Models

  Egg-lectrons and McLewis Structures: More Representations of Electron Arrangements in Atoms and Molecules Co-Authored with Ali Patel* *Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois

by Dean J. Campbell* *Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois

Would you like to take a walk with me through the chemical winter wonderland of snowflakes? Well, we chemists know that the stunning six-sided symmetry of snowflakes (Figure 1) results from repeated arrangement of water molecules into a hexagonal crystal structure (Figure 2).

The November 2024 APTeach presentation outlined instructional strategies to model net ionic equations and chemical reactions using particulate models, chemical symbols, and observations to support students’ understanding of how chemicals react and interact at the particle level.

Co-Authored by Dean J. Campbell* and Thomas Kahila* *Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois

Co-Authored by Dean J. Campbell* and Matthew E. Hill *Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois

National Hispanic Heritage Month ran from September 15 to October 15 recently.¹ To help celebrate the occasion, students in the Bradley University Chem/Biochem Learning Community put up colorful tissue paper banners.

Molecular geometry is a center piece to a student’s understanding of intermolecular forces. Unfortunately, many students don’t have the special skills to “see” the geometry without a model kit. We use a model kit in our laboratories, but there are not enough of them nor are there funds to purchase more. The students are unable to use thes