Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-t5tsf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-02T22:26:05.134Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Molecule, The Monomer and Materials Science: A Preliminary Report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 February 2011

Paul Howell
Paul Howell*
Affiliation:
[email protected], Penn State University, Materials Science, 231 Steidle Building, University Park, PA, 16802, United States, (814) 863-3363, (814) 865-2917
Get access

Abstract

There would appear to be a large disconnect between the content of a typical high school chemistry course, and an introductory, college materials science course. For example, A National Science Foundation report notes that,

“the historic bias of chemistry curricula towards small molecule chemistry, generally in the gaseous and liquid states, is out of touch with current opportunities for chemists in research, education and technology”.

In contrast, the typical introductory college materials science course concentrates almost exclusively on the solid state, and a discussion of “small molecular” materials is virtually absent.

In the present contribution, it will be shown how the “molecule” forms part of a hierarchical series of structures, from the sub-atomic to the macroscopic. It will also be argued that the molecule is but a sub-set of a localized grouping of atoms, which is best described by the term “monomer”.

Based on a strict definition of the molecule and monomer, a complete hierarchical scheme for the structure of materials is developed, which should be applicable to both a high school chemistry course, and an introductory materials science course.

Keywords

ceramicmetalpolymer
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 909: Symposium PP – Forum on Materials Science Education , 2005 , 0909-PP03-04
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2006

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

[1] Howell, P. R., “The Molecule, The Monomer and Materials Science Education. Submitted to J. Mat. Ed. (2005).Google Scholar
[2] Novak, J. D., “Learning, Creating and Using Knowledge.” Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Mahwah, NJ. (1998).Google Scholar
[3] Pauling, L., “College Chemistry” 2nd Ed. W. H. Freeman and Co., San Francisco, Ca. (1955).Google Scholar
[4] Pauling, L., “General Chemistry.” Dover Publications, Inc., New York, NY. (1988).Google Scholar
[5] Pauling, L., “The Nature of the Chemical Bond.” 2nd Ed. Cornell Univesity Press, Ithica, NY. (1944).Google Scholar
[6] Davis, R. E., Metcalfe, H. C., Williams, J. E. and Castka, J. F.. “Modern Chemistry.” Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Austin, TX. (2002).Google Scholar
[7] Wilbraham, A. C., Staley, D. D., Matta, M. S. and Waterman, E. L.. Prentice Hall, Needham MA. (2002).Google Scholar
[8] LeMay, H. E. Jr., Robblee, K. M., Beall, H. and Braver, D. C., “Chemistry: Connections to Our Changing World.” Prentice Hall, Needham, MA. (2002).Google Scholar
[9] Brown, T. L., LeMay, H. E. Jr., and Bursten, B. E.., “Chemistry: The Central Science.” 10th Ed. Annotated Instructor' Edition. Pearson, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ. (2006)Google Scholar
[10] Moffat, W. G., Pearsall, G. W. and Wulff, J., “The Structure and Properties of Materials. Volume 1: Structure.” John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, NY. (1964)Google Scholar
[11] Callister, W. D. Jr., “Materials Science and Engineering: An Introduction” 6th Ed. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, NY. (2003).Google Scholar
[12] Callister, W. D. Jr., “Fundamentals of Materials Science and Engineering: An Integrated Approach” 2nd Ed. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, NY. (2005).Google Scholar