Evaluating Senior Pre-Service Chemistry Teachers’ Foundational Understanding of Nuclear Reactions

Nuclear chemistry plays a crucial role in various essential daily life applications; however, students often struggle with many of its concepts. These learning difficulties in teaching and understanding nuclear chemistry can largely be attributed to problems with misconceptions and perceptions regarding pre-requisite concepts. Among these, the concept of nuclear reactions serves as a fundamental prerequisite for comprehending other topics within nuclear chemistry. This study aims to determine the extent to which senior pre-service chemistry teachers (SPSCTs) regard nuclear reactions as a type of chemical reaction. It also aims to identify the reasons behind SPSCTs' classification. The study involved 158 SPSCTs enrolled in an education faculty. This research focused on analyzing responses to a specific research-related question within a Nuclear Chemistry Concept Test, which was composed of 10 open-ended questions developed as part of a larger project. The findings indicated that 64% of SPSCTs perceived nuclear reactions as a subset of chemical reactions. Upon examining the underlying reasons for this misconception, two primary factors emerged. First, although SPSCTs demonstrated an awareness of nuclear reactions, their understanding of the mechanisms underlying chemical reactions was either incomplete, leading them to categorize nuclear reactions as a type of chemical reaction. Second, they struggled to distinguish chemical and nuclear reactions in terms of reaction mechanisms, processes, and dynamics. Based on these findings, recommendations for addressing these misconceptions were provided.