrolled in exact sciences at the Universities of Djelfa and Laghouat in Algeria during the 2024/2025 academic year. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with students and instructors, in addition to a two-tier diagnostic test composed of four alternatives with one correct answer. Students’ responses were classified into different categories reflecting varying levels of understanding of these concepts. The results revealed a number of common alternative conceptions and conceptual errors among students, as most of them were unable to provide a correct justification for their answers. These findings implicitly reflect the teaching methods adopted in university and pre-university education, which may contribute to reinforcing these misconceptions. This highlights the need for targeted pedagogical strategies to improve students’ understanding of thermodynamics topics. Moreover, these results can be used to develop effective instructional strategies focusing on addressing and correcting such conceptions, especially in introductory thermal physics courses.
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