Metal and Ionic Lattices Guided Inquiry Worksheet

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Mon, 05/16/2016 - 14:00
Description

This is a short worksheet that guides students through simple metal lattices (SCP, CCP, HCP) and how filling holes in these lattices results in ionic lattices (NaCl, CsCl, fluorite, etc.).

The worksheet was used as an in-class activity after students had read about the material in the text. This activity is probably suitable for first-year students, though I used it with juniors/seniors.

Introduction to Equilibrium and Aqueous Acids

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Sun, 05/15/2016 - 14:04
Description

Equilibrium reactions are those that are dynamic: the reaction can shift to form more reactants or more products depending on the physical or chemical conditions present. They were discovered and described empirically, but have a thermodynamic basis in the Gibbs Energy of the reaction. A reaction at equilibrium has both reactants and products present, and the rate of formation of products is equal to the rate of formation of reactants. A common application of equilibrium is the chemistry of aqueous acids. Acid strength is measured by the pH scale.

Water reclamation on the ISS: “Houston, we have a problem.”

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Sun, 05/15/2016 - 13:57
Description

Equilibrium reactions are those that are dynamic: the reaction can shift to form more reactants or more products depending on the physical or chemical conditions present. They were discovered and described empirically, but have a thermodynamic basis in the Gibbs Energy of the reaction. A reaction at equilibrium has both reactants and products present, and the rate of formation of products is equal to the rate of formation of reactants. A common application of equilibrium is the chemistry of aqueous acids. Acid strength is measured by the pH scale.

Energy Content of Fuels--Which fuel is "Best?"

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Sun, 05/15/2016 - 10:02
Description

There are many factors to consider when choosing a fuel. In this exercise, your group will work with a set of three different potential fuels and evaluate their performance in terms of price, energy density (per mole, per gram, and per volume) as well as in terms of CO2 emissions. You will then select which of your three fuels is the “best,” realizing that there are several possible considerations to select the “best” fuel. You will have to defend your choice, as well as your definition of “best!”

soapmaking activity

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Sat, 05/14/2016 - 22:36
Description

This in-class activity is designed to follow the linked lecture/demonstration on soapmaking. The soaps cure enough to be handled in 48 hours if kept warm, and the students can feel the difference in the canola/coconut oil soaps.

The calcuations go through the major reactions, functional groups, and physical properties of soap molecules, and ends with the calculation of molecular weight for a mixture of substances. This could be related to a later polymer unit.

soapmaking lecture/demo

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Sat, 05/14/2016 - 22:26
Description

This is a short presentation that outlines the major chemical reactions of soapmaking. Included are instructions for making two soaps, one from canola oil, the other from coconut oil. These two soaps have very different hardnesses, which can be explained by examining the structures of the oils. If you have never made soap before, it isn't that difficult, but it does use concentrated NaOH so is very caustic before the reaction is done. The linked websited have good instructions for soapmaking as well.

Crystal Field Theory and Gems--Guided Inquiry

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Sat, 05/14/2016 - 21:42
Description

The colors of transition metal compounds are highly variable. Aqueous solutions of nickel are green, of copper are blue, and of vanadium can range from yellow to blue to green to violet. What is the origin of these colors? A simple geometrical model known as crystal field theory can be used to differentiate the 5 d orbitals in energy. When an electron in a low-lying orbital interacts with visible light, the electron can be promoted to a higher-lying orbital with the absorption of a photon. Our brains perceive this as color.

Nanomaterials Chemistry

Submitted by Anne Bentley / Lewis & Clark College on Wed, 03/23/2016 - 15:49

This list includes a number of LOs to help in teaching nanomaterials subjects; however, it is not exhaustive.

Updated June 2018.

ColourLex - a colorful website!

Submitted by Vanessa / Albion College on Tue, 03/15/2016 - 13:49
Description

ColourLex (colourlex.com) is an amazing website that mixes chemistry and art. The creators of this website have extensively catalogued paintings and the pigments that were used to create them. The pigments range from artificial to natural and organic to inorganic. You can search for the specific combination that you want to see.

Writing Lab Reports

Submitted by John Lee / University of Tennessee Chattanooga on Wed, 03/02/2016 - 14:14
Description

Each spring semester I take on the task of teaching and grading full lab reports for my senior advanced inorganic chemistry class. For most this is their first experience writing a document of this magnitude as most other labs they have previously taken require either lab report sheets or the occasional abbreviated lab memo. As I read their lab reports each year I am reminded both how challenging it is to teach writing (more specifically scientific writing) and to grade the reports objectively.