We used liquid nitrogen to visualize the aerosol particles emitted while speaking, coughing, breathing, and sneezing. We also tested the ability of various masks to block these droplets.
The Ruben's Tube (also known as a Flame Tube) is a classic experiment used in physics classes. There's also a bit of chemistry to be learned while experimenting with a Ruben's Tube...
With the end of school upon us and the possibility of remote instruction in the fall, here are some techniques to address four NGSS science and engineering practices; Planning and Carrying out Investigations, Asking Questions and Defining Problems, Developing and Using Models, Analyzing and Interpreting Data.
As teachers, we can leverage fruitful discussions about chemical control with students to elicit more about students' initial ideas and ways of reasoning. From asking students to clarify their own thinking, we can identify students’ own productive ideas that we can capitalize on to advance their thinking.
This unique microscale gas collection technique provides students with reasonably good data in a short period of time. Students have more time to analyze the data and communicate their findings.
This experiment in chemical kinetics can be conducted using materials as simple as a smartphone, hydrogen peroxide, sodium carbonate solution, and blue food dye! The experiment is useful when discussing the order of rate laws with respect to reactants.
Erica Jacobsen shares highlights from the November 2019 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education of special interest to our ChemEd X community.
Several resources are available to support teachers as they incorporate science practices into their curriuculum. The author shares how he and his colleagues focused on improving their coverage of the practice of planning and carrying out investigations.
Simple chemical tests are described that can indicate the presence of certain metals in coins. A wide variety of chemical concepts are involved. The experiments described are a natural fit for the 2019 National Chemistry Week theme of "Marvelous Metals!"
I had the opportunity to develop an advanced chemical lab design course for a small group of ambitious students. I have outlined the resources I used and how I pulled the course together,
