The Infinite Language Well: Linguistic and Cultural Influences in Learning and Researching Quantum Physics

Abstract

Quantum physics is a field that is currently exploding with fresh and exciting contributions to science. Much of its appeal to physicists stems from its range of applications, from MRIs to computational methods. The first step to working on these applications is understanding the theories of quantum mechanics; however, it is the theories that make quantum physics one of the most intimidating fields to approach for physics students. This is partly due to unfamiliar vocabulary and connotations from pop culture. Schrödinger’s wave equation, the superposition state of particles, perturbation in infinite square wells, and other topics in quantum physics sound dauntingly complicated. Also, films like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and other forms of entertainment portray quantum physics as a brand-new science that explains phenomena, like time travel, that have yet to exist. In order to explore these impediments to learning and researching quantum physics, this study used ethnographic methods. This included participant observation within undergraduate and graduate study groups, classrooms, research settings, and colloquiums, as well as interviews and an “ethocharrettes” elicitation activity with students and faculty in the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Physics Department. This project found that physics students and professors bring their own linguistic and cultural frameworks to learning and researching quantum physics. The ways that students have learned to talk and think about the world based on their real-world experiences cannot capture many of the core ideas in quantum physics. However, this prior learning in classical physics is seen by the experts in my study as a necessary foundation that allows students to differentiate this new field and understand it further. These findings shine light on some of the barriers that may keep promising new scholars from becoming involved in this important line of scientific research and discovery.