Modelo de corpúsculos: uma abordagem intuitiva no ensino de física

Abstract

The objective of this work is to present a proposed didactic approach for explaining different laws and properties of basic physics based on a theoretical model in which material bodies are composed of identical corpuscles. Using this model, we deduce, through thought experiments and arguments of logic, proportionality, and symmetry, Newton's third law, the law of conservation of momentum, and the laws of calorimetry. The model was developed by a high school student based on the difficulties observed among peers in understanding various physics concepts. This work is theoretical-deductive, employing logical-mathematical formalism. We also show that the constructed model is similar to analogies and explanations found in Isaac Newton's *Principia*. Therefore, the model can be used to stimulate logical argumentation and thought experiments within the context of natural sciences, particularly physics, a resource widely used historically throughout this field. The deductions were discussed among high school students, but future investigations are needed to assess whether its use facilitates students' appropriation of the concepts.