I have been using Atomic Microscope for years now and my students really enjoy it. It is exceptionally useful for explaining the Gas Laws in Chemistry. It is a molecular modeling tool that is simple and inexpensive. http://www.atomicmicroscope.com/
Students enjoy the fascinating world of atoms. The software allows one to see how atoms respond to changes in volume, temperature and pressure. By exploring the affects of changes between variables, students come to understand direct and indirect relationships. Many students consider themselves visual learners, and even if they are not, most students find visuals help to facilitate constructing one's understanding of a phenomena. It is sometimes difficult for some students to understand why matter behaves in a certain way, but given a visualization of the situation, it is easily understandable. Learning is imroved and further building can occur. The more visualization we provide the less likely it is that students will develop misconceptions, a common problem in chemistry.
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