We continued our work from yesterday, adding three additional scents for students to smell and connect with molecular formulas. Students learned that two molecules can have the same molecular formula but smell very differently. One compound smelled like rum extract, the other smelled like stinky cheese. This created a powerful and memorable moment for students to remember the concept of isomers. Key definitions for the day:
Structural Formula – A drawing or diagram that a chemist uses to show how the atoms in a molecule are connected. Each line represents a covalent bond.
Isomers – Molecules with the same molecular formula but different structural formulas
For the class period, students worked through the Lesson 29 worksheet and then were assigned Lesson 29 problems 5-7 from the textbook as homework.