https://doi.org/10.15255/KUI.2017.002
Published: Kem. Ind. 66 (9-10) (2017) 531−535
Paper reference number: KUI-02/2017
Paper type: Professional paper / Chemistry in Teaching
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Common Sense Stoichiometry

N. Raos

Abstract

The teaching of stoichiometry is hampered by its “scholastic” nature, i.e. that the student is not familiar with the problems presented in the school. This paper provides a quite different approach, suggesting solving the problems much closer to everyday life. Examples of five such problems are presented: (1) control of CO₂ levels in submarines and space stations, (2) difference in oxygen consumption by burning of different kinds of natural gas, (3) justified difference in price of Na₂CO₃ and Na₂CO₃ · 10 H₂O, (4) calculation of the weight (and price) of bubbles in cheese, and (5) comparison in precision of two gravimetric methods for the determination of relative atomic mass. The general way of problem presentation enables their solution at different levels of complexity, i.e. their adaptation to the education level of students.

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Keywords

chemistry education, stoichiometry, relative atomic mass, control of CO2 levels