Biology teacher candidates' misconceptions about surface tension, adhesion and cohesion

The diagnosis of stu dent’s misconceptions and the identification of the reasons for these misconceptions are prerequisite for conceptual cha nges. Water surface tension, cohesion and adhesion are the basic subjects of secondary school curriculums. Grasping these concepts is key to understanding more important life processes wit h regard to water, partic ularly water and mineral uptake of plants. Also these terms are closely relate d to key concepts in physics and chemistry such as energy usage, and cohesion and adhesion of molecules. This study aimed to identify students' misconceptions about surface tension, cohesion and adhesion and their role in water and mineral uptake in plants with a qu estionnaire featuring open ended questions that demanded short answers. As a result, it has been see n that many teacher candidates hold misconceptions about water surface tension, cohesion and adhesion, and their chemical, physical and biological properties and functions.