The concept of an atom with an expanded octet, known as hypervalency, has persisted in the general chemistry curriculum, despite abundant theoretical work disputing its veracity. Here, the electronic structure of traditionally hypervalent molecules (H[subscript 2]SO[subscript 3], H[subscript 2]SO[subscript 4], PF[subscript 5], and SF[subscript 6])…

In multielectron atoms or molecules, quantized electronic energy states known as term states provide a framework for interpreting absorption and emission spectra. Enumerating the term states associated with any particular electron configuration is possible using time-honored procedures, but the underpinnings of the methods do not always receive…

Molecules and Computer: Chemistry Calculations in Class (MC[superscript 4]) is a computational laboratory intended for final-year high school or undergraduate students. The topic is the antioxidant potential of anthocyanidins, which is chemically related to their radical scavenging action via the mechanism of hydrogen atom transfer (HAT). This…

A thorough appreciation of the three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in molecules is crucial for new students of chemistry and critical to students continuing their studies in chemistry. We discuss current use of molecular models in education and investigate a variety of techniques used over the years to introduce students to atomic orbitals.…

Interactive molecular dynamics in virtual reality (IMD-VR) simulations provide a digital molecular playground for students as an alternative or complement to traditional molecular modeling kits or 2D illustrations. Previous IMD-VR studies have used molecular mechanics to enable simulations of macromolecules such as proteins and nanostructures for…

This article presents and discusses the results of a study that investigates university students' comprehension of the concept of molar concentration, following teaching and evaluation of the subject. The specific problems underlying learning of this concept have not yet been focused on in sufficient detail or depth. A "Reasoning with…

The contemporary Human activity utilizes huge volumes of digital data to solve efficiently multiple socio-economic, scientific and technical problems. Now the big data analysis is mainly oriented to the socioeconomic sphere with a goal to lift the profit. The science and technology to penetrate deeper in the nature of objects and systems under…

General Chemistry serves virtually all STEM students. It has been accused of covering content in a "mile wide and inch deep" fashion. This has made it very difficult to assess, where chemistry educators have relied on assessments of specific topics. Assessing across all these different topics requires introducing many different chemical…

Across science disciplines, light is a common tool for measuring, characterizing, and catalysing molecules and molecular processes. Despite the ubiquity of light-based tools, little research has been done to investigate how students understand light and light-matter interactions (LMI). This topic is typically first introduced in first-year…

Nanotechnology has been recognized as an important driver of the future economy, and so nanoscience is increasingly being incorporated into the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. This experiment includes the chemical synthesis, optical and chemical testing, and microscopic imaging of gold nanoparticles. Since nanoparticles are too small to…

The range of abstract concepts encountered when learning chemistry and the inability of students to make connections between the macroscopic, sub-microscopic, and symbolic representations, used in chemistry teaching, are believed to be the main reasons for students' difficulty when learning chemistry. Prediction and determination of molecular…

Molecular representations that show chemical bonding are ubiquitous in general and organic chemistry. These help in communicating chemistry concepts that are fundamental to understanding "how" and "why" molecules interact. The goal of this dissertation work is to offer an evidence-based report on the affordances and limitations…

Modeling an inter-ring torsional profile of a simple2,2'-bithiophenemolecule has been used to illustrate the main concepts associated with basic molecular modeling within an introductory course in a master's degree on computational modeling. The methodology proposed in the activity has been used to guide and train the student along the classical…

This is a fundamental and pedagogical work in quantum physics/chemistry, where we try to illustrate the Mulliken's question, "What are the electrons really doing in molecules?". And we also briefly review the development of the most popular numerical approaches in computational chemistry. We examine in a novel approach, how we can…

In contrast to a macroscopic solid, the color and spectroscopic properties of gold nanoparticles change with size. Here, we propose a teaching platform for high school students (hereafter defined as students, attending secondary school in Europe, preparatory high schools in the US, or any educational institution of a comparable level) that…