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This two-part educational module, comprising a structured in-class activity and a take home assignment, introduces undergraduate inorganic chemistry students to the construction, interpretation, and utility of Latimer and Frost-Ebsworth diagrams. Using the unique redox chemistry of manganese in an acidic medium, students construct Latimer diagrams to systematically organize sequential reduction potentials, which they then transform into Frost-Ebsworth diagrams to visually predict thermodynamic stability, oxidizing/reducing strength, and tendencies toward spontaneous disproportionation. The curriculum also integrates Google Gemini (via Colab) and Claude AI, where students use AI to generate interactive Frost diagrams. By checking these AI generated models against their own manual calculations, students learn that first mastering the foundational chemistry is essential before playing with the AI platform. This step-by-step approach ultimately reinforces their learning.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Latimer_Frost_Diagram_Class_Activity_2026_0.docx | 49.67 KB |
| Latimer_Frost_Diagram_TakeHome_Assignment_2026_1.docx | 26.96 KB |
- Balance redox half-reactions under acidic conditions using H+, H2O, and electrons.
- Calculate non-adjacent standard reduction potentials by converting multi-step processes into additive Gibbs Free Energy changes.
- Analyze a Latimer diagram to identify thermodynamically unstable intermediates that will spontaneously undergo disproportionation.
- Construct a Frost-Ebsworth diagram by calculating and plotting cumulative
n E - Interpret features of a Frost diagram to visually identify the most stable oxidation state, the strongest oxidizing agent, the strongest reducing agent, etc.
- Evaluate the mathematical equivalency between thermodynamic equations and graphical slopes by comparing manual calculations to the tie-line slopes generated in the AI web application.
- Audit AI generated code using AI assistance and foundational thermodynamic principles to identify, explain, and correct errors in Frost diagrams.
- Compare and contrast the strengths and weaknesses of different AI platforms regarding their capacity to generate accurate, interactive data visualizations, reinforcing that a strong foundational understanding of the material is essential to catch and correct potential AI errors.
Computer, projector, and classroom internet access
Claude AI (https://claude.ai/login)
Google Colab (https://colab.research.google.com/)
- Target Audience: Upper-division undergraduate inorganic chemistry students.
- Prerequisites: Students should already be familiar with basic electrochemistry from General Chemistry (e.g., balancing simple redox reactions, the Nernst equation, and the relationship
∆ G ° =- nF E ° ) . - Time Required (in-class activity): Approximately 50 to 75 minutes. Parts 1-3 can be completed as a collaborative in-class activity, while Part 4 can be introduced then left for students to complete on their own as a take-home activity.
- Time Required (take-home assignment): Approximately 1-2 hours.
Evaluation
Evaluation begins during the in-class session, where the instructor provides real time assessment by walking around the room to observe and gauge understanding as students work in pairs to balance acidic half-reactions, calculate nonadjacent reduction potentials, and map Frost-Ebsworth diagrams. Individual mastery is then evaluated through the submission of both the completed in class activity and the take-home assignment. For the take-home portion, students independently apply the skills learned during the in-class activity to a new chemical system (chromium).
Classroom observations and graded assignments show that the structured in-class walkthrough significantly helped students organize their notes and build a clear, fundamental understanding of Latimer and Frost diagrams. By working through the manganese activity in pairs, students gained a solid grasp of the logical layout before individually applying the same framework to chromium on their take-home assignment, which successfully cemented their understanding. Across both tasks, students learned that while AI is a powerful and helpful tool, having a mastery of the chemistry is critical because AI does not always get everything right. To date, there has been no student pushback regarding the use of AI. In fact, students were genuinely intrigued by this approach, noting that building a firm understanding of Latimer and Frost diagrams first allowed them to explore and leverage the AI platform to reinforce their learning.