for the transformation of "fractional" t o orthogonal coordinates. Several extensions to the program can be forseen, including the use of an Apple I1 "shape table" to circle or label atoms and for better data base handling. Printers are available to reproduce the Apple I1 graphics pages, and even better results could be obtained with a digital X-Yplotter. However, these extensions detract from the concept of a simple low-cost system, readily usable by inexperienced operators. Proeram PRO.JECT-X. Written in Aoolesoft BASIC. 323 state-
so that operation on other microcomputers with comparable graphics facilities is possible. Copies of the documentation are available, handling charge $5, or with cassette, $10 (surfacemail).International money orders should he made payable to Dr. R. Keat at the above address.
CAI Programs in BASIC and an Associated MATH Subroutine Robert Hunt Anderson Western Michigan University Kalarnazoo, MI 49008
Four new BASIC oroerams have been DreDared and tested interactive CAI by student use for more &an a year. These programs that can also be converted to a mode that will gen-
erate quizzes or homework assignments with separate answer keys. The latter method of use greatly decreases student terminal use. CH20.BAS consists of six problems on the metric system chosen a t random from the following seven types: 1) Conversions between units of the same randomly chosen 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7)
quantity with different prefixes. Conversions between liters and meters cubed. Conversions between squared or cubed units of length. Density of water conversions between grams and ma. Density of water conversions between grams and L. Product of two lengths with random prefixes. English to metric or conversely.
In all of the types, the metric units may have any of the prefixes chosen a t random. Also, each problem type has three or four randomlv chosen suhtvnes. For examole. under tvne 1 the first subtype goes from ;prefixed quantity t o its root ;nit with no prefix, the second is the converse of this, and the third subtype goes from a given prefixed unit to a sought unit with a different prefix. Each type is normally chosen only once, but it is possible to request just one type, in which case six assorted problems of the one type are generated. The variety and use of prefixes in CH20 is greater than in most CAI programs and provides a challenge to all but the best students. When run interactively in the usual CAI mode, up to four levels of help or hints are displayed on the terminal for wrong answers. The last help for each question is the complete setup showing all conversion factors and units.
Guidelines for Short Descriptions of Computer Applications in Chemical Education for Publication OF CHEMICAL EDUCATION as Bits and Pieces in the JOURNAL The purpose of Bits andPiecesarticles is to disseminate as broadly
as possible information about computer applications in chemical education. Because space in the J o u n ~ is a ~limited, authors are requestedto be as brief as possible, providing only information that will be needed in order for a reader to decide whether or not he is interested in obtaining more detailed information. Program listings, circuit diagrams, specific documentation, and so forth are best handled as supplementary material sent tothose readers whose specific interest requires it. Short descriptions of computer applications should not exceed three double-spaced typewritten pages in length and should not include more than a total of three (figures and tables). Each part (a, b, . . . , etc.) of a figure or table will count as a separate figure or tahla Authors should address as clearly and concisely as possible: (1) The purpose or objective of the lesson or laboratory experience for which the computer application has been designed. In what course or courses mioht the comouter aoolication be used. and what effect , is it supposed to have on students? (2) The material that is presented to a student by the computer and the kinds of responses students are expected to make. What does the sNdent have to do? What doesthe computer do? What is new, unique, andlor pedagogically useful about the computer application being described? How does the computer application fa into the chemistry curriculum? A minimum reouiremem for 131 Availabiiiw of the cornouter aoolication. .. p.b icarm s W.1 me sumor oe w l ing lo make ava lab c to an, reme8 H ~ nqu O res enoLgn specific nforrnawn so that tne reaaer can a... p a l e tne a d o r s appl car on -s.a I y m,s wo..a onrow? a program listing, sample execution, and perhaps documentation for soflware and a circuit diagram for hardware. Such materials must be submitted for review together with the manuscript that is intended for actual publication. Authors are encouraged to make available machinereadable versions of programs, but this is not a requirement for oublication. a An offer of a free progranl listong can gpocal) result n 700 IC~.~SIS ma1 Ine autnor must process am pa) postsge torelurn A minimal charge for listings, documentation, andlor machine-teadable copies wili usually separate the merely curious from the truly interested. but a charge requires that the author specify clearly how and to whom payment must be made (check or purchase order made out to John Jones, etc.). The authpr wili also have to arrange to handle incoming payments. ~
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b. For machine-readable copies the author should specify the medium (punched cards, paper tape, 7-track or Wrack magnetic tape, magnetic-tape cassette, floppy disk, etc.). and how the information is encoded (026 or 029 punch cards); ASCII or EBCDIC code. record and block sizes. informationdensiN (SO0 or 1600 Bpi). nLrnoer of fies. elc on magnet c :ape. recoro nq conrent on for tape cassere or i uppy a sn c f rvilders are .na> e lo oolaln L p p emenia) mster a s irom an authw, copies will be retained by the Computw Series editor and supplied by the editor toany reader who requests them at a cost of $5 for duplication, handling, and postage. (4) Transportability of the computer application. Thisbreaks dawn into three cateaories .lsee J. CHEM.EDUC.56. 146 119791for detailsl: a himware. lsabp cai narawaretgraphicr termma. m crocorn. pbler Fpecra cwcb I, elc. necessar) for r-nning the prosram7 11 90 =p ,ec)li clearl) oy manufacturer an0 mode n,moer On what make(s)and model(s) of computer has the program been run? How much memory is required to run the program (8K 36-bit words. etc.)? b. Software: In what language is the program written? Has an attemd been made to follow ANSI (American National Standards lns!.!~ei 01 otner trnnsportao 1, rtanoarns? c Doc.mentat an rloa man) comments are n me program lwt'"97 Are a flowchart and sample exec"! on a m l;me7 1, there separate written documentation? Is there pedagogical documentation that specifies subject matter. instructional objectives, and pedagogical techniques? ~
terns 3 ano 4 a u o e neea 0cc.p) on, a slog e paragrilpil nil plogram aescrlphm Tne lo1on ng emmp.e no cams how mrcn nformill an can oe summarized concisely: Program TISIM-Interactive ANSI-standard FORTRAN, 75 statements. 75 comments. Students run TlSlM via Tektronix 4010 graphics terminal. Execution requires 3K 36-bit words on a DEC10. Documemtion includes listing, flowchart, and several sample executions; students are given instructions via the terminal at execution time. Copies of the listing and documentationavailable free. Nocarddecks, but will supply pragramand Sample executions on your Wrack. EBCDIC. magnetic tape at 800 Bpi for $5 postage and handling charge. Send a blank tape witha check for $5 made out to: Dr. Susan Smith. Department of Chemistry. Your University. Anywhere 12345.
