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- Title
Epistemological and educational study of the electromagnetic wave propagation in the empty space (vacuum), and how students understand the vacuum's concept.
- Authors
Ladj, Rabah; Tahar, Abachi; Belarbi, Taib
- Abstract
It is well known that, in teaching electromagnetism theory, university students learn that the electromagnetic wave can propagate in the vacuum (empty space) with a limited speed. This is it was a consequence of Michelson and Morley experiment, this experiment allowed to deny the idea of the Ether (which was supposed the medium of electromagnetic waves propagation). In this article we discuss the notion of the empty space (vacuum) and we try to see the difference between the physical vacuum and the absolute vacuum. How can we explain that empty space (vacuum) is characterized by physics properties? Is the notion of the empty space justified in other fields of physics, knowing that the general relativity appeals to the existence of the Ether? Is it possible to explain the experiment of Michelson and Morley with other hypotheses? Is there in physics science a crucial experiment? The idea of empty Space (vacuum) appeared in physics due to the carelessness (negligence) of major principles. "All which exists shows itself". Finally, from our experience in teaching at Algerian university, we noticed that students don't differentiate between the absolute vacuum and relative physical vacuum, and most of students whenever we use the word vacuum think about the absolute one. For this purpose, we wanted to clarify and focus on the problem with students, so, a questionnaire was presented, to homogenous sample of Algerian third year physics students related to the subject, in order to see how students understand the vacuum. But we concluded from the survey's results that indeed the vacuum concept in physics should have a profound educational revision.
- Subjects
ELECTROMAGNETIC waves; COLLEGE students; THEORY of wave motion; MAGNETOSTATICS; LORENTZ force; ELECTRIC fields
- Publication
Latin-American Journal of Physics Education, 2014, Vol 8, Issue 3, p407
- ISSN
1870-9095
- Publication type
Article