Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
or the human skeleton (only rarely an original). Model character, shortenings and
irrelevant components of the models are very evident in these cases. These models
are very illustrative and motivating due to the relevance for oneself: they can be
used for a discussion of the idea of scientific models. But since visible body parts of
the original can be compared with the corresponding model, this kind of biological
model is not to be transferred to the models of chemical structures: no one is able to
directly observe original structures of matter!
Geography
: Maps, for example those of their home town or familiar hiking
trails, are also models that are easy to understand for the students. Even the globe as
a model can be compared to the original: pictures of Earth, seen from space, can be
shown to the students today. Before the time of space travel the globe was nearly a
mental model that could not be compared to the original directly. Models of Earth's
interior cannot be obtained by optical comparison: they are derived from empirical
analysis of experiments on Earth's surface.
Mathematics
: Geometric drawings can be regarded as models. Certain triangles,
for example rectangular triangles or equilateral triangles, are models for different
patterns, and students can reproduce them for drawing special parquetry layers on
the basis of these triangles. When students build three-dimensional models of
cubes, cuboids, octahedra or tetrahedra with the help of given cardboard pattern
and try to fill the whole space with them, the transfer of these models to chemical
structures is possible and very useful. Structural models can be explained on this
mathematical basis in chemistry lessons.
When students start to draw these cubes, tetrahedra and octahedra in three
dimensions in their math class, these skills can be transferred to chemistry lectures
to develop the ability to also draw three-dimensional models of the structure of
matter. Moreover this trains and advances their spatial ability. The advancement of
these skills is an important interdisciplinary task for mathematics, but also in
chemistry: spatial ability is important for everyone's life!
6.4 Human Element: Interdisciplinary Mental Models
Working with models has an interdisciplinary character and makes a contribution to
general education. Besides the understanding of the importance of scientific
models, especially for chemistry, one can reflect on the relevance of models in
many other fields. Models and mental models play an important role in
Industry: cycles of material
Economy: cycles of money and goods
Sociology: behavior patterns of specific groups of people
Politics: voting behavior of special groups of people
Ecology: cycles of substances in nature and ecological systems
