What Can Go Wrong: A Research Lab Safety Activity
Description
Late in their junior year and into the first two months of their senior year, chemistry majors at Willamette write and submit a research proposal. Shortly before entering the lab for their thesis work, I lead this activity that takes place in our Senior Projects seminar class. The class meets one hour per week and we cover topics such as how to write an effective grant proposal, ethics in science, presenting data, etc., as well as this safety activity.
Isn't It Ionic (with apologies to Alanis Morissette)
Description
This spoof of the song "Isn't It Ironic" (by Alanis Morissette) summarizes the properties of ionic compounds in verse. Suitable for General Chemistry classes as well as Inorganic Chemistry, although a reference is made to the Born-Meyer equation.
An Accounting Ledger Method for Determining Lewis Dot Structures
Description
Over several decades of teaching General Chemistry I have utilized various methods to get students to draw appropriate Lewis Dot Structures. About 10 years ago I learned about a process which I call the "Account Ledger Method". In this method all valence electrons are assumed to initially belong to the molecule (and placed in a ledger) and not to specific individual atoms. As the molecule is put together those electrons are distributed systematically and removed from the ledger.
The "Zinc Spark" - Zinc as a signaling chemical in life
Description
This web resource is a TEDx talk about zinc and zinc's role in the early stages of the maturation of the egg. This would be a great introduction video for a gen chem, inorganic, or bioinorganic chemistry course. It introduces the idea that Zinc is stored in specific locations on the egg and then released all at the same time.
Examining and Drawing Atomic Orbitals
Description
This exercise makes use of a web-based tool to review quantum numbers of the orbitals of the hydrogen atom and to visualize atomic orbitals in 3D. Students are asked to draw the 1s-, 2p- and 3d-orbitals.
The Japan syndrome
Description
This is an in-class discussion of an article that appeared in The Economist. It can be used to review several topics covered in the first year chemistry class.
Sheffield ChemPuter
Description
The Sheffield Chemputer is a site that does a variety of calculations including: isotope patterns, element percentages, reaction yields, oxidation states (for transition metal complexes), electron accounting (for metal complexes), VSEPR shape and classification using the CBC method. At the initial point of this post (April 29, 2014) parts of the site are still under development, but it seems to be off to a good start.
Symmetry Lectures
Description
Two excellent video presentations on symmetry. The Ted Talk by Marcus du Sautoy is an excellent introduction to the concept of symmetry and systematically describing it. In "Impossible Crystals" Nobel Laureate and physicist Paul Steinhardt discusses the creation of "Impossible crystals": quasi-crystals with five-fold symmetry previously believed impossible.