Submitted by Barbara Reisner / James Madison University on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 18:05
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I find that students get a better understanding of solid state structure by playing with models.  I give students two fifty-minute class periods to look at the structure types that we discuss in class.  This is an old in-class activity that needs massive updating.

In this activity,  students look at the holes in different lattice types (simple cubic, ccp, hcp) and the CsCl, NaCl, CdI2, ZnS, and spinel structure types.

In the past, I have not directly figured out if students did this other than going around the class and having students explain stuff to me and asking them related exam questions.

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Nancy Williams / Scripps College, Pitzer College, Claremont McKenna College

I need to buy some of these for my fall class; I like the old ICE kits at the link Adam provided. Has anyone used the polyhedral kits? Are they worth it?

 

 

Mon, 05/24/2010 - 14:35 Permalink
Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College
i have one set of the polyhedral models in my office and I haven't used it.  Mostly because I haven't figured out how to.
Sun, 05/30/2010 - 10:37 Permalink
George Lisensky / Beloit College

The link has been updated and now works on laptops, tablets, and smart phones.

Mon, 06/27/2016 - 16:41 Permalink
Barbara Reisner / James Madison University

Thanks George!

Mon, 06/27/2016 - 16:43 Permalink