Description: This is an in class activity I use for first year general chemistry students to understand the relationship between quantum numbers and the structure of the atom.

This in-class activity is intended to help visualize the meaning of the subscripts and coefficients in molecular formulas that appear in balanced chemical equations. It has been my experience that students in 2nd semester general chemistry can sometimes still be confused about this fundamental aspect of chemical language. It substitutes edible candy for the atoms in a molecular model kit, thus allowing students to eat the atoms at the end. (My philosophy is that if students are eating, they're probably awake and could be learning!)

Covers the geometries and symmetries of the seven crystal systems in an inquiry-based manner. 2-D paper templates are provided, which the students cut out, fold, and tape together to create 3-D representations of the seven crystal systems: triclinic, monoclinic, orthorhombic, tetragonal, rhombohedral, hexagonal, and cubic. The students can then use these to determine the geometries and symmetries of the systems for themselves.

All chemistry is learned best by "doing," and I believe this is especially true for determining molecular symmetry.  This activity was designed to end a three-part lecture/activity on symmetry and point groups for my advanced inorganic class.  I call this unit on symmetry a lecture/activity series because it was designed to be student-guided learning and requires the students to teach each other how to determine a molecular point group.  I only gave one formal lecture on symmetry and point groups, which was followed by the symmetry scavenger hunt activity LO.  Finally this assignment was do