The concept of electronegativity is introduced to general chemistry students in many textbooks as a way to assign both bond and molecular polarity. With these concepts so intertwined, students also make assumptions about electronegativity when viewing representations with polarity specific features such as dipole arrows, partial charges, and electrostatic potential maps. Even without these polarity specific features, students may look to other features of a representation or use their prior knowledge to make claims about electronegativity and polarity with varying degrees of accuracy. This study investigates students’ interpretations of multiple molecular representations, both with and without polarity specific features to indicate polar bonds and/or polar molecules. Though aimed at understanding students’ ideas about polarity, electronegativity was a common concept used by students to explain their reasoning during the study. Semi-structured interviews are currently being conducted with students who have recently completed first semester college general chemistry and have already learned about the concepts of electronegativity and polarity. Preliminary interview findings will be presented.

Undergraduate students’ ideas about electronegativity and polarity while interpreting multiple molecular representations

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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