Presents a rhetorical criticism of Watson and Crick's "The Double Helix." (FL)

Discusses symmetry elements of molecules, symmetry operations, and point groups. Gives ten examples of assigning a point group to a molecule. (MLH)

Describes a computer program that plots a solid" representation of molecular orbital charge density which can be used to analyze wave functions of molecules. Illustrated with diagrams for formaldehyde. (AL)

Considers the electrostatic problem of a point charge in a domain bounded by conducting planes. Lists all such domains for which a solution by images exists, describes the image charge arrays in familiar crystallographic terms, and gives an illustrative example. (Author/GS)

Discusses topics about the structure of the solid state that are suitable for introductory chemistry; included are unit cells and simple molecular structures. (MLH)

Describes the history, scope, and applications of the Chemical Abstracts Service Chemical Registry System, a computerized database that uniquely identifies chemical substances on the basis of their molecular structures. Explains searching the system is and discusses its use as an international resource. (66 references) (Author/LRW)

Examines the reasoning behind views of atoms and molecules held by students (n=48) and investigates how mental models may assist or hamper further instruction in chemistry. Reports that students prefer models of atoms and molecules that depict them as discrete, concrete structures. Recommends that teachers develop student modeling skills and…

In high school biology, students are challenged by many molecular concepts and structures. They meander through a number of molecular structures, some in macromolecular form: carbohydrates, amino acids, fatty acids, nucleotides. Student difficulties arise in part from inability to visualize what they can't easily see. Students struggle moving from…

To develop student interest in the periodic table, the author developed a simple, but fun, role-playing activity. This play is used after students have learned the basic structure of atoms and the general layout of the periodic table. It also comes after students have learned the basics of ionic and covalent bonding. The basic idea of bonding is…

Nobel Prize in Medicine awarded in December 2003 to chemist Paul C. Lauterbur and physicist Peter Mansfield for the development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a long overdue recognition of the huge impact MRI has had in medical diagnostics and research is mentioned. MRI was derived, and remains an extension of nuclear magnetic resonance…

Activities in which students explore the fundamental reasons behind the unusual instability of the trans isomers in medium-sized cycloalkenes by using the results of molecular modeling are described. Exercises have been proposed to explore the structures of cycloheptene and cyclooctene by Hehre and others which would be helpful to disabuse…

A review of concepts like tunneling through a metal-molecule-metal-junction, contrast with electrochemical and optical-charge injection, strong-coupling limit, calculations of tunnel transport, electron transfer through Redox-active molecules is presented. This is followed by a discussion of experimental approaches for single-molecule measurements.

There are significant misconceptions within the chemical community and molecular science, particularly in the undergraduate curriculum and the associated textbooks. Some of the misconceptions are described, which give poor basis to understand molecular bonding and structure, and reaction mechanisms.

Although Fischer's convention for stereoisomers is useful for simple molecules, the stereochemistry of complex biochemical molecules is often poorly indicated in textbooks. This article reports on errors in stereochemistry of complex hydrosoluble vitamin B12 molecule. Twenty-five popular biochemistry textbooks were examined for their treatment of…

The different levels of protein structure that can be easily understood by creating a model that simulates protein folding, which can then be evaluated by applying it to a relevant activity, is presented. The materials required and the procedure for constructing a protein folding model are mentioned.