Helping learners understand chemistry by visualizing the unseen

CHED 5

Jodye I Selco, jiselco@csupomona.edu, Center for Education and Equity in Mathematics, Science and Technology, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, 3801 W. Temple Ave., Pomona, CA 91768, Mary Bruno, mbruno@rialto.k12.ca.us, Rialto Unified School District, Bemis Elementary School, Rialto, CA 92376, and Sue Chan, schan@rialto.k12.ca.us, Rialto Unified School District, Kolb Middle School, Rialto, CA 92376.
The periodic table of elements is the fundamental basis for understanding chemistry, yet it is quite difficult to teach others what information is contained within this document. In an effort to help new learners understand the basics of chemistry - including how the periodic is organized - a new atomic model set was designed to help people visualize what many chemists see "in their mind's eye". These models have been used to demonstrate chemical reactions and how to balance them, how to predict combining ratios in binary compounds, and how the periodic table is organized.
 

Visualization and Learning Chemistry
8:30 AM-11:10 AM, Sunday, April 6, 2008 Hilton New Orleans Riverside -- Melrose, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008