Effect of Temperature on the Whoosh Bottle
Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 07/05/2022 - 13:45
Why does the "Whoosh Bottle" experiment behave differently at different temperatures?
Matter & Change
Seawater Chemistry and Global Trade- Part 2
Scott Donnelly | Mon, 06/06/2022 - 20:07
This is the second blog post describing a classroom activity relating seawater chemistry to oceanic shipping. Included are questions that challenge students to apply conclusions drawn from observations to making predictions.
Simple Distillation
Chad Husting | Mon, 01/24/2022 - 19:07
This is a simple small-scale distillation that can be used several different ways.
Generating explosive gases from sand
Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 01/07/2022 - 12:16
Did you know that sand can be converted into a mixture of gases that spontaneously ignites in air? The procedures involved are relatively simple to perform, spectacular to observe, and relate to a rich assortment of chemical principles.
Icy Brinicle of Death: A COOL Example of Freezing Point Depression
Thomas Cox | Thu, 06/17/2021 - 12:50
What real world examples are made known to students when discussing freezing point depression? What about brinicles, also known as "Icy Fingers of Death"? A brinicle (from brine + ice) is a finger-like formation of supercooled brine solution that grows downward underneath sea ice. Intrigued? Cool (pun intended). Keep reading to find out more!
The Sanctity of the (Electronic) Balance
Michael Jansen | Thu, 05/20/2021 - 16:16
We were converted; we saw the light. No more playing with a balance. Reverence, dude. Without a balance we got nuthin’.
Labs, Pandemics and the Future
Chad Husting | Wed, 04/21/2021 - 08:23
Chad Husting shares a microscale Reactions Lab and outlines his goals and plans for labs in his classroom as he prepares for next school year.
Bringing Chemistry to Life
Katy Dornbos | Sun, 04/04/2021 - 17:30
This activity aims to boost students’ confidence in representing the atomic world. It also aims to educate both students and the general public about the “chemicals” found in everyday objects.
Photochromic glue and spring decorations
Dean Campbell | Fri, 04/02/2021 - 23:23
The many colors of springtime can be illustrated with photochromic pigments in commercial products. These products include UV beads, and more recently, photochromic glue. The glue can be used as a photochromic paint for paper or even eggs. The resulting colorful, decorative objects can be used to illustrate chemical discussions of aspects of photochemistry.
Demonstration: Colorful Sugar Density Column
Nick Thomas | Tue, 03/23/2021 - 09:52
Assembling a large graduated cylinder with colored sugar solutions of various densities is described. By filling the cylinder in the reverse order from bottom up, very little mixing occurs resulting in an attractive classroom demonstration to illustrate density. Students also have to opportunity to practice density and dilution calculations.