Extending and Deepening Student Understanding
The June 2015 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education is now available online to subscribers. This issue includes articles on curriculum; assessment; inorganic chemistry; investigating galvanic cells & exploring LEDs; atomic structure; nanochemistry laboratories; physical chemistry in the lab; and synthesis.
Cover
The pyrotechnic thermite reaction showcases the influence of kinetic versus thermodynamic control over reaction dynamics in a visually spectacular way. A mixture of iron oxide and aluminum powder, unreactive under ambient conditions, requires a large input of energy to spark a reaction. Once this barrier to activation is overcome, the mixture rapidly produces the more thermodynamically favored molten iron and aluminum oxide products, as discussed in Ignition of Thermite Using the Potassium Chlorate ‘Rocket’ Reaction: A Systematic Demonstration of Reaction Chemistry by Brett A. McGuire, P. Brandon Carroll, Adam N. Boynton, Jeffrey M. Mendez, and Geoffrey A. Blake.
Editorial
In Understanding Our Students in General Chemistry, Norbert J. Pienta discusses experiences with active learning strategies and student engagement in these activities.
An Overview of the Changes in the 2015 ACS Guidelines for Bachelor’s Degree Programs ~ Thomas J. Wenzel, Anne B. McCoy, and Clark R. Landis
Updating the General Chemistry Anchoring Concepts Content Map ~ Thomas Holme, Cynthia Luxford, and Kristen Murphy
A Hybrid Integrated Laboratory and Inquiry-Based Research Experience: Replacing Traditional Laboratory Instruction with a Sustainable Student-Led Research Project ~ Matthew R. Hartings, Douglas M. Fox, Abigail E. Miller, and Kathryn E. Muratore
What Do Conceptual Holes in Assessment Say about the Topics We Teach in General Chemistry? ~ Cynthia J. Luxford and Thomas A. Holme
The “Ticket to Ride” Formative Assessment Ritual: Collaboration and Festivity in High School Chemistry ~ Mark F. Klawiter
Book and Media Reviews
Review of The Chemistry of Alchemy: From Dragon’s Blood to Donkey Dung—How Chemistry Was Forged ~ Kiley P.-H. Miller
Review of Up from Generality: How Inorganic Chemistry Finally Became a Respectable Field ~ Wheeler Conover
Chemical Education Research
Foundation Coursework in Undergraduate Inorganic Chemistry: Results from a National Survey of Inorganic Chemistry Faculty ~ Jeffrey R. Raker, Barbara A. Reisner, Sheila R. Smith, Joanne L. Stewart, Johanna L. Crane, Les Pesterfield, and Sabrina G. Sobel (This article is available to non-subscribers as part of ACS’s Editors’ Choice program.)
In-Depth Coursework in Undergraduate Inorganic Chemistry: Results from a National Survey of Inorganic Chemistry Faculty ~ Jeffrey R. Raker, Barbara A. Reisner, Sheila R. Smith, Joanne L. Stewart, Johanna L. Crane, Les Pesterfield, and Sabrina G. Sobel (This article is available to non-subscribers as part of ACS’s Editors’ Choice program.)
