Visualizing Chemical Principles Using Interactive Python Modules

Abstract The translation of chemical principles into visual data is essential for helping students to understand how these principles apply in diverse contexts. This is especially important at the freshman level where students are broadly unfamiliar with the principles of chemistry. In this paper, a variety of Python-based modules using only widely available and well-documented Python packages are introduced to assist instructors with making visual representations of data related to a wide variety of chemical concepts. These modules also allow for rapid on-the-fly generation of graphical examples and problems both in and out of the classroom. These modules are written with ease of use and robustness in mind to facilitate use by either students or instructors.