Predicting products in main-group inorganic chemistry: Results of introducing a learning scheme into a descriptive inorganic chemistry course

CHED 1835

Erik C. Gustafson, egustafs@purdue.edu, Chemistry Department, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, W. Lafayette, IN 47907 - 2084 and George M. Bodner, gmbodner@purdue.edu, Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
One of the most challenging topics for chemistry majors to tackle lies in the realm of solving inorganic chemical reaction problems. The first stages of this study focused on examining the ways that chemistry majors and professors approach predicting the products of main group inorganic chemistry reactions. From this, a general scheme was developed that outlines an approach to solving inorganic reaction problems followed by those individuals who were successful at solving these types of problems without relying primarily on memorization. This presentation will discuss the scheme, how it was introduced into a descriptive inorganic chemistry classroom, and the results of this intervention.
 

Synthesizing New Chemists: A Discussion in Practitioner Development
1:00 PM-4:15 PM, Thursday, March 29, 2007 McCormick Place North -- Room N229, Level 2, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007