Analysis of high school students’ difficulties in solving thermodynamics problems through multiple choice response analysis; 답지 반응 분석을 통한 고등학생의 열역학 문제 풀이에의 어려움 분석

초록

The purpose of this study is to systematically analyze the difficulties high school students experience in solving thermodynamics problems. For this purpose, we analyze the incorrect answer rates and response distributions of 61 thermodynamics-related problems from the College Scholastic Ability Test and official mock exams administered between 2014 and 2024, categorizing them into single-best-answer and multiple-true-false formats. The content elements are classified into 13 detailed subcategories under three main categories: basic thermodynamics, the first law of thermodynamics, and the second law of thermodynamics. For multiple-true-false questions, we operationally define the concept of an “option-level incorrect response rate” for analytical purposes. The research findings are as follows. First, single-best-answer problems showed generally high incorrect answer rates, with students demonstrating particularly low levels of understanding in items related to the first law of thermodynamics. Second, the option-level incorrect response rates are higher for the first and second laws of thermodynamics than for basic thermodynamics. Third, students show particularly significant difficulty with problems that integrated thermodynamic and mechanical concepts, such as piston-cylinder systems. Based on these findings, this study suggests pedagogical implications for thermodynamics education, including strengthening conceptual integration, improving the contextual framing of problems, enhancing students’ abilities to solve integrative problems, and developing their graph interpretation skills related to thermodynamic processes. © 2025 Korean Physical Society. All rights reserved.

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