Educational Alternatives, Volume 22, 2024

Abstract: Electrolyte solutions are discussed in every chemistry educational program whether it is destined for secondary education or university courses. However, among the sub-topics taught, acids occupy by far the most space in the text and vastly more time in classroom discussion than bases. As a consequence, several misconceptions emerge concerning the nature and behaviour of bases, mostly relating them to acids through the neutralization procedure. The impact of the above teaching scheme is accompanied, within the Greek secondary education program, by initially discussing Arrhenius theory, introducing Brønsted theory in the last year of secondary education level and providing only a hint about Lewis theory. Consequently, first year undergraduate students are confused about the validity and utility of the corresponding theories, often considering them alternative approaches to the description of the same property of an electrolyte. Furthermore, the undergraduate Chemistry curriculum does not appear to amend the problem as investigation involving third- and fourth-year student reveals. Less than ¾ of those students who recall a name of a theory can provide the correct definition of a base according to the theory and less than 1/3 can write the appropriate chemical equation to justify it. No general substitution of a theory for another one is apparent indicating confusion rather than misconception in the understanding of the fundamental properties of bases. However, several minor changes in teaching and tutoring maybe of help towards the goal of enhancing better overall understanding of the above among students majoring in Chemistry.