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In the article "The Big Picture: A Classroom Activity for Organic Chemistry", Thomas Poon makes interesting use of the device exploited by Istvan Banyai in his Zoom books to help students of organic chemistry make connections between the molecular world and ways in which those molecules are important in daily life. The paper should have appeal at all levels of science education from the time the idea of molecules is first introduced through college-level courses. Along the way, students will encounter important biological molecules (such as chlorophyll), inks (such as pen ink), CFCs, hydrocarbon fuels, plastics (such as Lexan polycarbonate), and molecules with medical applications (such as aspirin and novocaine).
This paper not only stands alone as an interesting and enjoyable way of demonstrating the importance of chemistry, but also introduces a template for future molecular voyages. Too often applications of chemistry to the "real world", while discussed in some depth in courses for non-science majors, are minimized or omitted in courses for chemistry and other science majors. The approach introduced here provides an engaging way to connect the details of molecular structure, bonding, and reactivity with many aspects of the impact that chemistry has on society.
Viewing Requirements
In addition to the static image, two fully manipulable versions (Jmol, MDLChime) of these molecules appear below. (The Jmol versions may take a few extra seconds to load, based on the speed of your Internet connection.)
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