Unique Approach

This article presents an intriguing strategy to use at the beginning of the school year in a chemistry class. The author describes how to use crystal structures to initially get students vi... See More

This article presents an intriguing strategy to use at the beginning of the school year in a chemistry class. The author describes how to use crystal structures to initially get students visualizing the particle nature of atoms, molecules and formula units. This activity strengthens the concept that substances contain a collection of other particles and lays a foundation of how atoms combine. By using actual Mercury visualization software (free), students can view repeating structures and see the structure in 3-D. This would be an activity I’d want to use early on in my chemistry class. It’s foundational and it’s different—its uniqueness would captivate the students’ interest.

Crystal Structures - Review

This article describes the use of 3-D modeling software to teach students about crystal structure to enhance their understanding of molecules. It provides a description of how the images are... See More

This article describes the use of 3-D modeling software to teach students about crystal structure to enhance their understanding of molecules. It provides a description of how the images are used during class, what students do and how they are assessed. It also includes pictures of some of the crystal structures used to clarify how they enhance learning.