Having fun with your own molecular models

Submitted by Arpita Saha / Georgia Southern University on Wed, 07/16/2014 - 15:04
Description

This is a fun chemistry project where students make model compounds to learn various structural aspects of the compound. This is an individual project that is each student is assigned with one compound.  They can use any item (for e.g. Styrofoam balls etc) to make their very own model compound. The model should contain all the atoms (visually distinctive), bonds, lone pairs. Student is expected to create something novel rather using molecular model kit. They can use text book and lecture material for the resources.

Examining and Drawing Atomic Orbitals

Submitted by Chris Goh / Williams College on Tue, 07/15/2014 - 23:57
Description

This exercise makes use of a web-based tool to review quantum numbers of the orbitals of the hydrogen atom and to visualize atomic orbitals in 3D. Students are asked to draw the 1s-, 2p- and 3d-orbitals.

The Japan syndrome

Submitted by Carmen Gauthier / Florida Southern College on Mon, 07/14/2014 - 17:38
Description

This is an in-class discussion of an article that appeared in The Economist.  It can be used to review several topics covered in the first year chemistry class.

Thinking scientifically about graphing: a classroom exercise for general chemistry

Submitted by Jen Look / Mercer University on Mon, 05/26/2014 - 19:09
Description

This excercise explains the basics of drawing graphs for an introductory chemistry class. It give examples of common pitfalls and how to avoid them. Students are guided through graphing a data set, adjusting axes, adding trend lines, modifying legends and adding appropriate labels. The excercise also provides several examples of graphs and asks students to critically evaluate them. 

Inorganic Spectroscopy Introduced Using an Interactive PhET Simulation (Part 1)

Submitted by Alycia Palmer / The Ohio State University on Wed, 04/30/2014 - 20:49
Description

A guided-inquiry activity for the interactive PhET simuation "Molecules and Light" was created to introduce upper-level inorganic laboratory students to inorganic spectroscopy. The activity included here is the first part of a two-day discussion. This activity instructs students to use the PhET simulation "Molecules and Light" to explore how various molecules interact with different energies of electromagnetic radiation (microwave, infrared, visible, ultraviolet). This activity can also be used in a general chemistry setting as the topics discussed are very basic.

Sheffield ChemPuter

Submitted by Chip Nataro / Lafayette College on Tue, 04/29/2014 - 16:42
Description

The Sheffield Chemputer is a site that does a variety of calculations including: isotope patterns, element percentages, reaction yields, oxidation states (for transition metal complexes), electron accounting (for metal complexes), VSEPR shape and classification using the CBC method. At the initial point of this post (April 29, 2014) parts of the site are still under development, but it seems to be off to a good start.

Coordination complexes and crystal field theory in-class worksheet

Submitted by Sarah K. St. Angelo / Dickinson College on Mon, 04/28/2014 - 18:39
Description

This is an in-class activity that I made to help students in my second semester general chemistry course work through some aspects of color and coordination chemistry.  The activity was performed with a demonstration of color for nickel coordination complexes (ligands: water, ethylenediamine, and ammonia). I also included equilibria and thermodynamics as those concepts apply to coordination compounds at the introductory level.  This served as a review of the concepts as well.

Group Theory for Mathematicians

Submitted by Anne Bentley / Lewis & Clark College on Wed, 03/26/2014 - 14:18
Description

While informally chatting with friends in our math department, I realized that I could put together a presentation about how chemists use group theory.  I was invited to give the presentation as part of our math department's weekly colloquium series.  The talk was to be one hour in length, and my math colleague described their typical format as:

Viewing Jmol Images and Animations (currently blocked) that call a Jmol Applet

Submitted by Marion Cass / Carleton College on Thu, 03/13/2014 - 22:31
Description

 

    Every day when I teach Inorganic Chemistry (and in most of my problem sets and take home exams) I create Web pages to show 3D images of selected molecules to my students.  I am a visual learner and I find the structures beautiful and informative.

    In the past few months, you likely have found that web sites scripted with Jmol scripts calling a Jmol applet (which is a Java applet) are blocked. 

Molecular Orbital of Transition Metal Complexes

Submitted by Steven Neshyba / University of Puget Sound on Wed, 02/05/2014 - 21:39
Description

Students construct computer models of two transition metal complexes, solve their electronic structures, and inspect the resulting d-type molecular orbitals to identify which are non-bonding, sigma* antibonding, or pi* antibonding. After constructing a molecular orbital diagram, they determine which of the two complexes is likely to absorb light at a longer wavelength.