Exploring conceptual understanding in organic qualitative analysis
Gomathi Shridhar1, Lakshmy Ravishankar2*and Savita Ladage3
1V. K. Krishna Menon College of Commerce and Economics and S. S. Dighe College of Science, Bhandup (E), Mumbai-400042, India
2(Formerly) K. E. T’s V. G. Vaze College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Mithagar Road, Mulund- (E), Mumbai- 400081, India
3Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (TIFR), Mankhurd, Mumbai-400088, India
*Email: lakshravi@yahoo.com
Systematic organic qualitative analysis is an important domain of the UG chemistry lab education. These experiments help students to develop understanding about the proto typical reactions of functional groups in organic chemistry and how to identify them. It is important that students develop understanding of the chemical logic of different steps such as preliminary tests, analysis of solubility profiles, detection of elements and functional groups (by confirmatory tests).
In order to present opportunities to explore the understanding of the above steps of the analysis, we designed experiments in which participants (teachers and students) had to identify a series of compounds by analyzing the results of a chosen set of tests drawn from the above. The current paper will present details about such experiments conducted in teacher and student workshops and the thinking behind the choice of the tests selected for these experiments. The presentation will discuss background of the students w.r.t. exposure to organic qualitative analysis, the challenges faced and the results and conclusions obtained by students and teachers, their perceptions about the experiments and the insights gained by designers.
Keywords: qualitative analysis, chemistry lab education, functional group identification