Mathematical Grundvorstellungen in Chemistry Education: An Approach to Understanding Chemical Mathematics Using the Example of the Concept of Density

Mathematical concepts in chemistry education, such as density, amount of substance, or molarity, are often associated with the comprehension difficulties of students. Mathematics didactics in German-speaking countries address this issue by using Grundvorstellungen (translated as basic conceptions). These are ideal–typical mental representations that give a meaningful interpretation of mathematical concepts and are necessary to apply these concepts in different situations. The current study transferred the educational framework of Grundvorstellungen to mathematical concepts in chemistry education and integrated it with Johnstone's triangle using the concept of density. After analyzing the textbooks and literature, four basic conceptions of density were derived. Moreover, their applicability in classrooms was discussed. Five exemplar interviews were conducted with eighth and ninth graders to understand the extent of identifying the derived basic conceptions as individual conceptions of students. The results indicated that the students did not develop or had developed a limited extent of the basic conceptions. The results were analyzed in terms of their implications for the teaching and learning of chemical mathematics.