USO DE SETAS NO CONTEXTO DA APRENDIZAGEM EM QUÍMICA E A IMPORTÂNCIA DO SEU SIMBOLISMO

Abstract

USE OF ARROWS IN THE CONTEXT OF LEARNING IN CHEMISTRY AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ITS SYMBOLISM. The representation of arrows in Chemistry learning is routinely applied in classrooms and textbooks. Arrows of different shapes like horizontal, curved, vertical, or wavy have been used as symbols since the beginning of ancient civilizations, representing elements or compounds. The arrow is one of the most used symbols in Chemistry, as different types have presented different functions, especially in chemical reactions, and because there is no consensus, their use has generated ambiguities and confusion when applying them. In this sense, the present work sought to present and differentiate the types of arrows used in Chemistry to provide a better understanding of this symbol in the learning process. Furthermore, a historical overview of the emergence of arrows in the world of chemistry and the process of acceptance as chemical symbolism in chemical reactions is provided. The use of arrows in some chemical phenomena (e.g., resonance, tautomerism, symmetry operations, and movement of electrons) is also detailed. This work reflects that arrows, as chemical symbolism, require an increasingly concrete standardized notation system to avoid ambiguities of concepts. Finally, when using them, let us consider why the arrow is being symbolized and, above all, what is the scientific concept behind its symbolism.