Misconceptions in Chemistry: Addressing Perceptions in Chemical Education

306 Pages·2009·6.51 MB·English

by  Hans-Dieter Barke

Misconceptions in Chemistry
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Hans-DieterBarke AlHazari SileshiYitbarek
l l
Misconceptions
in Chemistry
Addressing Perceptions
in Chemical Education
1 3
Prof.Dr.Hans-DieterBarke Dr.AlHazari
Universita¨tMu¨nster UniversityofTennessee
FB12ChemieundPharmazie Dept.Chemistry
Inst.DidaktikderChemie 505BuehlerHall
Fliednerstr.21 KnoxvilleTN37996-1600
48149Mu¨nster USA
Germany
Dr.SileshiYitbarek
KotebeCollegeofTeacher
Education
AddisAbaba
Ethiopia
ISBN:978-3-540-70988-6 e-ISBN:978-3-540-70989-3
DOI10.1007/978-3-540-70989-3
LibraryofCongressControlNumber:2008933285
#Springer-VerlagBerlinHeidelberg2009
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concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation,
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Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the
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We would like to dedicate this book to
Chemistry students everywhere. May their
quest to full understanding of this subject
lead them to the discovery of the truth and
the beauty of Chemistry.
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Acknowledgment
First, we would like to cordially thank Dr. Hilde Wirbs, wife of Hans-Dieter
Barke,forallthediscussionsconcerningchemistrymisconceptionsandfortesting
someproposedstrategiesforteachingandlearninginherschool,Kaethe-Kollwitz
Realschule in Emsdetten near Muenster, Germany. Many thanks to colleagues
and friends: Prof. Dr. Dieter Sauermann (Munich), Prof. Dr. Guenther Harsch
(Muenster)andProf.Dr.RebekkaHeimann(Leipzig)whohelpedusgetinterest-
inginsightsintoproblemsofchemistryeducation.
SpecialappreciationgoestoBarbaraDoran–RogelandDr.FriedhelmRogel
fortranslatingallchaptersoftheGermanbookon‘‘ChemicalMisconceptions:
PreventionandCure’’,writtenbyHans-DieterBarkeintoEnglish.Sameappre-
ciation belongs to artist Mr. Mulugeta Gebrekidan, he did the drawings with
regardtotheconceptcartoons.
WearealsogratefullyindebtedtoDr.TemechegnEngida,Dr.BirteMoeller,
Dr.NinaStrehle,Dr.CosimaKuhl,Dr.WahyneSopandi,Dr.SebastianMusli,
Dr.ClausHilbing,ReinhardRoelleke,TobiasDoerflerandSerkalemGirmafor
availingthemselveswheneverweneededtheirsupport.
Finally we would like to thank the Fonds of Chemical Industries FCI in
Frankfurt, Germany, and the German Society of Research DFG in Bonn,
Germany.ThefinancialsupportoftheFCIallowedustorealizeandtoutilize
all the Masters theses as the research basis of the German book on Chemical
Misconceptions. The DFG supported our visits to Chemical Education con-
gressesintheUnitedStatesofAmericawherewemetDr.AlHazari,University
ofTennessee,Knoxville.
October2008 Hans-DieterBarke,AlHazari,Sileshi
vii
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Contents
Introduction................................................ 1
1 PerceptionsofAncientScientists............................. 9
1.1 TheTheoryofBasicMatter............................ 10
1.2 TransformationConceptsoftheAlchemists ............... 10
1.3 ThePhlogistonTheory................................ 11
1.4 HistoricAcid–BaseTheories ........................... 12
1.5 ‘‘HorrorVacui’’andtheParticleConcept ................. 14
1.6 AtomsandtheStructureofMatter ...................... 15
References.............................................. 20
2 Students’MisconceptionsandHowtoOvercomeThem............ 21
2.1 Students’Preconcepts................................. 21
2.2 School-MadeMisconceptions .......................... 24
2.3 Students’ConceptsandScientificLanguage............... 26
2.4 EffectiveStrategiesforTeachingandLearning............. 28
References.............................................. 33
FurtherReading......................................... 34
3 SubstancesandProperties .................................. 37
3.1 AnimisticModesofSpeech ............................ 38
3.2 ConceptsofTransformation ........................... 39
3.3 ConceptsofMiscibilityforCompounds .................. 41
3.4 ConceptsofDestruction............................... 43
3.5 ConceptsofCombustion .............................. 46
3.6 Conceptsof‘‘GasesasnotSubstances’’................... 50
3.7 ExperimentsonSubstancesandTheirProperties ........... 52
References.............................................. 64
FurtherReading......................................... 65
4 ParticleConceptofMatter ................................. 67
4.1 SmallestParticlesofMatterandMentalModels............ 69
4.2 PreformedandNon-preformedParticles.................. 73
ix