Undergraduates' Conceptions About Balancing Chemical Equations, and Chemical Reaction Classification

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine the undergraduate students' perceptions about completion and classification of chemical reactions. This study has been conducted in a science education department with the participation of first year students (n=99) in Turkey during 2009-2010 schooling year. Data were collected by an instrument consisting of ten open-ended questions. Participants were asked to classify chemical reactions in the first section. In the second section, they were asked to complete the chemical reactions by means of writing the formulas and the physical states of products. Lastly, they were asked to classify them. Data were analyzed by qualitative methods, and the findings were presented in percentage. The chemical reactions in the first and second sections of instrument were classified by participants in the rates of 92% and 54%, respectively. The formulas of products in the second section of instrument were written by them in the rate of 56%. The results of this study have revealed that participants have misconceptions about formulas and physical states of products.