A Cooperative Molecular Modeling Exercise—The Hypersurface as Classroom

A molecular modeling exercise and an associated exam that have both competitive and cooperative learning aspects are described. Collaborative efforts are facilitated by Web-based information management. The exercise/exam is appropriate for use in undergraduate or graduate quantum chemistry or molecular modeling courses that have access to modest computational resources. Students develop a molecular potential energy surface, identify multiple minima and transition-state structures, repeat the process at two or more levels of theory, and then analyze the data looking for interesting chemical or computational phenomena.