Informação e teoria quântica

A pesquisa em informação quântica sugere uma íntima conexão entre o conceito de informação e a teoria quântica, mas essa conexão envolve nuances cuja análise é o objeto deste trabalho. A sabedoria comum nesse campo divide-se em duas grandes áreas, não excludentes entre si. Há os que são movidos pela possibilidade de uso da teoria quântica em um novo campo, o da computação, independentemente do esclarecimento de seus fundamentos, aqui incluído o conceito de "informação". Alguns consideram que estamos diante de um grande problema conceitual sem resposta satisfatória no momento, enquanto que outros, dentre os que reconhecem a magnitude do problema, têm proposto formulações com a pretensão de solução do problema. Este artigo tem pretensões modestas. Não pretendemos aportar novas soluções ao problema, nem apoiar uma das soluções existentes. Temos a expectativa de através da análise histórico-conceitual do problema mapear as diversas possibilidades, apontando o que nos parecem ser aspectos fortes e fracos nessas possibilidades

Teaching introductory quantum physics and chemistry: caveats from the history of science and science teaching to the training of modern chemists

Finding the best ways to introduce quantum physics to undergraduate students in all scientific areas, in particular for chemistry students, is a pressing, but hardly a simple task. In this paper, we discuss the relevance of taking into account lessons from the history of the discipline and the ongoing controversy over its interpretations and foundations in the search for new ways of improving the teaching of quantum physics. We also review and discuss the recent research in science education literature that proposes new ways of introducing quantum mechanics for undergraduate students. From these discussions, we suggest some possibilities – the inclusion of philosophical interpretations and their defense; the emphasis on strictly quantum features of the systems; an emphasis on formalism, without worrying about the ultimate ontological status of mathematics; the incorporation of quantum mechanics applications into real problems; and the need to introduce complementarity when using images – which can be taken into account when devising more effective ways of teaching introductory quantum mechanics for chemistry student

Science and politics during the military regime (1964-1984): perspectives from the Brazilian physicists

This research note presents preliminary results from the analysis of a source of oral history with Brazilian physicists who were protagonists in Brazilian physics during the military regime (1964-1984). This source is still a work in progress. Fourteen physicists were already interviewed and the total figure should arrive to twenty-five. The research project from which this note is a result aims to produce a unified account of the conflicting processes (political authoritarianism and support to the scientific development) dealing with the changes these processes caused in the community of Brazilian physicists

Teaching Newton’s universal gravitation guided by history and philosophy of science: a didactical propose focusing on argumentation

Este trabajo presenta una propuesta didáctica para enseñar la gravitación universal de Newton (GU), orientada por la historia y la filosofía de la ciencia (HFC), para promover mejoras en la habilidad de argumentación de los alumnos. Esta propuesta es la culminación de un trabajo más amplio que ya produjo algunos resultados (Teixeira et al., 2010a; Teixeira et al., 2010b). La propuesta incluye algunos textos de referencia para su implementación, siendo uno de ellos presentado en la segunda sección de este trabajo, en donde se discute la estructura de argumentación de Toulmin (2006),1 usada como referente sobre argumentación en nuestro trabajo. Presentamos finalmente una síntesis de la secuencia didáctica propuesta y los instrumentos de orientación y evaluación sugeridos para su implementación en la clase.This paper presents a didactical proposal to teach Newton’s universal gravitation (GU) guided by the history and philosophy of science (HPS) to promote improvements in students’ argumentation skills. This proposal is the culmination of a larger work that has already produced some results (Teixeira et al., 2010a; Teixeira et al., 2010b). The proposal includes some reference texts for implementation, one of which is presented in the second section of the paper that discusses the Toulmin’s layout of argument (Toulmin, 2006), which is the argumentation framework we have adopted in our work. Finally, this paper presents a synthesis of the didactical sequence and the tools for guidance and evaluation suggested for implementation in the classroo

Nuclear Weapons in Regional Contexts: The Cases of Argentina and Brazil

South America is a region which is free from nuclear weapons. However, this was not an inevitable development from the relationships among its countries. Indeed, regional rivalries between Brazil and Argentina, with military implications for both countries, lasted a long time. After WWII these countries took part in the race to obtain nuclear technologies and nuclear ambitions were part of the game. In the mid 1980s, the end of military dictatorships and the successful establishing of democratic institutions put an end to the race. Thus regional and national interests in addition to the establishment of democracies in Latin America have been responsible for the building of trust between the two countries. Meaningful international initiatives are once again needed in the framework of worldwide cooperation. This cooperation is better developed when democratic regimes are in place.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures. Paper to be published in Contemporanea, Montevideo. An earlier and short version of this paper was presented at the international conference An Open World: Science, Technology and Society in the Light of Niels Bohr's Thoughts, held in Copenhagen 4-6 December 201

The Construction of an Argumentation on the Newtonian Synthesis from Groups’ Activities

Este trabalho investiga a qualidade da argumentação dos alunos sobre a síntese newtoniana e a relação da qualidade dessa argumentação com o texto referência usado nas atividades em grupos desenvolvidas numa disciplina do Curso Noturno de Licenciatura em Física da UFBA. A pesquisa foi feita com alunos da disciplina Física Básica – I, que usa uma abordagem contextual de ensino, e desenvolvida através de método qualitativo com observação participativa, vídeo- e áudio-gravação das aulas. Foi usado, como instrumento de análise, a estrutura de argumentação de Toulmin. Resultados indicaram que a discussão em grupos e entre os grupos propiciou a construção de uma argumentação coletiva satisfatória, embora com limitações, sobre a síntese newtoniana e que a abordagem contextual, através do texto referência - que discute a experiência de pensamento da ‘queda da lua’ de Newton como fundamental para a síntese newtoniana - exerceu um papel fundamental na qualidade da construção dos discursos dos alunosIn this work, we present an analysis of the representations that students, in high school/polimodal level in Argentina have about relevant classic concepts, necessaries for the understanding of the Special Relativity Theory (TER). The results seem to show that the analyzed students group has not developed appropriate schemas for them. From these incorrect conceptions, we try to determine some objectives – obstacles that should be pass over by the students, in classroom context with an specific didactic proposal for a significative learning of the TE

The quantum dissidents: rebuilding the foundations of quantum mechanics (1950-1990)

This book tells the fascinating story of the people and events behind the turbulent changes in attitudes to quantum theory in the second half of the 20th century. The huge success of quantum mechanics as a predictive theory has been accompanied, from the very beginning, by doubts and controversy about its foundations and interpretation. This book looks in detail at how research on foundations evolved after WWII, when it was revived, until the mid 1990s, when most of this research merged into the technological promise of quantum information. It is the story of the quantum dissidents, the scientists who brought this subject from the margins of physics into its mainstream. It is also a history of concepts, experiments, and techniques, and of the relationships between physics and the world at large, touching on  themes such as the Cold War, McCarthyism, Zhdanovism, and the unrest of the late 1960s

David Bohm: a life dedicated to understanding the quantum world

This authoritative biography addresses the life and work of the quantum physicist David Bohm. Although quantum physics is considered the soundest physical theory, its strange and paradoxical features have challenged - and continue to challenge - even the brightest thinkers. David Bohm dedicated his entire life to enhancing our understanding of quantum mysteries, in particular quantum nonlocality. His work took place at the height of the cultural/political upheaval in the 1950's, which led him to become the most notable American scientist to seek exile in the last century. The story of his life is as fascinating as his ideas on the quantum world are appealing