The Teaching of Structural Chemistry and Physics

Abstract

DEVELOPMENTS IN MANY BRANCHES of the natural sciences, particularly during the last twenty years, have progressively emphasised the general principle that the behaviour of any material is profoundly influenced by its internal structure. On the one hand, in the field of biochemistry the precise structure of a protein molecule, antibiotic, virus or potential carcinogen may have a most profound significance upon its biological activity. At the other extreme, in the inorganic field apart from the overall link between physical properties and structure, one can cite more recently described phenomena in such fields as semi‐conductors, fluorescence, photography, piezo electricity, double refraction and metal fatigue as being directly attributable to internal structure. Thus, the capacity to visualise and think in three dimensions is becoming increasingly necessary in many branches of science and technology.

Citation

Whitney, J.E.S. (1960), "The Teaching of Structural Chemistry and Physics", Education + Training, Vol. 2 No. 12, pp. 20-23. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb014908