General Chemistry Textbooks Research Articles

Exploring the Concept of Valence and the Nature of Science via Generative Artificial Intelligence and General Chemistry Textbooks

Exploring the Concept of Valence and the Nature of Science via Generative Artificial Intelligence and General Chemistry Textbooks

Observation of a promethium complex in solution.

Lanthanide rare-earth metals are ubiquitous in modern technologies1-5, but we know little about chemistry of the 61st element, promethium (Pm)6, a lanthanide that is highly radioactive and inaccessible. Despite its importance7,8, Pm has been conspicuously absent from the experimental studies of lanthanides, impeding our full comprehension of the so-called lanthanide contraction phenomenon: a fundamental aspect of the periodic table that is quoted in general chemistry textbooks. Here we demonstrate a stable chelation of the 147Pm radionuclide (half-life of 2.62 years) in aqueous solution by the newly synthesized organic diglycolamide ligand. The resulting homoleptic PmIII complex is studied using synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations to establish the coordination structure and a bond distance of promethium. These fundamental insights allow a complete structural investigation of a full set of isostructural lanthanide complexes, ultimately capturing the lanthanide contraction in solution solely on the basis of experimental observations. Our results show accelerated shortening of bonds at the beginning of the lanthanide series, which can be correlated to the separation trends shown by diglycolamides9-11. The characterization of the radioactive PmIII complex in an aqueous environment deepens our understanding of intra-lanthanide behaviour12-15 and the chemistry and separation of the f-block elements16.

Content Analysis of Chemistry Textbooks in the Chapter on Thermochemistry

This study aimed to analyze the aspects of the general chemistry textbook in the chapter on thermochemistry. We reviewed three general chemistry textbooks commonly used in basic chemistry courses. This study used a qualitative approach by content analysis. The focus of this study was the thermochemistry chapter because this topic was considered to be difficult by students. Data analysis was carried out descriptively by combining similar data within the chemical literacy framework. The analysis results indicated that the three textbooks fulfilled most of the chemical content knowledge indicators, except for chemistry as an experimental discipline. The textbooks provided insights that chemistry can be used to explain phenomena in everyday life, to make decisions and participate in social debates on chemistry-related issues, and to understand the relationship between innovations in chemistry and sociological processes. The textbooks also presented knowledge that can encourage the enhancement of high-order learning skills, particularly in the review problems section.
 Keywords: chemistry, textbook, thermochemistry

Analysis of Climate Change in General Chemistry Textbooks

Analysis of Climate Change in General Chemistry Textbooks

A study on textbook use and its effects on students’ academic performance

Curriculum education reforms are being carried out in various countries, in which great research interest has been generated in the use of textbooks and the effectiveness of their use. In this study, the focus is on the actual use of textbooks by the first students to use the 2019 edition of general high school chemistry textbooks (students graduating in summer 2022 and summer 2023) and its relationship with students’ interest and attitudes, and their academic achievements in chemistry. In this study, two questionnaires and one test with a standardized reliability and validity were developed. A quantitative analysis method was used to determine how the students (N = 2874) used the new textbooks. Correlation analysis was used to explore the correlation between the use of new textbooks and students’ interest, attitudes, and academic achievements among students (N = 250).The results show that students rate the new textbooks highly, but there is still much room for improvement in the functional value of the new textbooks. Correlation analysis and regression analyse showed that there was a significant correlation between students’ use of chemistry textbooks and their interest and attitudes, but the correlation between them and their academic achievements in chemistry was not directly significant. At the same time, the use of the new textbooks revealed a different dynamic and atmosphere in the chemistry classroom, with more classroom student activities taking place and students being able to participate more deeply and actively in them. This contributed more to students’ interest and attitudes, and improved their performance in chemistry. In this study, we strongly argue for the importance and value of textbook use for student learning on the one hand and for the enrichment of student-centred textbook use research on the other.

