Cultivating confidence with bond energy calculations

A treasure map, a calculator and some beakers of chemicals to be used in the search for X

Source: Adapted from © Golden Sikorka/Shutterstock

Use this checklist to help your students move away from misconceptions and calculate energy changes with confidence

Students can struggle to find x when looking at bond energy calculations, especially when x changes position. But, with these calculations appearing most years on exams for 16 year-olds, it’s crucial to help students tackle them confidently. Here, Ian McDaid outlines a checklist that helps students identify the type of problem they are solving and then introduces solutions through three scenarios, with x in a different position for each.

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