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Molecular Wires, Laboratory Techniques, and Carbonated Beverages
Although unrelated to each other, the three articles represented by the heading all offer information and ideas relevant to teaching and learning chemistry. Keeping up with new discoveries is a challenge to every teacher. In this case it is molecular electronics. Electronic devices in which single molecules are functional components hold great promise for a much greater degree of miniaturization and speed than is possible using current materials. The article "Chemistry and Molecular Electronics: New Molecules as Wires, Switches, and Logic Gates" describes current developments and their potential for commercialization.
Students' ability to make accurate measurements and use laboratory equipment effectively has a clear impact on what is learned through investigation. In the article
"Teaching Chemical Technique", Stephen DeMeo traces approaches to teaching laboratory techniques from Faraday's time to a variety of current practices, some of which are shown through research to be more effective than others. If this topic first appears to be too college-oriented, I suggest reading the very last paragraph of the article first.
A first-hand account of how one chemical educator gained insight while studying how students explained the fizzing of a carbonated beverage is described in the article "Are Fizzing Drinks Boiling?". Carbonated beverages are an example of solute-solution interactions with which all students, apparently worldwide, are familiar. From personal experience they can describe what happens when a sealed container is shaken vigorously and then opened quickly, for example. Author Alan Goodwin poses an interesting question and describes in detail how he arrived at his answer. He notes that his idea is controversial among chemists and chemical educators. Read the article and draw your own conclusion, and gain insight into how the author approached the problem and how it may be applied in your classroom.
JCE at NSTA in St. Louis and ACS in San Diego
If you are attending the NSTA Convention in St. Louis, please stop by the JCE booth at the Exposition. See the latest in JCE Software, find out about a special subscription offer, and become better acquainted with the features of JCE and JCE Online that can help you in the classroom. If you live in the San Diego area, don't miss the High School Program, described below and on the opposite page. Other chemical education events of the ACS meeting are described on pp 283-305.
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