Investigating Intuitive Comprehensibility of Visual Representations of Atmospheric Gases, Electromagnetic Radiation and Interaction Processes

Visual representations are essential for communicating scientific phenomena that are invisible to direct perception, such as atmospheric gases, electromagnetic radiation, and radiation-matter interaction processes. Learners’ sense-making is influenced by how intuitively such representations can be interpreted. In this study, we investigate which visual representations of atmospheric gases, infrared radiation, and related interaction processes such as absorption are perceived as most intuitively comprehensible by students and adults.

The study is informed by dual-process theories of cognition and cognitive load theory, assuming that intuitively accessible visualizations support rapid sense-making and reduce extraneous cognitive load. An online survey was conducted with 377 students aged 14-15 and 100 adults. Participants were presented with multiple alternative visual representations for each scientific concept and asked to select the visualization they found most convincing.

The visualizations were developed based on established findings from physics education research and prior work on visual representations of the greenhouse effect and radiation processes. Preferences were analyzed using Bayesian model comparison to identify systematic patterns across concepts and age groups. The results reveal clear and robust preferences for specific visual representations, particularly for those aligned with conventions established in domain-specific research. While overall preference patterns were similar across groups, adults showed more decisive selections, indicating the influence of prior knowledge and visual familiarity.

These findings highlight the importance of deliberate visual design when representing atmospheric gases and radiation-matter interactions in science education and science communication. The contribution offers empirical insights into intuitive comprehensibility and provides practical guidance for developing intuitive visualizations in instructional contexts.