kinetics

Reflections from Kinetics - Solidifying Why I Teach Method of Initial Rates AND Integrated Rate Laws

Tracy Schloemer | Thu, 01/05/2017 - 19:16

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I taught my students how to use the method of initial rates. I taught my students rate laws. However, they strugged to differentiate when to use what method. Upon further probing, they struggled to articulate why one might use one method over the other. They could parrot back some ideas ("The rate law tells you about the particles involved in the rate determining step of the reaction."), but I wasn't convinced of mastery and connections.

Kinetics Review

Michael Morgan | Thu, 04/28/2016 - 13:08

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In one of my last blog posts I wrote of how I sometimes enjoy ending a unit with a series of demonstrations and using them to elicit a dialog between the students and myself to check for understanding. It is always a fascinating experience to hear the misconceptions that many students have the day before the test.

An Orange to Black Halloween Chemistry Demonstration You Can Do with Household Items

Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 10/27/2015 - 15:27

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You can perform an orange to black chemistry demonstration using materials commonly found in stores. The reaction appears to be similar to the Old Nassau reaction, but uses greener reagents. This is a great demonstration to do around Halloween time.

Storm troopers ain't got nothing on this chemist

Tom Kuntzleman | Wed, 08/05/2015 - 08:24

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Build a propane gun for your students! Construction is inexpensive, easy, and the effects are spectacular.

Harry Potter and the Elephant Toothpaste Potion

Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 04/28/2015 - 16:45

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The “Elephant Toothpaste” experiment is a very popular, albeit messy chemistry demonstration. To carry out this experiment, place a 250 mL graduated cylinder on something that you wouldn’t mind getting messy.

A Chemist Celebrates the International Year of Light

Tom Kuntzleman | Thu, 01/08/2015 - 13:43

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Happy New Year! Did you know that 2015 is the International Year of Light (IYL)? IYL is a “global initiative adopted by the United Nations to raise awareness of how optical technologies promote sustainable development and provide solutions to worldwide challenges in energy, education, agriculture, communications and health¹”. IYL is sponsored by several organizations with interests in science and science education, including the European Physical Society, the Institute of Physics, the American Physical Society, and the American Institute of Physics. You can find several lesson plans, videos and other educational resources on the IYL website².

Solution to Chemical Riddle #1

Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 04/29/2014 - 09:15

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In the video below, you can find the solution to the chemical riddle involving the food dye and bleach experiment. You can also find a description of how to set up and carry out the experiment. Finally, an extension to the activity is presented. Thanks to Erica Jacobsen, James Hanson, and Alfredo Ti

Can you solve this chemical riddle?

Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 04/25/2014 - 12:16

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Can you solve the chemical riddle described in the video below?

Flipping Pennies and Burning Candles: Adventures in Kinetics

In this Activity, students collect data to determine whether two processes, flipping pennies and burning small birthday candles, follow zeroth- or first-order rate laws. Students first collect data on the number of pennies remaining "heads up" after several successive tosses and then measure the mass of a burning candle over time.

Out of the Blue

In this Activity, students first prepare a standard formulation for a variation on the classic blue bottle reaction using consumer chemicals. They then make appropriate changes to the formulation and observe the results to determine the roles played by each reactant. This Activity could be used with units on chemical kinetics and oxidation-reduction reactions.