Use magnetic chess as a brain break during chemistry class to help introduce potential energy versus interparticle distance graphs in a memorable way!
Dean Campbell tries to use at least one demo for every class to illustrate concepts described in his chemistry courses. In this post, he includes short descriptions of the demonstrations and props he has used while teaching his collegiate General Chemistry II courses.
I just completed covering "ionic and covalent" bonding with my studenets. I wanted to bridge the gap to intermolecular forces. I found a great lab called "Sticky Water" from Target Inquiry - Grand Valley State.(link is external) Before I continue, I have to provide "full disclosure". I spent three years with the Target Inquiry Program at Miami University Ohio. There is a lab called "Sticky Water" that was written by a teacher in the Grand Valley State program. First, the activity focuses on just water, then ethane, then ethanol.
An animation illustrates how peeling occurs between layers where bonding is weak in molybdenum disulfide.
Selenium can easily be ground to a powder.
Iodine can be ground to coarse grains.
A piece of glass is scratched with a diamond-tipped stylus, showing that diamond is harder than glass.
A silicon wafer is flexed until the wafer shatters.
A piece of tape pressed against a sample of molybdenum sulfide will peel off layers of the sample. Additional tape can be used to cleave the peeled sample hundreds of times.
Graphite can easily be crushed into small pieces.