Feasibility Analysis of Thermochemistry Senior High School Chemistry Textbook Based on Criteria of Four Steps Teaching Material Development Method

This study was conducted to analysis properness of thermochemistry teaching material in chemistry school textbook which is used in most SMA/MA in Kota Bandung based on criteria of selection stage of Four Steps Teaching Material Development (4STMD) method. The type of research is evaluative research by content analysis method. There are three criteria in the selection process of 4STMD method. First is conformity with the curriculum, it is known that object of research is not yet fully in accordance with the demands of the Curriculum. In terms of material broadness, there are four concepts required by the curriculum that are not included in the teaching material, so that the teaching material is less broad. In addition, there are six concepts that are not required by the curriculum, but included in the material, so that the material is too broad. Thus, in general, the material broadness is not in accordance with the demands of the Curriculum. Meanwhile, in terms of concepts depth, from 31 concepts demanded by the curriculum, 18 concepts are less deep and three concepts are too deep. Based on second criteria, that is scientific correctness of the concepts, it is known that there are two concepts that are not scientifically correct according to references from international general chemistry textbooks and books published by IUPAC. Based on the third criterion, namely the cultivation of pedagogical context, it is known that the values and skill embedded in the material are religious values, creativity, curiosity, respect for achievement, responsibility, reading-interested, discipline, and environmental care

Enabling general chemistry students to take part in experimental design activities

In this study, we analyzed how general chemistry students generated experimental designs corresponding to general chemistry questions such as the ones typically found in general chemistry textbooks. We found that students were very successful in including experimental design aspects that were explicitly mentioned in the general chemistry questions, but less successful in including other experimental design aspects. We also analyzed the outcomes of students engaging in the counterpart process – expressing general chemistry laboratory experiments as typical general chemistry questions. We found that that students were very successful in considering the various components associated with expressing the experiments when considering each of the various components one at a time, but less successful when considering the various components at the same time. Considerations and suggestions for implementing these types of activities to enable a wide variety of general chemistry students to take part in experimental design are discussed. Implications for research and teaching, including a consideration of ChatGPT, are also presented.

A Comparative Study of General and Inorganic Chemistry Textbooks at Home and from Abroad

A Comparative Study of General and Inorganic Chemistry Textbooks at Home and from Abroad

College Chemistry Textbooks Aid and Abet Racial Disparity

This study examines the representation of people of color in 10 US general chemistry textbooks published between 2016 and 2020. On average, people of color appear every 320 pages of text, while white figures are observed every 24 pages. The average percentage of people of color in the textbooks (12%) is well below the percentage in the US general population (40%), college population (46%), and science technology, engineering, and math (STEM) workforce (33%). Of the images that do include people of color, 26% portray explicitly negative stereotypes (e.g., unclean, poor, sick, primitive, unskilled) and only 31% depict STEM activities. Several textbooks in this study were reported in 2007 to contain racial bias, but no evidence of improvement was observed. To understand the persistence of racial bias, biographical information was used to illuminate the values held by the eight scientists that all 10 textbooks have in common. These eight universally prominent scientists include a lifelong supporter and profiteer of slavery, a trustee of the Human Betterment Foundation (an organization promoting mandatory sterilization for “race betterment”), an executive board member of the Swedish Society for Racial Hygiene, an anti-Semitic bigamist, and a modern advocate of eugenics. We posit that general chemistry textbooks reveal two mechanisms by which racial disparity in STEM is preserved and advanced: (1) through the invisibility and negative stereotyping of people of color and (2) via an oblivious idolatry of scientists who have promoted racist ideologies.

Disparities and conceptual connections regarding the concept of substance in general chemistry textbook glossaries

Disparities and conceptual connections regarding the concept of substance in general chemistry textbook glossaries

Not All Chemists are White Men: Incorporating Diversity in the General Chemistry Curriculum

We have developed and implemented a change to our General Chemistry curriculum that makes the point that not all chemists are white men. This builds on recent textbook analyses, which showed that General Chemistry textbooks overwhelmingly and unnecessarily focus on the biographies of scientists that are white men. We demonstrate a way to highlight contributions from female chemists and chemists of color to illustrate General Chemistry concepts. We describe how this work could be extended and used in tandem with other curriculum efforts to increase the odds that female students and students of color persist to success in chemistry.

