This article describes a method for making a spectroscope from scrap materials, i.e. a fragment of compact disc, a cardboard box, a tube and a digital camera to record the spectrum. An image processing program such as ImageJ can be used to calculate the wavelength of emission and absorption lines from the digital photograph. Multiple images of a…

The near-UV spectrum of benzene is used to illustrate the effects of variations in instrument spectral bandwidth on absorbance and molar absorptivity measurements and on the independence of values of quantities such as the oscillator strength that are based on integrated absorptivity. Excel-based computer simulations are provided that help develop…

Molecular modeling by computer is used to display stereochemistry, molecular orbitals, structure of transition states, and progress of reactions. Describes new ideas for teaching 1H NMR spectroscopy using computer modeling. (Contains 12 references.) (ASK)

The main part of this project involved using a computer, either an Apple or an IBM, as a chart recorder for the infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrophotometers. The computer "reads" these machines and displays spectra on its monitor. The graphs can then be stored for future reference and manipulation. The program to…

This project involved interfacing of microcomputers with three chemical instruments--Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), and the spectrophotometer. A Pascal program called "Spectrum" allows data from the NMR to be read and graphed, a specific area of the graph zoomed, ratios of specified areas of the graph…

Four applications of microcomputers in the chemical laboratory are presented. Included are "Mass Spectrometer Interface with an Apple II Computer,""Interfacing the Spectronic 20 to a Computer,""A pH-Monitoring and Control System for Teaching Laboratories," and "A Computer-Aided Optical Melting Point Device." Software, instrumentation, and uses are…

Four microcomputer applications are presented including: "Computer Simulated Process of 'Lead Optimization': A Student-Interactive Program,""A PROLOG Program for the Generation of Molecular Formulas,""Determination of Inflection Points from Experimental Data," and "LAOCOON PC: NMR Simulation on a Personal Computer." Software, availability,…

Contains seven articles about computer applications to chemistry instruction. Includes descriptions of a three-dimensional animation of a potential energy surface, numerical solutions of kinetic equations, applications for spectroscopy courses, a computer-controlled experiment on the tin/lead solid/liquid phase diagram, an inexpensive thermistor…