ISSN 1017-2548(Print)
ISSN 2234-8530(Online)
Volume 52, Number 1
JKCSEZ 52(1)
February 20, 2008 

In this study, preconceptions held by chemistry major secondary school science teachers were searched in relation to explanations of water evaporation phenomena with phase equilibrium diagrams. 25 chemistry major science teachers were selected to complete questionnaires developed in this study and 6 among of them were selected to participate in follow-up interviews. Among these, 10 participants were selected for an evaluation of the change of their preconceptions through lessons developed in this study. From the results, it was found that many teachers believed that the phase equilibrium diagram could not explain water evaporation phenomena. They also thought that there was no relation between vapor pressure and the vertical axis of the phase equilibrium diagram. However, after the lessons in earth science, they recognized that the vapor pressure curve of the phase equilibrium diagram could be explained by adopting a saturated vapor curve. Because they had known the process of application the conceptions of saturated situation, nonsaturated situation, process of equilibrium movement in saturated vapor curve. They could understand natural phenomena such as evaporation with the phase equilibrium diagram through a change in their conceptions as guided from science lessons integrating earth science and chemistry.