Illustrating catalysis with a handmade molecular model set: catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide over a platinum surface

Abstract Catalytic converters (automotive catalysts) and the chemical reactions they catalyze appear in general and introductory chemistry textbooks. Although the detailed mechanisms of the chemical reactions that occur in catalytic converters have been clearly revealed via recent developments in surface and computational chemistry research, the description and illustration of the catalysis are still ambiguous in textbooks. In this paper, we describe an extracurricular lecture whereby a handmade teaching aid was employed to illustrate the basic principle of the catalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide over platinum surface, which is an essential reaction occurring in catalytic converters. The teaching aid, constructed combining easily available materials, can illustrate the positions and motions of the molecules on the platinum surface during catalytic oxidation. The lecture was favorably received by non-chemistry majors and high school students. Despite the difficulty of the topic, the audience displayed a relatively high level of understanding.

Potency to overcome misconceptions by using multiple representations on the concept of chemical equilibrium

This study aims to analyze the potential of some representations in overcoming misconceptions about the concept of chemical equilibrium. In this study using research and information gathering, the first stage conducted is related to articles relating to misconceptions that exist on the concept of chemical equilibrium, obtained in chemical equilibrium, then carried out an analysis of 14 articles, which cite misconceptions on chemical equilibrium, from this article a misconception that is often found is that the rate of the forward reaction is not the same as the rate of back reaction. From this collection of articles, 5 general chemistry textbooks were then reviewed, which presented the concept of chemical equilibrium for multiple representations, to overcome the misconceptions associated with the articles that were analyzed previously. The results obtained from general chemistry textbooks with several representations are able to overcome misconceptions derived from article analysis and can help students visualize the observed concept changes.

College Chemistry Textbooks Fail on Gender Representation

This study examines gender representation in 10 current (2016–2020) US college-level general chemistry textbooks. On average, females were found to constitute 30% of images and 3% of the named science, technology, engineering, math, and medical (STEMM) professionals in the index. A male name appears on average every four pages of text, while a female name appears every 250 pages of text. Male overrepresentation is not driven by a pedagogical need to include specific individuals, since the textbooks only have eight names in common. Gender imbalance was ubiquitous among all publishers examined and observed in both traditional and electronic texts. We speculate that male overrepresentation in chemistry textbooks reflects and perpetuates unconscious gender bias in STEMM.

Development of Multiple Representation-Based General Chemistry Textbook Using Guided Inquiry

This study aims to describe the development process and determine the feasibility of multiple representation-based textbooks that are designed with a guided inquiry model. The method used in this research is the Research & Development (R&D) with the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implementation, Evaluate) model. Analyze stages are carried out in the form of curriculum analysis, concepts, and learning resources. In the design process, textbooks are made following the guided inquiry learning stages and design the media in the form of images that show multiple representations so that an initial draft is produced. At the Develop stage, draft books are printed and reproduced for validation and revision. The next step of implementation is carried out through a small-scale trial to determine the initial response to the textbook. In the final stage (Evaluation), the textbook on the results of the small-scale trial was revised to be used in the medium-scale trial to get the textbook's final response data. This study involved ten students in the chemical Tadris department in the small group and 29 students in the moderate group. The instrument used was the validation sheet and the language response sheet and the presentation of the textbook. Data of expert validation and trial results were analyzed descriptively and qualitatively in the form of percentages using a Likert scale. The results showed the feasibility of the content, linguistic, presentation, and graphic textbooks, respectively 95.33%, 94.76%, 92.16%, and 92.58%. The suitability of the textbooks with the guided inquiry syntax and multiple presentations was 98.33% each. A small group trial shows that the language aspect gets 84.33 scores, and the presentation aspect is 84.75. After the textbook was revised, the trial results for the medium group showed that the linguistic aspect value was 90.34, and the presentation aspect was 92.59. Overall it can be concluded that the textbooks developed are very suitable for use in learning.

