Vol. 19 No. 2 Jul-Dec (2022): Revista Mexicana de Física E

02 Education in Physics

• A heuristic procedure to go from LS to jj expressions in atomic and nuclear spectroscopy

  Julio C. Aguiar, Héctor Oscar Di Rocco

  020201 1–7

  Abstract:

  The expressions for the energy matrix elements and for the radiative transitions in the jj coupling can be obtained from the respective LS expressions by making a few simple changes. The results shown as examples are compared with other treatments, where the two formulations are deduced in parallel, without making use of these simple rules. We emphasize that the rules were found by heuristic reasoning. In all cases the application of the rules are in accordance with published results. This work completes two previous papers published in this journal (References 19 and 20).

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• Percepción del aprendizaje de la física en diferentes programas de ingeniería

  Tomas Rada Crespo, Oscar Hernández Bustos, Diana Rueda Delgado, Heydy Robles Noriega, Juan Miranda Crespo

  020202 1–9

  Abstract:

  This work was designed to characterize and study the beliefs held by students of different engineering programs regarding the learning of Physics using the CLASS survey. The beliefs and attitudes shown by students towards the learning of this subject represent a good predictor of the performance of students taking the first science courses and whose contents are valid in an increasingly globalized world. In addition, the teacher’s knowledge of these beliefs will allow him/her to have a clearer idea of what the students think regarding the way in which they learn this subject. Therefore, we propose learning environments that potentiate favorable beliefs and modify unfavorable ones, and will represent for the teacher a high possibility of improving the results in the learning of Physics. In this study, we found significant differences in how students perceive the importance of learning Physics in their training as engineers, depending on the engineering program they are enrolled in. It is necessary then, that the teacher establishes a pedagogical line of action that brings the student closer to an effective learning and where the competences developed in the learning of Physics are oriented to the development of their professional training.

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• Abundant travelling wave solutions of 3+1 dimensional Boussinesq equation with dual dispersion

  Sait SAN, R. Altunay

  020203 1–12

  Abstract:

  This study presents utilization of Jacobi elliptic function expansion method to obtain the di¤erent types solutions of 3+1
  dimensional Boussinesq equation with dual dispersion. By using this method hyperbolic solutions and trigonometric function
  solutions are also obtained. The resulting outcomes verify that the preferred method is valid and reliable for the analytical technique of an extensive application of nonlinear phenomena.

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• Thermodynamic functions of Manning-Rosen plus a class of Yukawa potential using Euler MacLaurin Formula

  Morris Ramantswana, Akpan Ndem Ikot, Gaotsiwe Joel Rampho, Collins Okon Edet, Uduakobong S Okorie

  020204 1–11

  Abstract:

  By employing the Nikiforov-Uvarov (NU) method, we solved the time-independent Schrödinger equation (SE) with Manning-Rosen plus a class of Yukawa potential (MRCYP) model. The eigensolutions expressions were obtained and thermodynamic function expressions were also obtained using Euler MacLaurin formula in closed forms. Numerical results of the energy were obtained with respect to different screening parameters and quantum numbers. In addition, the effects of temperature on the thermodynamic functions were discussed for various screening parameters and quantum states. Unique critical temperatures of entropy and specific heat capacity were seen to exist for the selected screening parameters and quantum numbers. Our results are also in sync with the results in literatures and they promise to be relevant in various areas of studies, including atomic, particle and nuclear physics.

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• Visualization of face-centered cubic energy band using spreadsheet and javascript as innovative learning

  Aditya Yoga Purnama, Heru Kuswanto, Syella Ayunisa Rani; Himawan Putranta

  020205 1–9

  Abstract:

  Constructing mathematical equations in physics often creates difficulties in students' learning process. Therefore, it is necessary to have technology-based simulations to understand physical phenomena. One technology that is easy to use for simulations in physics learning is the spreadsheet program. This study aims to use spreadsheet media to visualize the face-centered cubic (FCC) energy band using the tight-binding method and to compare the results with the JavaScript programming language. This paper succeeded in making visualization of face-centered cubic (FCC) energy band using a spreadsheet as an alternative to distance learning. The spreadsheet is easier to use because they do not use complicated programming languages like JavaScript. This paper shows the use of innovative learning media, spreadsheets, in materials courses.

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• SpaceMath version 1.0 A Mathematica package for beyond the standard model parameter space searches

  Marco Antonio Arroyo-Ureña, R. Gaitán, T. A. Valencia-Perez

  020206 1–16

  Abstract:

  We present a pedagogical Mathematica package, so-called SpaceMath, for Beyond the Standard Model parameter space searches. This software is directed mainly for the training of human resources related to elementary particle physics phenomenology, however, it is sophisticated enough to be used in researches. In this first version, SpaceMath v1.0 works with Higgs Boson Data whose results are the most up-to-date experimental measurements made at the Large Hadron Collider. In addition, we also include the expected results at future colliders, namely, High Luminosity LHC and High Energy LHC. SpaceMath v1.0 is able to find allowed regions for free parameters of extension models using the Higgs Boson Data within a friendly interface and an intuitive environment in which the user enters the couplings symbolically, sets parameters and execute Mathematica in the traditional way. As result, both tables as plots with values and areas agree with experimental data are generated. We present examples using SpaceMath v1.0 to analyze the free Two-Higgs Doublet Model and the Simplest Little Higgs Model parameter spaces, step by step, in order to start new users in a fast and efficient way. Finally, to validate SpaceMath v1.0, widely known results are reproduced.

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• Differences in the attitudes and beliefs about science of students in the physics-mathematics and life sciences areas and their impact on teaching

  A. Suárez, D. Baccino, M. Monteiro, Arturo Marti

  020207 1–6

  Abstract:

  For this study, we compared the attitudes and beliefs about science of physical science (physics and mathematics) and life science (biochemistry and biology) students at the beginning of their university degrees using the CLASS (Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey) tool. It is worth noting that both groups of students received similar physics courses during their high-school education. Through a detailed analysis of the different categories of the test, we examined the differences in performance in each of the areas that make up the questionnaire. Among other aspects, we found that a considerable percentage of life science students (higher than that of physical science students) adopted a novice type of behavior in problem solving. Finally, we discussed the possible causes of the differences found and their implications for teaching.

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• Hafele and Keating in a fictious gravitational field

  Elmo Benedetto, G. Iovane

  020208 1–4

  Abstract:

  The so called twin paradox is described in every special relativity (SR) textbook. Obviously, an exact calculation requires the application of the general theory of relativity (GR) but, thanks to some simplifying hypotheses concerning the acceleration and deceleration phases, even in SR it is possible to find the correct solution and that is "the twin who goes on space travel is the one who, returning to Earth, finds the aged brother." In a curved spacetime, instead, we have the algebraic sum between a kinematic and a gravitational effect. What happens in the presence of a gravitational field is, for example, well described by Hafele and Keating's experiment and, in this case, it may happen that the traveling brother can grow older than his brother at rest. Continuing in this pedagogical tradition, we consider the Hafele and Keating experiment in a fictious gravitational field of a rotating frame. The equality of the results between curved spacetime of a real gravitational field and flat spacetime of a fictitious one, in our opinion, is interesting to emphasize even today the great genius of Einstein and that is "inertia is gravity in disguise".

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• Local time in Lagrangian mechanics

  Gerardo Francisco Torres del Castillo

  020209 1–5

  Abstract:

  We show that under the replacement of the time by a local time in the Lagrange equations, the form of the equations is maintained if the Lagrangian does not depend explicitly on the time. We also study the corresponding modifications in the Hamilton equations and in the Hamilton--Jacobi equation.

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