Orbital 3 – Molecules and Models

The Orbital 3 learning material covers the third module of upper secondary school chemistry, "Molecules and models".

The Orbital series is a modern learning material for chemistry that encourages the student to think about, investigate, and understand chemistry. The text is designed to captivate the reader. The examples feature important chemical processes and discoveries that are familiar from everyday life. In addition to traditional text explanations, animations, videos and 3D models have also been used to visualise processes. 

The tasks follow the new digital final exam model, progressing from tasks that test memory skills through concepts to practical and more challenging tasks. Models and visualisation play a key role in learning chemistry. 

Chemistry is learnt by visualising your own thoughts and by presenting them to other students. Discussions help to develop our own thought processes. Modelling uses simulations, but you will also need a pen and paper. Students can freely choose between visualisation methods. 

Chemistry is also learnt together. Learning is social in nature, so the material encourages students to work together.

1. To the reader

Lead	Chapter
1.1.	Foreword
1.2.	Introduction to organic chemistry

2. Hydrocarbons

Lead	Chapter
2.1.	Hydrocarbons Free chapter!
2.2.	Alkanes
2.3.	Alkenes
2.4.	Alkynes
2.5.	Aromatic compounds
2.6.	Experimentation

3. Oxygen compounds of carbon

Lead	Chapter
3.1.	Alcohols
3.2.	Aldehydes and ketones
3.3.	Carboxylic acids
3.4.	Ethers
3.5.	Esters
3.6.	Additional information: Esters
3.7.	Inorganic compounds
3.8.	Reactions of carbon and oxygen compounds
3.9.	Comparison of properties
3.10.	Experimentation

4. Nitrogen compounds of carbon

Lead	Chapter
4.1.	Amines
4.2.	Amides
4.3.	Amino acids
4.4.	Inorganic compounds
4.5.	Experimentation

5. Chemical formulae and naming system

Lead	Chapter
5.1.	Determining the chemical formula
5.2.	Nomenclature of carbon compounds
5.3.	Experimentation

6. The quantum mechanical atomic model

Lead	Chapter
6.1.	Quantum numbers
6.2.	Atomic orbitals
6.3.	Electron configuration and the periodic table
6.4.	Spatial structure of molecules
6.5.	Additional information: Molecular geometry
6.6.	Experimentation and modelling

7. Isomerism

Lead	Chapter
7.1.	Structural isomerism
7.2.	Stereoisomerism
7.3.	Experimentation and modelling

8. Structural analysis

Lead	Chapter
8.1.	Analytical methods
8.2.	UV-VIS spectroscopy
8.3.	IR spectroscopy
8.4.	NMR spectroscopy
8.5.	Mass spectrometry
8.6.	Experimentation and modelling

9. Appendices

Lead	Chapter
9.1.	For the teacher
9.2.	Terms and concepts