Electrolysis: What textbooks don’t tell us

We present a critical discussion of how chemistry textbooks treat the electrolysis of water and aqueous salt solutions, based on a survey of general chemistry textbooks in English and Korean at secondary and tertiary levels, also informed by the historical background of 19th-century debates. English-language textbooks present various and contradictory accounts of the electrolysis of water; a key point of disagreement is whether hydrogen and oxygen gases originate from pre-existing H+and OH−ions, or from the direct reduction and oxidation of H2O molecules. School textbooks in South Korea all present the same account, with no indication of alternative views. A vast majority of all texts ignore the possibility that H2and O2may result from secondary reactions, which was a standard view in the late 19th century following the works of Daniell and Miller. Concerning the electrolysis of aqueous salt solutions, all texts give oversimplified views of competing reactions based on standard reduction/oxidation potentials. It is understandable that textbooks try to present sufficiently simple pictures that students at each level can handle; however, this should not be done in a way that shuts down questions. We recommend that students should be made aware that textbook accounts are only models, and encouraged to extend their learning beyond the models. The plausibility of our recommendations is shown in a pilot study we conducted with secondary school students in South Korea.

Transitioning to ebooks: Using Interaction Theory as a Lens To Characterize General Chemistry Students’ Use of Course Resources

This 21-item survey administered at the end of first-semester General Chemistry asked students to estimate their average weekly use of course resources and rate how helpful they find various textbook and online homework features of their current textbook. During data collection, the General Chemistry textbook changed from a print version to one that is primarily electronic. A comparison of previous results of a print textbook semester to a semester using an ebook provided insight into how the equivalent features are utilized in different mediums. In the first three semesters’ worth of data analyzed, General Chemistry I students report relying on their textbook for approximately 5 h of studying per week, regardless of textbook medium; when the ebook was adopted, the homework resource was more frequently used. A comparison of equivalent textbook features between formats revealed that the helpfulness ratings of reading outline and animations increased significantly, whereas worked-examples and end-of-chapter questions decreased significantly. In addition to mathemagenic features, ebook features that help students stay on-task or visualize reactions are significantly highly rated.

An analyses of multiple representation about intermolecular forces

Intermolecular forces (IMFs) is an abstract concept. Therefore, to understand this concept requires understanding of concepts from various chemical representations. This study aims to analyze the topic of IMFs in term of three representation of chemistry such as: macroscopic, submicroscopic, and symbolic. This study use descriptive method involving document analyses including 5 general chemistry textbooks. The result of this study present various ways of explaining the IMFs concept in three different levels of representation. All chemical representations presented in those chemistry textbooks are dedicated to provide comprehensive explanations about the concept of IMFs. This kind of study is essential for formulating a concept correctly which can avoid the raise of students’ misconceptions. Furthermore the results of this study will be beneficial for further study about developing an effective strategy to teach the topic of IMFs to the students.

Thermochemistry multiple representation analysis for developing intertextual learning strategy based on predict observe explain (POE)

This article was written to describe the results of multiple representation analysis of concepts related to thermochemistry topic. The study was set under a qualitative method. It was found from the analysis of five General Chemistry textbooks that thermochemistry consists of three major concepts which include exothermic reaction, endothermic reaction, and enthalpy change. In macroscopic level, exothermic reaction was presented by several phenomena such as Ca(OH)2 production. Meanwhile, endothermic reaction was presented by Ba(OH)2.8H2O and NH4Cl reaction. In the sub microscopic level, all textbooks explained the concept of exothermic and endothermic reaction by using descriptive approach showing that reaction happened and followed by heat change. In addition, in symbolic level, the explanation was enriched by the use of chemical reactions equations, diagrams of energy level and the visualization of the system in releasing or receiving the heat. The macroscopic representation for concept of enthalpy change was presented as an experiment using calorimeter which then described by sub microscopic representation that the energy released is equal to the energy system accepted by environment. Last, in symbolic level, the explanation was enriched by the use of formula to calculate the enthalpy change. This finding was used for developing intertextual learning strategy based on POE.

Identifying Relevant Acid–Base Topics in the Context of a Prenursing Chemistry Course To Better Align Health-Related Instruction and Assessment

This study explores the acid–base topic in the context of a chemistry course taken as a prerequisite for a baccalaureate nursing program. Core findings were derived from semistructured interviews with experts in the areas of chemistry and nursing, and a multiple university survey of experts’ opinions. The acid–base topic was reviewed and evaluated in several general, organic, and biological (GOB) chemistry textbooks and nursing textbooks. A set of acid–base chemistry concepts were identified that have relevance in the allied-health fields, especially nursing. By being aware of these concepts, the GOB chemistry instructors can better plan their learning activities, teaching strategies, and assessment.