Illustrating Tetrahedral Carbons in Organic Compounds

Stella D. Elakovich
The University of Southern Mississippi, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Box 5043, Hattiesburg, MS 39406-5043
J. Chem. Educ., 1998, 75 (4), p 479
DOI: 10.1021/ed075p479.1
Publication Date (Web): April 1, 1998
History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

Beginning organic chemistry students readily learn that sp3-hybridized atoms are tetrahedral in shape with 109 degree bond angles, but frequently, the tetrahedral shape is one that is foreign to them. This paper describes a method of illustrating the tetrahedral nature of carbons by use of an overhead projector and molecular models. Regardless of the class size, the illustrations are clearly visible to all class members, and since only one model is used for all illustrations, and only rotations of this model are made, students are convinced that all illustrations are of the same structure. After this illustration, students are better able to distinguish between different representations of the same molecule and representations of different molecules.

Keywords (Audience):

High School / Introductory Chemistry

Keywords (Domain):

Organic Chemistry

Keywords (Feature):

Overhead Projector Demonstrations

Keywords (Subject):

Carbon
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  • Received: August 03, 2009

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