Articles
Modules for Introducing Organometallic Reactions: A Bridge between Organic and Inorganic Chemistry ~ Chris P. Schaller, Kate J. Graham, and Brian J. Johnson
Implementing an Equilibrium Law Teaching Sequence for Secondary School Students To Learn Chemical Equilibrium ~ Marco Ghirardi, Fabio Marchetti, Claudio Pettinari, Alberto Regis, and Ezio Roletto
Laboratory Experiments
Equilibrium between Different Coordination Geometries in Oxidovanadium(IV) Complexes ~ Valeria Ugone, Eugenio Garribba, Giovanni Micera, and Daniele Sanna
Synthesis and Metalation of a Ligand: An Interdisciplinary Laboratory Experiment for Second-Year Organic and Introductory Inorganic Chemistry Students ~ Benjamin J. Kasting, Andrew K. Bowser, Amelia M. Anderson-Wile, and Bradley M. Wile
Communications
Why Is There Cyanide in my Table Salt? Structural Chemistry of the Anticaking Effect of Yellow Prussiate of Soda (Na4[Fe(CN)6]·10H2O) ~ Sarina J. Dorazio and Christian Brückner
Writing Reactions of Metals with Nitric Acid: A Mnemonic Device for Introductory Chemistry Students ~ Mikhail Kurushkin
Investigating Galvanic Cells & Exploring LEDs
Student Fabrication and Use of Simple, Low-Cost, Paper-Based Galvanic Cells To Investigate Electrochemistry ~ Anchalee Chatmontree, Sanoe Chairam, Saksri Supasorn, Maliwan Amatatongchai, Purim Jarujamrus, Suparb Tamuang, and Ekasith Somsook
An Easy-To-Assemble Three-Part Galvanic Cell ~ Per-Odd Eggen and Brit Skaugrud
Demonstrations of Frequency/Energy Relationships Using LEDs ~ Graham T. Cheek
Understanding Atomic Structure: Is There a More Direct and Compelling Connection between Atomic Line Spectra and the Quantization of an Atom’s Energy? ~ Robert C. Rittenhouse
Walsh Diagrams: Molecular Orbital and Structure Computational Chemistry Exercise for Physical Chemistry ~ Carrie S. Miller and Mark Ellison
Teaching Atomic Structure: Madelung’s and Hund’s Rules in One Chart ~ Mikhail Kurushkin
Using an Advanced Computational Laboratory Experiment To Extend and Deepen Physical Chemistry Students’ Understanding of Atomic Structure ~ Gary G. Hoffman
Synthesis of Hollow Gold–Silver Alloyed Nanoparticles: A “Galvanic Replacement” Experiment for Chemistry and Engineering Students ~ Samir V. Jenkins, Taylor D. Gohman, Emily K. Miller, and Jingyi Chen
Measuring the Silver Composition of Nanocolloids by Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectroscopy: A Laboratory Experiment for Chemistry and Engineering Students ~ Seth W. Brittle, Joshua D. Baker, Kevin M. Dorney, Jessica M. Dagher, Tala Ebrahimian, Steven R. Higgins, and Ioana E. Pavel Sizemore
Exploring the Stability of Gold Nanoparticles by Experimenting with Adsorption Interactions of Nanomaterials in an Undergraduate Lab ~ Chi-Feng Lee, Pei-Yun You, Ying-Chiao Lin, Tsai-Ling Hsu, Pi-Yun Cheng, Yu-Xuan Wu, Chi-Shun Tseng, Sheng-Wen Chen, Huey-Por Chang, and Yang-Wei Lin
Observing Tin–Lead Alloys by Scanning Electron Microscopy: A Physical Chemistry Experiment Investigating Macro-Level Behaviors and Micro-Level Structures ~ Yue Wang, Xinhua Xu, Meifen Wu, Huikang Hu, and Xiaogang Wang
Vibrational Spectroscopy of the CCl4 v1 Mode: Theoretical Prediction of Isotopic Effects ~ James D. Gaynor, Anna M. Wetterer, Rea M. Cochran, Edward J. Valente, and Steven G. Mayer
NMR Determination of Hydrogen Bond Thermodynamics in a Simple Diamide: A Physical Chemistry Experiment ~ Janine G. Morton, Candice L. Joe, Massiel C. Stolla, Sophia R. Koshland, Casey H. Londergan, and Mark H. Schofield
Identification of Guest–Host Inclusion Complexes in the Gas Phase by Electrospray Ionization–Mass Spectrometry ~ Débora C. Mendes, Vaidhyanathan Ramamurthy, and José P. Da Silva
X-ray Diffraction of Intermetallic Compounds: A Physical Chemistry Laboratory Experiment ~ Thomas D. Varberg and Kacper Skakuj
Using Green Star Metrics To Optimize the Greenness of Literature Protocols for Syntheses ~ Rita C. C. Duarte, M. Gabriela T. C. Ribeiro, and Adélio A. S. C. Machado
An Operationally Simple Sonogashira Reaction for an Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Laboratory Class ~ Philippa B. Cranwell, Alexander M. Peterson, Benjamin T. R. Littlefield, and Andrew T. Russell
From the Archives: Chemistry & Sport
With summer upon us, hopefully there’s more time to be outside to enjoy a favorite sport. For an extensive list of article in past issues of JCE on chemistry and sports, see:
JCE Resources for Chemistry and Sports ~ Erica K. Jacobsen
1,000,000 JCE Fans Can’t Be Wrong
With millions of downloads each year, you will always find something useful in the Journal of Chemical Education, including all of the articles mentioned above, plus many more in past issues. Articles that are edited and published online ahead of print (ASAP—As Soon As Publishable) are also available. If you like what you read, subscribe… if you have something to share, write it up!