Using Topic Order To Reinforce Student Algebra Skills in a Community College Introductory Chemistry Course

This article describes the impact of starting with gases in an introductory chemistry course at a community college. Students in the author's class frequently are very weak in algebra skills, and this has a cumulative impact over time that culminates in student struggles when moles and reaction stoichiometry are discussed. The rationale behind starting with gases was that the topic has a relatively small content load while giving students the opportunity to manipulate and apply algebraic equations. The author observed improved student performance, particularly when discussing moles and stoichiometry.