The effect of students' perceptions of nature of matter on their laboratory attitudes and their achievement in chemical equilibrium

Abstract

One of the basic subjects that chemistry students have difficulty is chemical equilibrium. Learning of the particulate nature of matter can increase students' achievement in this subject. In addition to this, students' interest, belief and attitude towards chemistry or the nature of matter are factors effecting achievement. In this study the effects of understanding nature of matter and attitudes on university students' achievement in chemical equilibrium subject were investigated. Moreover the effects of gender and department on students' achievement were also examined. It was found that students' attitudes effected their achievement in chemical equilibrium; on the other hand attitudes affected students' comprehension of nature of matter. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved