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Online Activity: Chemical Kinetics and the “Radium Girls”

Dean Campbell | Mon, 12/20/2021 - 12:17

The classic classroom or lab activity using coin flips to illustrate the first order kinetics of radioactive decay is connected to the tragedy of radiation exposure of workers at facilities using radium-containing luminescent paint. Some of the chemistry related to the contamination of these “radium girls” is explored, with connections being made to the Principles of Green Chemistry and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Food Dyes as Acid-Base Indicators

Tom Kuntzleman | Sun, 11/28/2021 - 10:51

Natural food dyes are being sold online and in stores that can be used as acid-base indicators. These dyes open up a host of possibilities for at-home and in-class. For example, these food dyes can be used as indicators in the quantitative titration of the Mg(OH)2 in milk of magnesia.

A Polystyrene Model of Polystyrene Tacticity

Dean Campbell | Sun, 11/21/2021 - 10:55

Thin sheets of polystyrene can be patterned with permanent markers to represent repeating units of the polymer and then shrunk down in size using heat. The shrunken models of the repeating units can be connected with a string and then flipped into positions to demonstrate different types of polymer tacticity.

Lithium Battery Flame

Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 09/27/2021 - 16:42

Inspired by a recent article in the Journal of Chemical Education, Tom Kuntzleman attempted to extract lithium from a coin battery, and to use the extracted lithium to produce a pink flame.

Soda Fountains from Aluminum Cans

Dean Campbell | Thu, 09/16/2021 - 15:18

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.

Free Climate Science Workbook for Teachers

Stephanie O'Brien | Mon, 08/30/2021 - 16:08

The Wisconsin initiative for Science Literacy has published Science Climate Concepts Fit Your Classroom - A Workbook for Teachers. This is a free online Workbook, readily available for secondary teachers and college faculty. This workbook includes many hands on activities that incorporate traditional science classroom concepts within the context of climate science.

Giving "The Talk" to Your Students

Francisco Villa | Sun, 08/29/2021 - 16:45

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.