We use the Survey of Thermodynamic Processes and First and Second Laws-Long, a research-based survey instrument with 78 items at the level of introductory physics, to investigate introductory and advanced students’ difficulties with internal energy, work, and heat transfer. We present analysis of data from 12 different introductory and advanced physics classes at four different higher education public institutions in the U.S. in which the survey was administered in person to more than 1000 students. We find that not only introductory but also advanced physics students have many common difficulties with these introductory thermodynamic concepts after traditional lecture-based instruction in relevant concepts. We utilize a wide variety of problem types and contexts and our sample includes large numbers of introductory algebra-based, calculus-based, and advanced students. Some of our findings are consistent with prior research in this area, but others expand upon them and reveal previously unreported aspects of students’ thinking. Findings related to common difficulties of students before and after traditional lecture-based instruction in college physics courses can help instructors of these courses plan instruction and curricula to improve student understanding. These findings can also be valuable for developing effective research-based curricula and pedagogies to address student difficulties and help students develop a functional understanding of these fundamental thermodynamic concepts.

中文翻译：

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使用经过验证的仪器研究初级和高级学生在内能、功和传热变化方面的困难

我们使用“热力学过程和第一、第二定律调查”，这是一种基于研究的调查工具，包含入门物理级别的 78 个项目，以调查入门和高级学生在内能、做功和传热方面的困难。我们对美国四所不同高等教育公立机构的 12 个不同的入门和高级物理课程的数据进行了分析，其中对 1000 多名学生进行了亲自调查。我们发现，在传统的基于讲座的相关概念教学之后，不仅入门级物理学生，而且高级物理学生在学习这些入门热力学概念时都存在许多共同的困难。我们利用各种各样的问题类型和背景，我们的样本包括大量代数入门、微积分和高级学生。我们的一些研究结果与该领域之前的研究一致，但其他研究结果则对这些研究结果进行了扩展，揭示了学生思维中以前未报道的方面。有关大学物理课程传统讲座教学前后学生常见困难的调查结果可以帮助这些课程的教师规划教学和课程，以提高学生的理解。这些发现对于开发有效的基于研究的课程和教学法以解决学生的困难并帮助学生对这些基本热力学概念有功能性的理解也很有价值。