Lewis structure

I teach Redox and Electrochemistry as the first topic in AP Chemistry¹.

Would you like to take a walk with me through the chemical winter wonderland of snowflakes? Well, we chemists know that the stunning six-sided symmetry of snowflakes (Figure 1) results from repeated arrangement of water molecules into a hexagonal crystal structure (Figure 2).

Josh Kenney, Melissa Hemling, and I just published an article in the October 2024 Journal of Chemical Education. The article describes inquiry-based activities that highlight the chemistry behind “No-Mess” picture-coloring books.¹ Well, it turns out that our timing is impeccable.

Sometimes we have a topic that needs a refresh, and I hope when you’re searching for fresh ideas those searches lead you to ChemEd X! What I love doing is taking an activity that is really great, and using it in my own way with a personal twist.

Rhiannon Davids*, Bezawit Legesse*, and Dean J. Campbell* *Bradley University, Peoria, Illinois

Chemical bonding is a pivotal topic in chemistry classes that can be overwhelming for students and teachers alike - so much to teach, so many ways that it can be overwhelming! On November 4th, 2021, Nora Walsh shared her unit covering chemical bonding and naming in this ChemBasics Talk.

Determination of Lewis Dot structures and visualization of the shapes of molecules using valence shell electron pair repulsion theory (VSEPR theory) is an example of an abstract concept that students often find difficult to learn.

If you look at any chemistry textbook, you will see Lewis structures introduced long before electronic and molecular geometries. This makes sense since you need Lewis structures to determine molecular geometry.