Looking for a fun way to teach gas laws? Try using brain breaks! Activities like the Longest Straw Challenge and Suck it Up Skittles Challenge not only get students up and moving but also make learning Boyle's Law engaging and memorable.
When iron spheres at room temperature are added to liquid nitrogen, the nitrogen boils as heat is transferred in from the iron. The amount of liquid nitrogen boiled depends on the amount of heat transferred, which depends on the mass of the iron added. However, the rate at which liquid nitrogen boils depends on the surface area of the iron in contact with the liquid nitrogen. These phenomena can be studied with experiments which measure the mass lost by the boiling liquid nitrogen.
Dive into the topic of gas laws through a station-based activity designed to engage students in hands-on exploration. Students articulate their understanding through particulate models.
Check out the schedule for upcoming ChemEd X Talks along with recordings of past events.
The floating soap bubble is an impressive experiment that is surprisingly easy to carry out.
Michael Jansen offers one of his favorite demos - producing liquid CO2 from dry ice.
The Diet Coke and Mentos reaction is used as the basis for this hands on experiment. Students work in groups to research, test, and adapt as needed with the goal to get the highest possible geyser!
Short descriptions of demonstrations and props that Dean Campbell has used while teaching his collegiate Environmental Chemistry course. Many of these examples are also suitable for use in high school and collegiate General Chemistry courses.
Polystyrene foam sticks with a square or rectangular profile will not fit into a round target hole (e.g., the opening of a soda bottle) at room temperature. However, they do contract sufficiently in contact with liquid nitrogen to fit into the hole and produce a simple demonstration of Charles’s Law. Many other polymer foams do not shrink under these conditions, but still provide opportunities to discuss and explore their structure and chemistry.
A variety of resources are available for chemistry faculty interested in incorporating lessons and activities around art and archeology. Find out what they are in this follow up post from the inaugural ChemEd X virtual Journal Club held April 2022.
