The Density Bottle is Red, the Density Bottle is Blue...
Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 05/30/2025 - 10:10
You're going to love this new color variation on the Density Bottle experiment!
general public
Not so Green Up Close: a Peek at a dyed Chicago River Sample
Dean Campbell | Sat, 05/17/2025 - 22:36
Light absorbance and fluorescence were studied for a sample of the Chicago River that had been dyed green for St. Patrick’s Day. The sample had weak green fluorescence, showing that the intense green appearance of the river was in part due to the long path length of light through the water. The ability of the green color to partition into 1-octanol was also explored.
Join Us at ChemEd 2025
Sarah English | Tue, 04/15/2025 - 20:47
Join us at ChemEd 2025 this July at the Colorado School of Mines. Check out this post to learn about all the exciting opportunities!
Elevating the Coke and Mentos Experiment
Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 04/07/2025 - 13:45
Ryan Johnson and I took a trip to the top of Pikes Peak to study the Coke and Mentos experiment. And we had a few surprises along the way...
Incorporating Climate Change Into Lessons on Metric Prefixes
Tom Kuntzleman | Sun, 01/12/2025 - 10:09
Learn how current research on climate change can be used in your next lesson on metric prefixes and unit conversions.
The Diamonds of Winter
Tom Kuntzleman | Thu, 01/09/2025 - 09:44
Take a walk and explore the chemical winter wonderland of snowflakes...and diamonds!
Picture Perfect Chemistry
Tom Kuntzleman | Sat, 10/19/2024 - 12:17
A Picture-Perfect activity for National Chemistry Week 2024!
The WEIRDEST Chemical Reaction I've Ever Seen!
Tom Kuntzleman | Sat, 09/07/2024 - 11:17
This chemical reaction is just plain weird...but also beautiful!
Fluorescence Rocks! Exploring Glowing Sodalite
Dean Campbell | Wed, 08/21/2024 - 12:41
Syenite rocks containing sodalite that fluoresce yellow have been found on Lake Superior beaches in recent years and are of interest to collectors. The fluorescence of this mineral, which can be found in other localities, can be shown in classrooms and studied spectroscopically. Its structure can also be modeled with LEGO bricks, enabling further classroom connections.
Mechanochemistry with Phenolphthalein and Base
Dean Campbell | Wed, 07/24/2024 - 17:11
Grinding solid colorless phenolphthalein indicator and solid colorless magnesium hydroxide base can produce a reaction that causes the mixture to turn pink.