On April 9th, seven teachers joined me in pondering how to teach thermodynamics. The video of the 'Chat can be found here.

A lively discussion was held on the issue of particle modeling. Most thermodynamics is taught from a mathematical or statistical point of view. How does one model enthalpy? We ended up with bond energy-distance graphs but no "traditional" particle models.

How deep is deep enough was another topic. While there are guidelines for AP classes, below that lies a huge variation in how much thermo gets covered. Check out the video for more details.

The remaining ChemChats this year are:

• May 7th Phenomenon-Based Chemistry (registration now open)
• June 11th Books and Articles: Recommended Reading for Teachers and Students

-  Sue Klemmer, ChemChat Facilitator