This is an in-class case study activity that introduces relevancy between atomic structure (specifically isotopes) and animal migration. Students will apply their knowledge of isotopes, writing atomic symbols, and calculating average atomic mass while also connecting this information to another application (in this case animal migration).
This is a flipped classroom module that covers the concepts of time-integrated rate laws. This activity is designed to be done at the end of the typical second quarter/second semester general chemistry kinetics unit. Students will be expected to have learned the following concepts prior to completing this activity:
It is important for students to be able to effectively communicate the results of their scientific work. This does not only inlcude written and oral communication, but the creation of appropriate representations of the complexes they have investigated. It is crucial that students learn how to draw molecules using electronic structure drawing programs, but site licenses for structure drawing programs can be prohibitive for some institutions.
This literature discussion uses a recently published article on solvatochromic Mo complexes to introduce students to the different components of a research article. The activity is divied into to two parts. Before class students read the paper and focus on defining terms, investigating the "meta" data of the paper, and the different sections iof the paper. In class the students work in groups to investigate the scientific content of the paper
This first-year laboratory is designed to give students an introduction to basic solid-state structures using both CrystalMaker files and physical models. I think this would work in a foundations level inorganic course as well. It could be used alternatively as an in-class activity or take-home problem set depending on the instructor. It was adapted by me and later, David Harvey, from an original activity that was posted as an educational resource on the CrystalMaker website in the mid 2000s.
This in class activity consists of two demonstrations to be performed by the instructor, followed by a worksheet that students may work on independently or in groups. The demonstrations allow the students to determine when a reaction has occured, when it has not occured, and generate qualitative reaction energy profiles to match these observations. This activity is designed to take place during a description of kinetics in general chemistry. Detailed descriptions of the procedure and activity may be found in the "Overview for Instructor."
This activity is designed to be done in the middle of the typical first quarter/first semester general chemistry electronic structure unit. Students will be expected to have learned the following concepts prior to completing this activity:
a) how the four quantum numbers are determined (principal quantum number, angular momentum quantum number, magnetic quantum number, and electron spin quantum number);
b) the basic concept of electron spin, and how atomic orbitals that possess two electrons will result in the spin-paring of electrons;
This is a flipped classroom activity intended for use in a first semester general chemistry course.
Congratulations to the 2019 recipients of the Nobel Prize - John B. Goodenough, M. Stan Whittingham and Akira Yoshino. It's a well deserved honor!
There are several LOs on VIPEr that talk about lithium ion batteries and related systems. The 2019 Nobel is a great opportunity to include something about these batteries in your class.
I hope to see more LOs in the coming weeks so we can bring this chemistry into our classrooms!
This is an activity designed to introduce general chemistry students to reading the chemistry literature by familiarizing them with the structure of a published article. The activity first presents an article from the Whitesides group at Harvard about writing a scientific manuscript, along with a video about the peer-review process. There are two parts to the questions in the activity, which are based on a specific article from Nature Communications (doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-08824-8).