Analogies: Those Little Tricks That Help Students to Understand Basic Concepts in Chemical Engineering

Authors

  • Maria J. Fernandez-Torres University of the Witwatersrand

Abstract

This paper addresses the difficulty of transferring conceptual knowledge of chemical processes to students, and how it can be aided through the use of analogies. Common everyday observations and objects are used to illustrate how a physical or chemical change takes place. It was found that this approach greatly assisted the understanding of students, especially in South Africa where severe underpreparedness is present as a result of poor secondary schooling, a post-Apartheid issue. 

Author Biography

Maria J. Fernandez-Torres, University of the Witwatersrand

Maria. J. Fernandez-Torres completed her B.Sc. in chemistry in 1992 and Ph.D. in chemical engineering in 1996, both at the University of Alicante (Spain). Since then she has been a full-time lecturer. She has published some papers under the general topics of transport phenomena and phase equilibria but her main interest and dedication is to help her students learn. She is currently at Universidad de Alicante in Alicante, Spain.

Downloads

Published

2005-09-01

Issue

Vol. 39 No. 4 (2005): Fall 2005

Section

Manuscripts