First Steps: Chemistry

Here's how you create structural formulas with SMILES, write reaction equations, sketch reaction mechanisms by hand and have them graded automatically, ask matching quiz questions, plot functions, and run calculations directly in Python.

Structural formulas

Copy the SMILES string from PubChem or ChemDraw:

<molecule smiles="CN1C=NC2=C1C(=O)N(C(=O)N2C)C" />

It's a plain image — your students can draw on it directly with a pen.

Math with LaTeX

Math is LaTeX (KaTeX) — inline with a single $, e.g. pH $\text{pH} = -\log_{10}[\text{H}^+]$, or on its own line with two:

$c = \frac{n}{V}$

Reaction equations build on this, just with their own command instead of hand-rolled LaTeX — see below.

Reaction equations

Instead of hand-rolling LaTeX, write them with \ce{}:

$$\ce{N2(g) + 3 H2(g) <=> 2 NH3(g)}$$

$\ce{N2(g) + 3 H2(g) <=> 2 NH3(g)}$

Arrows, states of matter, charges — all directly in the brackets.

Label a structural formula and have it graded

Since the structural formula is just an image, students can draw on it directly — e.g. to mark functional groups:

<molecule smiles="CC(=O)Oc1ccccc1C(=O)O" name="Aspirin" />

<ai-feedback prompt="Check whether the carboxylic acid and ester groups are correctly marked." />

Aspirin

Same idea as the mechanism below, just directly on the structure instead of a blank area.

Sketch and grade a reaction mechanism

A blank area to draw on, plus a button that has the AI judge the sketch:

<spacer pattern="checkered" height="200" />

<ai-feedback prompt="Check whether the electron-pushing arrows are correct and the mechanism leads to the right product." />

The AI gets the drawing as an image along with the page text, and gives the student direct feedback on it.

Quiz questions

<question id="caffeine-n" type="single" points="1">
How many nitrogen atoms does caffeine contain?
<answer feedback="Count the N atoms in the ring system again.">2</answer>
<answer correct="true">4</answer>
<answer feedback="That's more than are actually in the structure.">6</answer>
</question>

Mark the correct answer with correct="true" — the question grades itself the moment a student clicks.

Plotting functions

For titration curves, reaction rates, or decay curves:

Titration curve

Calculations in Python

For stoichiometry or concentration calculations that check themselves:

def molar_mass_water():
    # H2O: 2 x H + 1 x O
    pass

The editor lets students run the code themselves, the check behind it grades it — for has to match the editor's id.

That's only a sample — Eduskript can do quite a bit more. The full component reference lives in the Components section.