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Astronomy Matters for Chemistry Teachers

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Jay S. Huebner , Robert A. Vergenz and Terry L. Smith

Department of Natural Sciences, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224-2645

J. Chem. Educ., 1996, 73 (11), p 1073

DOI: 10.1021/ed073p1073

Publication Date (Web): November 1, 1996

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to encourage more chemistry teachers to become familiar with some of the basic ideas described in typical introductory astronomy courses (1 - 9), including those about the origin of elements and forms of matter. These ideas would enrich chemistry courses and help resolve some basic misconceptions that are expressed in many introductory texts (10 - 16) and journal articles for chemistry teachers (17, 18). These misconceptions are typified by statements such as "we can classify all substances as either elements or compounds," and "nature has provided 92 elements out of which all matter is composed."

If students accept these misconceptions, they could be deprived of (i) an appreciation of the history of elements and knowing that the elemental composition of the universe continues to evolve, (ii) knowing that of the first 92 elements in the periodic table, technetium and promethium do not occur naturally on Earth, and (iii) understanding that there are forms of matter other than elements and compounds. This paper briefly explores these ideas.

Keywords (Audience):

High School / Introductory Chemistry

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Misconceptions / Discrepant Events

Keywords (Subject):

Astrochemistry

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This article has been cited by 1 ACS Journal articles (1 most recent appear below).

Before There Was Chemistry: The Origin of the Elements as an Introduction to Chemistry
Neil Glickstein
Journal of Chemical Education1999 76 (3), 353
- Before There Was Chemistry: The Origin of the Elements as an Introduction to Chemistry
  Neil Glickstein
  Journal of Chemical Education1999 76 (3), 353
  The use of cosmology as an interdisciplinary introduction to a chemistry course is discussed. Students read a variety of nontext sources in order to piece together the events of the early universe that led to the creation of the elements. An introduction ...
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