Blogs

ChemEd X contributors offer their ideas and opinions on a broad spectrum of topics pertaining to chemical education.

Blogs at ChemEd X reflect the opinions of the contributors and are open to comments. Only selected contributors blog at ChemEd X. If you would like to blog regularly at ChemEd X, please use our Contribution form to request an invitation to do so from one of our editors.

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Social Justice Science Issues and NGSS preview image
Social Justice Science Issues and NGSS
// Sunday, October 20, 2024 • Nina Hike
Teaching decontextualized chemistry has often made it difficult for teachers to connect chemistry to students' everyday lives.
Picture Perfect Chemistry title preview image
Picture Perfect Chemistry
// Saturday, October 19, 2024 • Tom Kuntzleman
Josh Kenney, Melissa Hemling, and I just published an article in the October 2024 Journal of Chemical Education. The article describes inquiry-based activities that highlight the chemistry behind “No-Mess” picture-coloring books.1 Well, it turns out that our timing is impeccable.
The WEIRDEST Chemical Reaction I've Ever Seen! preview image with octopus icon
The WEIRDEST Chemical Reaction I've Ever Seen!
// Saturday, September 7, 2024 • Tom Kuntzleman
Galinstan is the tradename for a liquid metal alloy that is comprised of three elements: gallium (68.5%), indium (21.5%), and tin (10%).1 It behaves a lot like mercury but has significantly lower toxicity. Because of this, Galinstan is used as a replacement for mercury in a variety of applications.
The Summer Work Talk preview image with sun and sunglasses
The Summer Work Talk
// Wednesday, August 7, 2024 • Anthony Stetzenmeyer
The topic of summer work comes up occasionally on social media so I wanted to share mine and my thought process behind it!
The Fun Side of Gas Laws: Brain Breaks with Boyle's Law preview image with lines and dots
The Fun Side of Gas Laws: Brain Breaks with Boyle's Law
// Tuesday, August 6, 2024 • Melissa Hemling
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the best way to learn is by having a little fun? In my classroom, we've discovered that brain breaks can turn abstract concepts like gas laws into something tangible and memorable.
Solubility Showdown: A Brain Break for Chemistry Classrooms preview image with red, gray and white dots
Solubility Showdown: A Brain Break for Chemistry Classrooms
// Friday, July 26, 2024 • Melissa Hemling
Imagine a classroom where the usual hum of lectures is replaced by excited chatter: "I hope I didn't get sodium again," one student mutters, while another laughs and says, "Bruh, there better be no nitrates between us!" This lively scene is all thanks to "Solubility Showdown," a brain break game I created to make solubility rules come alive for my stude
Ion Chip Challenge: A Brain Break for Chemistry Classrooms preview image with photo of student hands playing rock-paper-scissors over playing card with electrons
Ion Chip Challenge: A Brain Break for Chemistry Classrooms
// Thursday, July 25, 2024 • Melissa Hemling
Imagine the lively hum of a classroom suddenly bursting into laughter and friendly competition as students engage in a spirited game of rock-paper-scissors. But this isn't just any game; it's the Ion Chip Challenge, a clever and engaging way I help my students grasp the tricky concepts of ions in chemistry.
Mechanochemistry with Phenolphthalein and Base preview image with three mortar pestles grinding phenolphthalein
Mechanochemistry with Phenolphthalein and Base
// Wednesday, July 24, 2024 • Dean Campbell
Phenolphthalein has been used extensively as a pH indicator.1 Although the compound actually can exhibit multiple color transitions, it is best known for turning from colorless to pink in aqueous solution as the pH is raised above 8.3.1 The equilibrium associated with this transition is shown in Figure 1.
The Chemistry of Water Reveal Coloring Books preview image with picture of water reveal dinosaur book
The Chemistry of Water Reveal Coloring Books
// Tuesday, July 16, 2024 • Tom Kuntzleman
A variety of interesting coloring books are available on the market that use water as a coloring agent.1 When water is applied to the pages of these books, colors seem to appear like magic. When the water evaporates, the colors disappear. This allows the pages of these books to be colored over and over again.