Chemistry is like... a crowd

By Tom Husband2015-09-01T13:57:00

Source: iStock

Tom Husband explains how the behaviour of big crowds is easier to predict than small ones

On average, school students spend 29 hours each week watching some form of electronic screen, such as laptops, televisions and mobile devices. But would you put big money on a particular student having spent exactly that amount of time in that way last week? Not a chance. It wouldn’t be a smart bet because people are like particles: we might be able to successfully predict how the crowd will behave, but not the individual.

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor.

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
applications for funding to support your lessons

Set up your Teach Chemistry account

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.