Representations

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Representations

The Conceptual Framework

The difference between chemistry as it happens in a flask, chemistry as we show it on paper or in a textbook and helping students to understand that these are representations and they're conceptual frameworks that we use to understand our discipline and so helping them put those two pieces together.

Curly Arrow Cartoons

The actual curly arrow mechanisms are in a way themselves cartoons, how they map to the reality in the way that a Micky Mouse might map to real life.

Representations

I like to approach chemistry as a different language, because it used symbols to convey ideas across, but they are not the reality.  When we draw a little stick structure, alcohol does not exist as I’ve just drawn it, it’s a representation.

Buy a Model Kit

It was a revelation to me in second year when [one of the top professors] said to me, "Buy a model kit." And so now I tell all my students.

Representing Energy

When you think of things in terms of energy you can represent energy … energy can be modelled as a particle, as matter.  It can be modelled using waves and then trying to talk about how we would use each model as it's appropriate for a particular situation.  It's the sort of things we observe might dictate which model we use to explain it, by recognising that in each case there is another model but perhaps just not as useful.  So maybe it goes back to just trying to show that everything that we do is a model, every model has its upside and its downside and that we usually only use a model t

YouTube Demonstrations

Use YouTube demonstrations which demonstrate well (gases etc) but would be difficult to do the real demonstration in a lecture theatre.

Link to YouTube Video: Le Chatelier's Principle

Demonstrations With Equations

Use demonstrations with equations concurrently. Use YouTube demonstrations which clearly show what’s happening

Link to YouTube Video: Dynamic Equilibrium

Nitrogen Dioxide/Tetroxide Demonstration

A visual demonstration of Le Chatelier’s principle involves the dynamic equilibrium between nitrogen dioxide and dinitrogen tetroxide gases. Fill a gas syringe with an equilibrium mixture of brown NO2 and colourless N2O4. The effect of pressure is shown by compressing the mixture and observing the change in colour intensity. Similarly, the effect of temperature can be shown by heating or cooling the mixture and observing the colour change.

Population Analogy

Use the analogy of populations migrating between adjacent cities.

Equilibrium Animations

Use animations to show what happens as reactions come to equilibrium.

Link to PhET Simmulation: Reversible Reactions

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