Miessler and Tarr: Inorganic Chemistry, 3rd. Ed

Submitted by Nancy Williams / Scripps College, Pitzer College, Claremont McKenna College on Fri, 03/28/2008 - 16:44
Description

Miessler and Tarr is an inorganic textbook which is is best suited to an upper-division one-semester inorganic course, though there is more material than can be covered in a single semester, so some choice of topics is necessary.  It is very well suited for a course oriented around structure, bonding, and reaction chemistry of transition metal compounds, but is very limited in its treatment of solids, main-group, descriptive chemistry, and bioinorganic.  Pchem would be helpful but is not necessary.  In particular, the treatment of MO theory is very in-depth.  The quality of end-of chapter p

Housecroft and Sharpe: Inorganic Chemistry, 3ed

Submitted by Lori Watson / Earlham College on Wed, 03/26/2008 - 20:01
Description

Housecroft and Sharpe (Inorganic Chemistry, 3ed): This is a comprehensive inorganic textbook designed primarily for students at the Junior/Senior level. P-Chem would not be needed as a prerequisite for this text, but would be helpful. It includes both theoretical and descriptive material along with special topics, enough for a two semester course though it is easily adaptable to a one-semester "advanced inorganic" course by choosing only some topics. It is written in a clear and generally readable style and the full-color graphic contribute to student understanding.

Generating LGOs (SALCs)

Submitted by Adam Johnson / Harvey Mudd College on Fri, 01/04/2008 - 19:12
Description

    After several days of lecturing on the topic of polyatomic molecular orbital diagrams, students break into small groups of 3-4 and form LGO’s that can be used to interact with a central atom to form a Molecular Orbital (MO) diagram.  This assignment is part of a larger 4-5 week unit on MO theory. 

Symmetry Scavenger Hunt

Submitted by Lori Watson / Earlham College on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 18:35
Description

Students are sent to find (and take pictures) of  items in various point groups around campus.  Generally, I give them a list of possible offices (though they are free to go to other places) and point groups (some hard) and the following ground rules:

 

Determining Molecular Structure: An Experimental Simulation of X-ray Diffraction

Submitted by Maggie Geselbracht / Reed College on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 16:53
Description
­This activity introduces students to the symmetries of 2-D repeating patterns and X-ray diffraction. Using small lasers and Optical Transform slides (available from the Institute for Chemical Education), students qualitatively and quantitatively investigate the relationships between the sizes and symmetries of unit cells and the effects observed in diffraction patterns.

The N5+ Cation: Explosive Chemistry and Raman Analysis (Christe)

Submitted by Maggie Geselbracht / Reed College on Sat, 11/17/2007 - 13:18
Description

­This paper discusses the synthesis and characterization of a novel compound of nitrogen.  The pre-discussion assignment asks students draw a Lewis structure for the N5+ cation, and using the tools of group theory, conduct a normal mode vibrational analysis, comparing the results to the experimental Raman spectral data.­­