| Sumario: | A study examined high-school pupils' understanding of theoretical chemistry concepts in comparison with non-conceptual algorithmic knowledge of the subject, as well as the link between some mental abilities and the acquisition of different forms of chemical concepts. Data were obtained from 247 schoolchildren from grades 9–12, who completed a written multiple-choice chemistry test that assessed their verbal, mathematical, spatial, and logical reasoning abilities. Findings revealed that algorithmic and factual knowledge of chemistry were substantially better than conceptual knowledge. Findings indicated that in most cases, only 12th grade pupils performed considerably better than pupils in lower grades, and no considerable differences were shown between other grades. Findings suggested that it is possible that having algorithmic knowledge is enough to get pupils through the high-school chemistry curriculum and, furthermore, that logical reasoning and verbal abilities had the highest correlations to the knowledge of theoretical concepts out of the four mental abilities measured. Findings are discussed in detail.
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