Clear and rigorous quantum reasoning is needed to explain quantum physical phenomena. As pillars of true quantum physical explanations, we suggest specific quantum reasoning derived from quantum physical key ideas. An experiment is suggested to support such a quantum reasoning, in which a quantized radiation field interacts with an optical beam splitter, leading to experimental results conflicting with classical physical predictions. The results, however, can be explained consistently with a quantum reasoning based on the key ideas of probability, superposition, and interference (PSI). In this quantum optical key experiment the optical beam splitter prepares a superposition of single photon states and a Michelson interferometer is used to detect the superposition via controlled propagation phases. Although different single photon experimental setups (aimed at helping students to gain access to foundational issues in quantum physics) have been discussed in the past, the wave-particle dualism bound to classical physics maintains its predominance as an explanation pattern for the interpretation of these experiments. The study presented here investigates the effect of the quantum optical key experiment on the ability of students to use quantum reasoning based on the key ideas of PSI to overcome the naive wave-particle dualism. The current state of relevant studies that test student access to quantum physics can roughly be divided into two distinct areas: one tests how mathematical abilities help them to understand quantum physics and one tests how nonmathematical representations of a set of specific quantum theoretical traits (“Wesenszüge”) lead to a deeper understanding of quantum physics. There is a lack of questionnaires that focus on the idea of developing quantum reasoning based on superposition, probability, and interference of quantum states combined with a real experiment using true quantum light. In the first part of the article, we describe the physical modeling and present the development of the questionnaire. The set of items has been constructed from newly developed items and combined with well-tested ones. The validation of the set addresses qualitative and quantitative methods. In the second part, we give a pre- and poststudy examination of the impact of the quantum optical key experiment on students’ quantum reasoning. A significant increase in the number of students using quantum arguments is based on PSI reasoning for the explanation of an interference, such as the behavior of single photon states. Though the increase is significant, we found only minor changes in a particular issue to the students’ reasoning when approaching quantum physics as illustrated by a sample of answers given in the second part of the article. The concept of quantum states and the principle of superposition still appear particularly difficult.

中文翻译：

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测试量子推理：问卷的开发、验证和应用

解释量子物理现象需要清晰而严格的量子推理。作为真正量子物理解释的支柱，我们建议从量子物理关键思想中得出具体的量子推理。建议进行一项实验来支持这种量子推理，其中量化的辐射场与光学分束器相互作用，导致实验结果与经典物理预测相冲突。然而，结果可以用基于概率、叠加和干涉（PSI）关键思想的量子推理来解释。在这个量子光学关键实验中，光束分束器准备单光子态的叠加，并使用迈克尔逊干涉仪通过受控的传播相位来检测叠加。尽管过去已经讨论过不同的单光子实验装置（旨在帮助学生了解量子物理学的基础问题），但与经典物理学相关的波粒二元论仍然保持着其作为解释这些实验的解释模式的主导地位。这里提出的研究调查了量子光学关键实验对学生使用基于 PSI 关键思想的量子推理来克服朴素波粒二元论的能力的影响。测试学生接触量子物理的相关研究的当前状态大致可分为两个不同的领域：一个测试数学能力如何帮助他们理解量子物理，另一个测试一组特定量子理论特征的非数学表示（“Wesenszüge”） ”）导致对量子物理学有更深入的理解。目前缺乏关注基于量子态的叠加、概率和干涉并结合使用真实量子光的真实实验来发展量子推理的想法的调查问卷。在文章的第一部分，我们描述了物理建模并介绍了调查问卷的开发。这组物品是由新开发的物品和经过充分测试的物品组合而成的。该集的验证涉及定性和定量方法。第二部分，我们对量子光学关键实验对学生量子推理的影响进行了课前和课后检查。使用量子论证的学生数量显着增加是基于 PSI 推理来解释干涉，例如单光子态的行为。尽管增加幅度很大，但我们发现学生在学习量子物理学时，在某个特定问题上的推理仅发生了微小的变化，如本文第二部分给出的答案样本所示。量子态的概念和叠加原理仍然显得特别困难。