Blogs

Chad Husting uses a few simple gas law experiments to introduce his students to the particulate level of chemistry.

A primary goal of modern education is to prepare students for a globally competitive society. Importantly we must ask questions such as, “who is doing the hard intellectual work in the classroom?” and "what does doing hard intellectual work look like?"

The familiar soda fountains that can be produced by adding Mentos candies to plastic bottles of carbonated beverages can also be produced by adding objects to carbonated beverages in aluminum cans. A variety of simple methods for producing soda fountains from cans are described.

Yes, sitting down and having "The Talk" with your students- the one focused on their careers and goals. Sometimes it is difficult and each student can be very different. But it is still worth it in the long run to do this.

Check out the solution to Chemical Mystery #18: Peek A Boo Blue! 

Michael Jansen reflects on a very common empirical formula lab that asks students to determine the empirical formula of Mg_xO_y. He then explains how he continues to use it as a "successful failure", how he demonstrates an alternate procedure and leads his students to an important lesson.

Can you use your knowledge of chemistry to figure out what is going on in this blue/green/yellow/blue color change?