Atomic Orbital Display
Description
This is a jmol display of the atomic orbitals from 1s to 4f that can be rotated in space. They are plotted relative to the x, y, and z-axes.
Using the curated data sets from Wolfram Research in Inorganic Chemistry
Description
Recent versions of Wolfram's Mathematica software have access to a variety of curated data sets that are relevant to Chemists. This activity is an example of how one can use the ElementData dataset to develop an on-line tool to explore periodic trends. Wolfram provides a free web-based platform (the FreeCDF plugin) to view and interact with specifically designed Mathematica files. The activity can be accessed in one of three ways:
keeping a lab notebook
Description
I found this great website linked from somewhere a few days or a week ago and already forgot where. But I am teaching organic lab this semester and convinced one of the students to do a little research. As a reward, I am going to buy her, and the whole class, gelly roller pens for keeping their notebooks.
This is a GREAT site that has so much detail on keeping a lab notebook. There is a lot of great stuff in there.
Analyzing a journal article for non-content issues of style and convention
Description
This is an in-class activity--or an activity students do prior to class to in preparation for an in-class discussion--to help students identify stylistic components of published writing. I provide the students with an appropriate journal article, typically a communication from Inorganic Chemistry, such as Inorg. Chem. 2008, 47, 2922-2924 (http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/ic702373b) or Inorg. Chem.
Dioxygen Activation in Non-heme Iron Enzymes
Description
This lecture provides a short introduction to the other half of biological iron chemistry: enzymes that do not contain a porphyrin group that ligates the iron atom. There are several important applications for non-heme iron in cells, both mammalian and bacterial. Oxygen activating non-heme iron enzymes fall into a few basic categories and includes mononuclear iron monooxygenases and dioxygenases, and binuclear iron monooxygenases. The requirements to activate and utilize dioxygen will be given.
Electrocatalysis and Proton Reduction
Description
These slides provide a brief introduction to the concept of electrocatalysis using the glyoximato cobalt catalysts for hydrogen production recently examined by Peters, Gray, and others. They provide a suitable introduction to the topic for students interested in reading the primary literature on these topics.
Home Built Equipment Links
Description
I am always interested in building/modifying equipment and glassware, and the following C and E News article led me to an interesting website, also linked, where details on building homemade rotators and stir plates are in place. Both models can be constructed with materials for less than $30. As I'm always looking to keep costs down for equipment like this, I thought I would share it. If anyone knows of other links, please let me know.
Computational Chemistry for Chemistry Educators
Description
I learned of this website after attending the Computational Chemistry for Chemistry Educators (CCCE) workshop last summer '11. In this webpage you will find all the workshop lectures intended for audiences who do not have a computational expertise. You will also find lab exercises already written.
Identifying Organometallic Reaction Classes in Literature Examples of Catalytic Cycles
Description
This learning object has the student search the chemical literature for a paper focusing on a catalytic cycle (Wilkinson’s, Grubbs, Heck, Wacker, Suzuki, Click, etc.). They answer a set of guiding questions for reading the literature, then analyze the catalytic cycle presented in the paper to assign oxidation state, d electron count, valence electron count, and preferred geometry for each complex in the cycle. They also identify the process(es) occurring during each step in the cycle.
Exploring the Nanoworld Innovating through Materials from the University of Wisconsin Madison
Description
This is a great web resource for all types of nano materials. There are lesson plans, demos, activites, labs and lots of background information. It is very easy to navigate and there are videos of the labs so you can see each step - very useful when doing a type of synthesis or technique new to you.