Teaching Organic Chemistry - Some Concepts

Teaching Organic Chemistry - Some ConceptsThere are some physical and chemical concepts that the organic chemistry tutor must include in the curriculum. This is especially true when teaching physical chemistry. Students who are unable to apply these concepts to explain reactions may be confused when the exam time comes. By teaching a few of these concepts, students will have a better chance of understanding chemical bonds.The first concept that you should teach students is kinetic energy. What this means is that molecules with the same molecular weight experience the same kinetic energy. This is used to demonstrate that molecules can transfer energy to each other.You can easily show kinetic energy by placing a tiny amount of nitric acid on a hot plate. When the nitric acid hits the plate, the heat from the plate strikes the gas molecules and causes them to slow down. As the molecules slow down, the amount of kinetic energy they have increases. You can then measure the amount of kinet ic energy that each molecule has and use this to help you explain the transfer of energy.You should also teach students how molecules break apart. They are broken down into smaller units called atoms. You can use the sizes of the individual atoms as they break down to help explain the mass of a particular molecule. You can also use these principles when explaining the process of oxidation.Physical bonding is the concept that allows two or more molecules to form a bond. You can use chemicals like carbon tetrachloride to demonstrate how a molecule binds to another. Students should be able to clearly see the difference between these two products when you explain physical bonding. Students should also be able to compare the sizes of these two products to know if they are the same or different in size.The base gas should also be introduced. You can use water, sulfuric acid, and ammonium hydroxide to teach this concept. Students should be able to use these products to determine the amount of hydrogen and oxygen present in a solution.An ionic bond is one that is between an electronegative molecule and an electroneutral molecule. You can find out how long these molecules are in an ionic state when the amount of electricity in the chemical bonds decreases. Finally, you can use the fact that there are two types of bonds in a structure to understand the properties of these structures.The chemistry of a chemical reaction is extremely complex. This is why many students do not fully grasp all of the concepts when they are first taught these concepts. Teaching a few concepts early in the semester can help students learn faster and better understand the concepts they have already learned. By teaching these concepts early, students can then move on to more complex concepts and become more knowledgeable in their classwork.