Historical problems and students' difficulties to the conceptualization of chemical substance and compound

Abstract

In this work we offer a historical analysis about the problems that science had to solve in order to elaborate the macroscopic concepts of substance and chemical compound in the daltonian theory context. On it we show, too, some of the students’ difficulties to comprehend these concepts. To settle them, we have carried out a transversal study among 15 to 18 year old students in order to evaluate the meaning they give to the idea of substance. Our claim is that its comprehension is necessary to be able to understand chemical changes. Finally, in relation to the ideas about matter consideration, we propose the existence of certain similarities among some historical models previous to the daltonian theory and the students’ present vision.