Abstract

Here, I report preliminary findings concerning preservice mathematics teachers’ (PSTs) conceptions of three intensive quantities commonly used to model global warming: concentration, energy density, and energy flux density. Three PSTs completed four mathematical tasks in two individual, task-based interviews. Analysis revealed that: (a) PSTs’ conceptions of these quantities varied greatly depending on the type of quantity (Type 1 vs. Type 2), (b) confusing temperature with energy hindered PSTs’ ability to conceive of energy density as ratio as measure, and (c) PSTs conceptions of energy flux density involved two types of per-one associations. The second type seemed to conduce to the development of ratio as measure conception for energy flux density. However, this was an effortful process for PSTs.