Visualization: The Key to Understanding Chemistry Concepts

Chemistry is a science that operates at many levels, but perhaps the most fascinating is the level that explores the complexities of chemistry at the invisible molecular level. Over the years chemists have devised ever more useful and complex representations of molecular-level structures and interactions. The introduction of computers in the latter half of the 20th century led to the development of powerful visualization and modeling tools that have enhanced chemistry research capabilities. These techniques allowed more accurate and informative images of the molecular level to be generated for use in education, and animations were developed to communicate how atoms and molecules might interact and move. Assessment of conceptual understanding was also updated to reflect the use of visualizations in the learning of chemistry. Because scientific visualizations and animations can be complex and difficult to understand, multidisciplinary teams are now studying how the use of visualization techniques in the teaching and learning of chemistry can be optimized. These collaborations are revealing how students perceive and interpret various kinds of molecular animations and are showing how best to develop and use static graphics and dynamic visualizations for the learning of chemistry.