public understanding

Public understanding pertains to activities intended to improve an appreciation for and understanding of chemistry among the general populace.

Term source
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sparking marshmallow
Charred Marshmallow Souffle
// Thursday, September 27, 2018 • Tom Kuntzleman
At the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE) in Notre Dame this summer, Holly Walter-Kerby and Maria Gallardo-Williams unveiled an event called The Mole.
Balloons in sulfur hexafluoride
Solution to Chemical Mystery #12: Baffling Balloons
// Friday, September 21, 2018 • Tom Kuntzleman
Well, that didn't take long. Less than 24 hours after posting Chemical Mystery #12: Baffling Balloons, Michael Farabaugh correctly explained how the experiment was conducted.
JCE cover for August 2018 issue
Especially JCE: August 2018
// Tuesday, August 14, 2018 • Erica K. Jacobsen
My summertime Twitter feed carries a definite chemistry conference flavor. A couple of weeks ago, I was able to vicariously experience the Biennial Conference on Chemical Education (BCCE), with Tweets from attendees highlighting specific speakers, slides, and ideas.
The Chemistry of Outer Space
The Chemistry of Outer Space
// Sunday, July 1, 2018 • Tom Kuntzleman
By Tom Kuntzleman, Mike Nydegger, and Mike Buratovich During June of 2018, we held our 14th annual science camp at Spring Arbor University (SAU): Over 120 K – 8th grade students enjoyed an entire week of science experiments, demonstrations, and activities!
Liquid air droplet
Collection of and Experiments with Liquid Air
// Tuesday, May 15, 2018 • Tom Kuntzleman
In the January, 2018 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education, Jeffrey Statler describes several experiments that can be conducted with liquid air.1 He demonstrates that liquid air can be easily collected by simply immersing a test tube in liquid nitrogen, which has a
Person on scale
The Chemistry of Weight Loss
// Tuesday, April 24, 2018 • Tom Kuntzleman
If you want to lose weight, you have to burn calories. Anyone who has gone on a diet knows this. But when someone loses weight, have you ever wondered where the lost mass goes?
March 2018 cover of JCE
Especially JCE: March 2018
// Tuesday, March 13, 2018 • Erica K. Jacobsen
I like it when mainstream movies have at least a small moment that crosses over into chemistry application. In the classroom, using a brief clip brings one more point of connection to a concept, outside of the textbook.
ACS Discoveries! - Making Science More Accessible
// Friday, March 9, 2018 • Deanna Cullen
The American Chemical Society is offering a new service in hopes of making science more accessible to the public. Each week they issue a short collection of science articles, written in an interesting and engaging style, that you might use with your students to help them make connections between the curriculum and their own lives.