Custom-Printed 3D Models for Teaching Molecular Symmetry

Abstract

Models were prepared by 3D printing that can be used to demonstrate the operations required for the study of molecular symmetry. The models were designed to emphasize the order and locations of rotation axes and to clearly illustrate the more abstract reflection and improper rotation axes. The models were well-received by students in a course on molecular structure, who generally felt that their understanding of the topic was enhanced by using the models.

Concrete Model VS Virtual Model: Roles and Implications in Chemistry Learning

“…Molecular concrete media is a learning medium used to visualize abstract molecular shape concepts. The use of concrete media in science such as physics (Zacharia & Olympiou, 2011) and chemistry (Niece, 2019;Scalfani & Vaid, 2014;Holly K. Schiltz & Oliver-Hoyo, 2012;Holly Kristine Schiltz, 2015;Wu, Krajcik, & Soloway, 2001;Wu & Shah, 2004) can be used by users to visualize the movement of three-dimensional objects after being manipulated. The concrete medium of molecular shape follows the ball-and-stick model because it can represent three-dimensional objects well and can show the number of bonds, bond lengths, and bond angles of a molecule.…”

“…The development of technology does not directly replace the role of concrete media into virtual media. Recent research uses concrete media as a catalyst in understanding three-dimensional object material (Abraham et al, 2010;Niece, 2019;Scalfani & Vaid, 2014;Holly K. Schiltz & Oliver-Hoyo, 2012;Holly Kristine Schiltz, 2015) because in virtual media there are several deficiencies in displaying three-dimensional objects. Schiltz and Oliver-Hoyo (2012) argue that molecular modeling with virtual media creates distortions to the visualization of the orientation or the user's point of view towards three-dimensional objects.…”

“…The use of concrete media in symmetry learning has been developed by several researchers (see Craig, 1969;Flint, 2011;Fuchigami, Schrandt, & Miessler, 2016;Niece, 2019;Scalfani & Vaid, 2014;Holly K. Schiltz & Oliver-Hoyo, 2012). They agreed that concrete media can be used as a catalyst in understanding and identifying all symmetrical operations on molecular shapes.…”

“…Molecular form media is made by using a printer or three-dimensional printing with polylactic acid (filament). Niece (2019) found that there are still difficulties in understanding the operation of reflection on the mirror plane so that he develops concrete media to perfect the media made by Holly K. Schiltz & Oliver-Hoyo (2012) as shown in Figure 4. Effendy (2017) developed simple concrete media but can represent the four previous media.…”

MoleculARweb: A Website for Chemistry and Structural Biology Education Through Interactive Augmented Reality out of the Box in Commodity Devices

“…[1][2][3] An important limitation of regular computer graphics programs is the unintuitive link between the six degrees of freedom naturally available to each of the user's limbs, the singlehanded 2D nature of mouse-driven operations, and the 3D nature of molecular structures and interactions between pairs of molecules. Human interaction with molecular models is in fact much more fluid with physical molecular modeling (such as plastic-made kits for small molecules and proteins, 3D-printed models 4,5 , etc.) than with 2D graphics and a mouse, because the tangible model enables seamless manipulation of the 3D structure and even of its internal flexibility.…”