The Covalent Bond Classification (CBC) method provides a means to classify covalent molecules according to the number and types of bonds that surround an atom of interest. This approach is based on an elementary molecular orbital analysis of the bonding involving the central atom (M), with the various interactions being classified according to the…

An undergraduate organic chemistry experiment demonstrating real-life application of GC-MS to arson accelerant identification is described. Students are given the task of comparing a sample recovered from a "crime scene" to that from a "suspect's clothing". Accelerants subjected to different conditions are recovered using a quick and simple…

Meiosis is a biological concept that is both complex and important for students to learn. This study aims to explore first-year biology students' explanations of the process of meiosis, using an explicit theoretical framework provided by the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) model. The research was based on responses of 334…

Categorization is a fundamental psychological ability necessary for problem solving and many other higher-level cognitive tasks. In organic chemistry, students must establish groupings of different chemical compounds in order not only to solve problems, but also to understand course content. Classic models of categorization emphasize similarity as…

Laboratory and practical courses, where students become familiar with experimental techniques and learn to interpret data and relate them to appropriate theory, play a vital role in chemical education. In the large panoply of currently available techniques, it is difficult to find a rational and easy way to classify the techniques in relation to…

Surveyed are the etymology and the reason scientists coined a specific name for a newly discovered element. Approaches to naming from a historical viewpoint are considered. (CW)

Discussed are some of the issues which were considered when the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry revised its guide to notation in physical chemistry. Included are the choice between SI and non-SI units and choosing sensible names and symbols for quantities. (CW)

Discussed are the substructures (subgraphs) of imaginary transition structures that provide an effective approach to the characterization of organic reactions. A comparison of conventional methods and this method is presented. (CW)

Various typs of DNA are discussed. Areas considered include highly repetitive and satellite sequences, genes encoding, ribosomal RNA, histone protein genes, and dispersed repeated genes that jump. Regulated genetic misbehavior, structure and use of unique genes, and higher order complexities of chromosomes are also discussed. (JN)

Discussed is an extension of the conventional method for studying the organometallic chemistry of transition metals that may be useful to show how the various existing types of low-valence complexes can be constructed. This method allows students to design new types of complexes that may still be nonexistent. (CW)

Differentiates between chemical nomenclature and the common ways that substances are named and described. Students should learn the chemical nomenclature so that they will be more observant and objective. Cites examples of student misconceptions based upon their own imagination and logic. (TW)