TEACHING CHEMISTRY USING PICTORIAL ANALOGIES Elmer-Rico E.

Mojica Institute of Chemistry, UP Los Baos, College, Laguna Chemistry teaching involves a great deal of abstract reasoning in order to explain principles and phenomena in terms of atomic or molecular structures and dynamics. Most of the students have a hard time understanding abstract concepts of chemistry because it requires them to imagine something that they cannot see and observe. The students can be helped to develop these nonobservable pictures if they can compare them to observable ith hich they are familiar. !n analogy of a non-observable" abstract molecular structure or process to an observable" concrete" familiar object or change can help students learn chemistry concepts. #tudents ould understand the concepts more clearly ith the aid of pictures. $t has been said that a picture is orth a thousand ords. %ie ing a picture ould ma&e a more lasting impression than hearing or reading ords. 'resenting analogies in a picture ould aid the student to understand the concepts being discussed and to recall their lessons later. 'ictorial analogies are useful in developing an understanding of some concepts found in chemistry. (ohn ( )ortman rote in series of articles in (ournal of Chemical Education several pictorial analogies of different chemical concepts. This paper ould present some pictorial analogies compiled and used by the author and can also be used by other teachers in discussing some chemistry concepts. This presentation ould concentrate on the field of sports and nature since these topics are common and familiar to students. Sports Theme The orld of sports is very familiar to many students. 'ictorial analogies using several sports to discuss chemical concepts ould generate added interests on the part of students. They could easily grasp the chemical concepts discussed ith an analogy using a particular sport. Table * lists some pictorial analogies in the field of sports that are analogous ith some concepts in chemistry. Table *. #ome chemical concepts analogous to sports Chemical concepts #ports analogous to the concept chemical equilibrium substitution of players in bas&etball or any team sports stress in equilibrium penalty period in hoc&ey or ice hoc&ey collision theory restling or judo match activation energy height of clearing bar in high jump or pole vault limiting reactant +ionic concentration bicycle in cycling strength of acids and bases quarterbac& and receiver in football pitcher and catcher in baseball atomic radius si,es of balls in different sports radiation ioni,ing and penetrating drag racing of truc&" car and motorcycle po er Natures theme $n addition to sports" another theme that is familiar and popular to students is the things found in nature. #ome animals and insects can be also used to illustrate several chemical concepts analogous to these living things. Table - lists some chemical concepts that are analogous to some creatures found in nature.

Table -. #ome chemical concepts analogous to things found in nature Chemical concepts Things found in nature analogous to the concept resonance structures horse . don&ey / mule rhinoceros . dragon / rhinoceros big dog-puppy dog analogy #0* reaction mechanism transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly #0 reaction mechanism transformation of a tadpole to a frog chromatography s arm of bees and asps s ept by the ind over a flo er bed Limitations !nalogies can hinder as ell as help learning. They also have limitations. 1hen stretched too far" they can lead to misconceptions. $f the students have correctly understood the target concepts and the analogies" they should be able to identify its limitations by &no ing their similarities as ell as their differences. The identification of the limitations by the students gives the teacher an appreciation of hether the given analogy has been understood. Referen es )ortman. (.). J. Chem. Educ. 23"45-42. 6ast" !.M. J. Chem. Educ. *778" 24" *9::. #ien&o" M.(. and 'lane" R.!. Chemistry. *759" 79. #ilverstein" T. J. Chem. Educ. *777" 25" -35--32. #ilverstein" T. J. Chem. Educ. -333" 22" 897-843. #nyder" C.;. The Extraordinary Chemistry of <rdinary Things. *77-" **-. http=++antoine.fsu.umd.edu+chem+senese+*3*+matter+chromatography.shtml