PhaseChange_TA

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 * __Phase Change - Textbook Analysis__

How is phase change developed and used throughout the text?**
 * In physics:
 * Starts with atomic nature of matter, solids, liquids, and gases; moves onto to temperature, heat, expansion, and heat transfer; finally discusses change of phase: evaporation, condensation, equilibrium, boiling, freezing, regelation, energy
 * In chemistry:
 * Starts with kinetic theory of gases, moves onto nature of liquids, boiling, nature of solids, changes of state, phase diagrams, and sublimation
 * Starts with gases, intermolecular forces, liquids and solids, then moves to phase change, melting, vaporization, sublimation (three that require energy), condensation, deposition, freezing (three that release energy), phase diagrams


 * Where does it appear in the content?**
 * In physics:
 * Phase change appears in the textbook unit focused on heat (temperature, heat, heat transfer, phase change, and thermodynamics)
 * Unit on heat follows the unit on properties of matter, which includes discussion of atomic nature of matter, solids, liquids, and gases
 * Phase changes has its own chapter and covers evaporation, condensation, equilibrium, boiling, freezing, regelation, energy
 * Eleven pages total on phase change
 * In chemistry:
 * Phase change appears in the chapter discussing states of matter, which includes gases, forces of attraction, liquids and solids, and phase change (including phase diagrams)
 * Chapter on states of matter follows the chapter on stoichiometry
 * In one book, gases and gas laws are discussed more in-depth in the following chapter
 * In another book, the follow chapter covers thermochemistry and change in heat; then behavior of gases and gas laws
 * Five-six pages total on phase change


 * How might the organization of phase change throughout the text influence students’ view of:**
 * -- phase change?**
 * By organizing phase change according to whether energy is required or released, it may create a disconnect between freezing/melting and evaporation/condensation
 * Talking about states of matter and changes of state within the same chapter has the potential to jumble big ideas
 * Discussion of heat should also accompany discussion of phase change for deeper understanding
 * Within chemistry books, content of phase change is interrupted with extraneous graphs and applications


 * -- the larger discipline of science?**
 * There is not enough discussion about energy requirements for phase change, which could lead to thinking of phase change as a random process
 * Need more explicit connections between topics such as kinetic theory of gases, phase change, heat transfer

-- your team’s understanding of phase change?**
 * How is this analysis influencing:
 * Atomic structure and kinetic theory of gases is important in understanding states and phase change
 * Discussion on energy and connections to heat transfer are important but rarely detailed in textbooks
 * Textbooks say phase change occurs, but does not explain well how it happens
 * Need to start with students know (e.g. water) and build upon those ideas to introduce phase change
 * There are many approaches for introducing phase change


 * -- your view of what students’ should understand before learning about phase change?**
 * Understanding thermal energy, temperature, heat, and transfer of energy is key before getting into phase change
 * Understanding of states – solids, liquids, and gases – and how they are distinguished