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Misconception NGM025:

Students are reluctant to consider that thermal energy can be transferred away from your body by conduction (Brook et al., 1984; Newell & Ross, 1996). In Brook et al., students were not able to explain why a piece of metal feels colder than a piece of plastic (Students thought that if the metal feels cold, it cannot be conducting thermal energy.). In another study, students thought that the metal feels colder because they attract cold or lose their heat to the surrounding air (Erickson & Tiberghien, 1985; Lewis & Linn, 1994).

Items that test for misconception NGM025 in this project (ASPECt) and key idea (Conduction is the transfer of energ…)
Item ID
Number

Item Description

How Often the Misconception was Chosen

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NG025004

While a student holds a cold piece of metal in her hand, the metal will get warmer because thermal energy is transferred from the student's hand to the metal.

9%

Items that test for misconception NGM025 in this project (ASPECt) and other key ideas

NG058003

Energy is transferred when a person comes in contact with cold air, and energy is transferred when an electric generator is used to run a motor.

58%

NG057003

Energy is transferred when a person touches a cold piece of metal, and energy is transferred when a lamp shines light on a table.

42%