Inquiry-Based Activities and Games That Engage Students in Learning Atomic Orbitals.

Area of Science:

• Chemistry Education
• Quantum Mechanics

Background:

• Atomic orbitals are fundamental to understanding chemical bonding and advanced chemistry concepts.
• Developing representational competence in atomic orbitals is crucial for students' comprehension of chemical principles.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present active-learning activities and a gamified approach for teaching atomic orbitals.
• To improve students' understanding of atomic orbital properties and their relationship with quantum numbers.
• To engage students in exploring periodic trends and constructing electronic configurations.

Main Methods:

• Inquiry-based learning activities focused on the spatial properties of atomic orbitals.
• Utilizing the Orbital Explorer website for visualization, comparison, and analysis of atomic orbitals.
• A gamified approach to reinforce learning of atomic orbital properties.

Main Results:

• Activities facilitate the exploration of the relationship between atomic orbital spatial properties and quantum numbers.
• Students can collect data to verify periodic trends and construct electronic configurations.
• The approach is effective in both in-person and remote learning environments.

Conclusions:

• The developed activities and game enhance students' representational competence regarding atomic orbitals.
• This approach effectively engages students in learning essential atomic orbital properties for advanced chemistry.
• The methods are adaptable for diverse teaching settings, promoting accessibility in chemistry education.