The results of an investigation of undergraduate science majors’ knowledge of acid–base chemistry are reported. In an attempt to separate out numerical from molecular-level understanding, students were asked to answer paired numerical and pictorial questions related to the acid–base chemistry typically covered in a general chemistry course. The topics of the questions covered were acid–base neutralization, pH, acid strength, and acid concentration. An analysis of the correlation between the two types of understanding was carried out. The results reveal some specific alternate conceptions among the students studied. The individuals surveyed came from a private university, a public university, and a community college and included both lower- and upper-division students.
Paul G. Jasien (Fri,) studied this question.