Gyrus software
presents
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## Gas Laws Demo ##
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## R. McCarter ##
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## © 1992 ##
## ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ##
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Gas Laws Demo is a freely distributable limited version of a commercial
program called Gas Laws (© 1992). Please copy and distribute Gas Laws Demo
to any interested users. Gas Laws itself is not freely distributable but
may be purchased for $29.95 cdn from
R. McCarter
Gyrus Software
RR3 Site 312 C 53
Port Alberni B.C.
Canada
V9Y 7L7
Gas Laws simulates a molecular microscope. This is a fictional piece of
laboratory equipment that allows an experimenter to observe the motions
of atoms in a small chamber. The experimenter is able to control the
temperature and volume of the chamber and the number of atoms in the
chamber.
Gas Laws has been created to help students form a mental model of the
Kinetic Molecular Theory and to understand the relationships between
pressure, temperature and volume in gases through experiment. The KMT is
usually learned passively, by lecture, demonstration or film and although
students may be able to answer test questions at the knowledge level, they
are frequently unable to apply their knowledge to novel problems. The
discrepancy lies in a conflict between the new information and a previously
learned mental model of how gases behave. When given a new problem,
information learned by rote is quickly thrown out, supplanted by the
preexisting mental model. Gas Laws allows active participation in learning
about gases at a molecular level and is a powerful tool in creating the
concepts needed to understand the behaviour of gases.
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