help with molecular shapes in Chemistry?

Category: Cram Session

Post 1 by mat the musician (Help me, I'm stuck to my chair!) on Tuesday, 10-Dec-2013 20:42:05

I'm studying chemistry in High School. We're studying the shapes of various molecules (non-organic) which are super confusing to me. The chemistry teacher has tactile models of the molecules, but the graphics in the braille textbook, that's used for homework, is trying to represent 3d objects in 2d.
If anyone has studied Molecular shapes, do you have any advice on how to aproach them?
Thanks.

Post 2 by Flidais (WISEST IS SHE WHO KNOWS THAT SHE DOES NOT KNOW) on Wednesday, 11-Dec-2013 1:05:13

I've seen like foam ball things they use and connect with sticks to represent 3d versions. I felt those were helpful, but no idea where they came from as it was a regular teaching tool for sighted students.
try googling 3d molecules? they have all kinds of nerdy toys so I wouldn't be surprised if like molecule legos exist.
good luck

Post 3 by AgateRain (Believe it or not, everything on me and about me is real!) on Wednesday, 11-Dec-2013 10:06:30

Yes, I use the balls with the stick connection. It's a bit tricky at first, but you'll get the hang of it.

Has your teacher introduced the chart yet?

Post 4 by mat the musician (Help me, I'm stuck to my chair!) on Wednesday, 11-Dec-2013 16:36:20

We just started using ball-and-stick molecules today, and they were very helpful in imagining molecules.
@Your Nightmare, Our teacher has not yet introduced the chart, is it a molecular memorization chart?
Thanks so much for the help, it is much apreciated.

Post 5 by Siriusly Severus (The ESTJ 1w9 3w4 6w7 The Taskmaste) on Monday, 27-Jan-2014 11:41:13

um. I didn't bother reading the book and passed okay. just did the equations most of it is equations. you'll be fine, get use to the 2d stuff. I did for geometry.