Precipitation reactions are a type of chemical reaction that students generally learn in the first semester of general chemistry.  Previous literature has explored that teaching focuses largely on the symbolic aspect of precipitation reactions, particularly through molecular equations.  As a result, students can be confused about how symbolic equations for precipitation reactions are connected to particulate representations and macroscopic images.  Thus, student understanding of precipitation reactions was studied through the use of four representations with varying levels of complexity. Each representation included a particulate depiction of a precipitation reaction; however, some also included macroscopic pictures of the reaction and/or additional particulate information, e.g. water molecules as the solvent.  First-semester general chemistry students were given one of the four representations and a questionnaire to determine their ability to recognize, describe, and write a chemical equation for the specific precipitation reaction shown in their representation.  Students' written equations were assessed through a detailed rubric, and the results of this research will be presented.

Investigating student understanding of the symbolic, macroscopic, and particulate domains of precipitation reactions

247th National Meeting (2014)

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