Learners’ mental representations of the particulate nature of gases

Cynthia Urriquia Talens; Fortunato B. Sevilla III; Mei-Hung Chiu

doi:10.29333/mathsciteacher/17813

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Cynthia Urriquia Talens ¹ ² ³ ^* , Fortunato B. Sevilla III ¹ , Mei-Hung Chiu ⁴

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¹ University of Santo Tomas, Manila, PHILIPPINES² Manila Tytana Colleges, Pasay, PHILIPPINES³ San Beda College Alabang, Muntinlupa, PHILIPPINES⁴ National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, TAIWAN^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This paper aims to describe selected Filipino learners’ mental representations of gas particles affected by temperature, pressure, and diffusion and identify possible alternative conceptions. The study employed a qualitative method that participants were in grade 11 of a local private institution. Results indicated seven mental representations on gas behaviours namely, motion of hot and cold gas (type 1), motion and size of hot and cold gas (type 2), motion and size of hot gas (type 3), motion and size of cold gas (type 4), motion of hot gas (type 5), motion of hot gas and size of cold gas (type 6), and demented (type 7) and were discussed accordingly. Type 1 is the major mental representation for these learners and alternative conceptions were described. The learners have similar alternative conceptions to other studies on bigger hot particles, and some alternative conceptions particular to them: denting hot bottles, same bottle shape in cold gas, uncertain on particle size, increasing or decreasing particle sizes on diffusion. Implications for teaching were discussed.

Keywords

alternative conception
gas behaviours
mental representation

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, Volume 6, Issue 1, 2026, Article No: em095

https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/17813

Publication date: 28 Jan 2026

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Article Downloads: 5

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APA

Talens, C. U., Sevilla III, F. B., & Chiu, M.-H. (2026). Learners’ mental representations of the particulate nature of gases. Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, 6(1), em095. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/17813

Vancouver

Talens CU, Sevilla III FB, Chiu MH. Learners’ mental representations of the particulate nature of gases. Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher. 2026;6(1):em095. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/17813

AMA

Talens CU, Sevilla III FB, Chiu MH. Learners’ mental representations of the particulate nature of gases. Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher. 2026;6(1), em095. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/17813

Chicago

Talens, Cynthia Urriquia, Fortunato B. Sevilla III, and Mei-Hung Chiu. "Learners’ mental representations of the particulate nature of gases". Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher 2026 6 no. 1 (2026): em095. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/17813

Harvard

Talens, C. U., Sevilla III, F. B., and Chiu, M.-H. (2026). Learners’ mental representations of the particulate nature of gases. Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, 6(1), em095. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/17813

MLA

Talens, Cynthia Urriquia et al. "Learners’ mental representations of the particulate nature of gases". Journal of Mathematics and Science Teacher, vol. 6, no. 1, 2026, em095. https://doi.org/10.29333/mathsciteacher/17813