Volume 59
Number 2
February 1982
129
A CAI Preparation-for-Chemistry Course
The second program, CH40.BAS, has the three simple types of densitv findine" mass. volume. or densitv. Three -oroblems: . levels of help are provided. The third program, CH251.BAS, asks three types of ideal pas law problems. The first type has four subtypes, which are l o ~olve-forvolume. nressure. temoerature. or amount of eas.
James W. Beatty and Earle S. Scott Ripon College Ripon. Wisconsin 54971
Five years ago we decided we needed a course to prepare about 30% of our students for our general chemistry course. " ". These students have inadequate backgrounds in chemistry, quantity of gas may be given in moles or grams. In the latter hut most~ of all thev have~lost confidence in their ~ahilitv to~ ~ ~ ~ case. the name of the eas is eiven and the user must find and solve mathematical problems. The purposes of the course are use the molecular weight. he temperature may he in degrees to restore their confidence, to teach them how to use electronic Celsius or kelvins. The volume may be liters, milliliters, or m3. calculators, to make correct calculations with ease, and to The pressure may be in atm, mm-Hg, torr, or pascals. Each learn the fundamentals of uroblem solvina in chemistry. Onlv of the above is chosen randomly with agreater orohability of basic ideas and calculations are stressedbecause we want to choosing the more common units in each case. A difficulty prepare them for a general chemistry course and not to teach parameter may be set to any of four levels. them general chemistry. The fourth program, ATSTR.BAS, asks the following eight A text of about 100 pages and nine computer assisted intypes of problems: struction (CAI) programs were written. The book consists of ten chapters. There is a program for all hut the first chapter, which is on the technique of problem solving. The complementary CAI programs for chapters two through ten are: (1) 3) Names or notation for the four quantum numbers. Mathematical Review, (2) Dimensional Analysis and 4) Meaning of each of the four quantum numbers. Graphing, (3) Chemical Formulas, Molecular Mass, and the 5 ) Permitted values of the four quantum numbers or number of electrons in a shell, subshell, or an orbital. Mole Concent., (4) . . Densitv Calculations.. (5) . . Ideal Gases. (6) 6) Bohr theory, its qualitative assumptions and E, = hu. Empirical Formula and Percent Composition, (7) ~ o l & 7 ) Bright line spectra, c = Xu, or AE = hv with numbers. and the Preparation of Solutions, (8) Nomenclature, Including 8) Bohr theory of hydrogen spectra using Rydberg's constant or Common Ions, and (9) Balancing Chemical Equations. The the ionization potential. programs parallel chapters in the text and have similar names. The programs are independent of the text in the sense that The first four types are not suited for any help levels. Most of anv eood chemistrv. . oroblem book could be used. Our text is the rest are suited to no more than one level of heln. limited by design. In all of these CAI programs the student's grade is given to Versions of the moerams are available that will run on all him at the end of the run, and it is also written in a disk file for . . ('ornm~Iuretnivrt~~.otiipl~ters having ah "I' Ithhl. Irom the the instructor. Certainly the first three programs are suitable small-ke\.btmrtl IJfZl' Wrll to thr i'HV lo'cs.32. Tht ~ ~ r t r < r ; i t ~ ~ > for use hy high school students, and all are suitahle for firstare straightforward drill programs, which a student can go year college science students. The average college student throuah in about 15 minutes. Surorisingly, students take notes could benefit bv usine them for review even after the first vear. Actually, thesebave ieen added to a collection of 20 o t h e ; ~ ~ ~ without encouragement. At the;equ&t of the students, the programs give a score at the end. Students routinely repeat (4). oroerams . . a program until they achieve a satisfactory level of perfor111('Hioaild partiallnrlv i n ('H251, asnvll 111:111y(dthe mance. Numbers and chemical formulas in problems are se~ numt m , r i d rdculati~m u t h u ('.A1 1mgrams in cur c o l k c ~ ~ 4 lected randomly by the program. is rcquind to uhtain the anaver. \\'it11thr prwalci~ce01 pr~ckrr The P E T was selected because it is self-contained and . ~ ,a hlA'I'tl aubcalculators, this vr,,vidcs lirtlr I I ~ o I I I Ihut makes it easy to present chemical formulas in their desired routine ha; beenwritten in BASIC thatpermits input of an form, such as F e ( N 0 3 ) ~and Mg2+ using superscripts and entire arithmetical expression, called S$, in place of a single subscrint,s.,and uooercase and lowercase letters. Some of the number requested for the answer. The MATH suhroutine .. programs give background information. If an incorrect answer then analyzes S$ and converts it by the specified calculations is entered, the correct answer is given with details on how to to a single number that is returned to the main program as the calculate it. The programs do not offer assistance in the sense value of the variable S . This is then checked for correctness. that manv believe a comouter should. Memorv limitations. 'l'hia ,ul~r
