Developmdnt of Students' Understanding of Atoms and Molecules

Abstract

To explain the present status of development of atomic and molecular concepts of students as related to the understanding of the nature of matter, inquiries by paper were applied in 1979 to about 2300 students of secondary schools levels and of college level. The followings are found by analyzing the results. (1) The understanding of solid state properties of matter with atomic concepts is reasonably developed along the course of study of science in schools. (2) The atomic and molecular concepts are grown mainly in the periods of late secondary schools. (3) The understanding of entities of element of matter, distinguishing elements from compounds and the quantitative grip of the nature of atoms are less developed by the present science education in schools. It seems necessary to improve it by using more actual teaching materials and by making it more systematic and consistent, especially in relation to mathematics education.