How to promote the scientific reasoning in teaching the double slit experiment with electrons?

Abstract

Wave-particle duality is one of the main topics studied in quantum physics; Given the different learning difficulties reported in various investigations on this topic, this article analyzes the double slit experiment with electrons from the scientific reasoning approach proposed by Ian Hacking; which raises six styles of thinking and doing scientists created during the development of scientific knowledge in the European tradition, originating from ancient Greece; which allow us to show that there are different ways of reasoning in science, thus helping to show the complexity of scientific reasoning and a less partial consideration of the cultural achievements of physics. To do this, a content analysis of five research articles reporting this experiment and two physics textbooks was performed. It is found that, for an adequate explanation of the phenomenon addressed in this experiment, four styles of thinking and doing science are required: mathematical, experimental, hypothetical modeling, and statistical and probabilistic styles. An implication in teaching quantum physics is that it is not possible to focus on just one of these styles to properly understand the concepts and principles that underlie this theory.