Students’ and their ideas

Note: this section is under construction. The list of questions are shown, but there are no links to the pages showing the answers which are currently being completed.

Many of the concepts in this topic relate to familiar experiences and everyday language, which can impede a scientific understanding.

• What do students understand as the difference between heat and temperature?
• What ideas do students have about temperature measurement?
• How do students explain why metal feels colder than wood?
• What kinds of objects and situations do students associate with the term ‘energy’?
• What do students understand about the relationships between movement, force and energy?
• Do students see energy as conserved?