A New Definition of Models and Modeling in Chemistry’s Teaching

The synthesis of new chemical compounds makes it the most productive science. Unfortunately chemistry education practice has not been driven to any great extent by research findings, philosophical positions or advances in new ways of approaching knowledge. The changes that have occurred in textbooks during the past three decades do not show any real recognition of these. Despite previously reported different types of models in this paper, from an ‘empirical reliability with minimal realism’ approach to realism, a new simple and broad definition, a typology of models and their relation with modeling is presented.

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