Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and the Fundamental Concept of Molecular Structure

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Chemistry (12)This project is focusing on the concept of molecular structure within the chemistry laboratory curriculum. The overall goal of the project is to strengthen student understanding of molecular structure through use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) as an essential method for obtaining structural information. With the revised curriculum, students are developing expertise using NMR through a systematic introduction to NMR theory and concepts. Furthermore, the vertical integration in lab courses is allowing students to build on previous experiences with NMR to develop increasingly richer understanding of molecular structure. This new laboratory curriculum is being assessed using the "Perspectives of Chemists" framework, a set of tools designed by previously supported NSF initiatives. This framework divides chemistry into overarching ideas that permeate the curriculum and allows for assessing the progression of student understanding around these "perspectives". Applying these classroom curriculum models to the laboratory setting represents a new extension of the framework. By explicitly demonstrating the use of NMR in practical applications and by allowing hands on access to the instrument, students are gaining insight into chemical problem solving and confidence in their abilities to gather, analyze, and interpret structural features of molecules.