Interlocking toy building blocks (e.g., Lego) as chemistry teaching modules are presented. Interlocking building blocks were assembled on a baseplate to depict chemistry concepts of Lewis structures, chemical bonding, conjugate acid-base pairs, types of chemical reactions, irregularity in ionization energy trends, and the decay of a radioactive…

The use of interlocking toy building blocks (e.g., LEGO) as teaching modules with a focus on the topics in organic chemistry is presented. Interlocking building blocks were assembled on a baseplate to depict chemistry concepts of hydrogenation of alkenes, hydration of alkenes, Markovnikov's rule, cis and trans isomers, hydrogen bonding, optical…

Investigation of the kinetics of phosphorescence decay is a suitable learning task in studying the formal kinetics, and also properties of crystal phosphors. Kinetics of phosphorescence decay of crystal phosphors can be experimentally investigated at home as part of distance learning, using a conventional digital photo camera and a luminescent…

This article describes how to construct a simple, inexpensive, and robust colorimeter from a few Lego bricks, in which one light-emitting diode (LED) is used as a light source and a second LED as a light detector. The colorimeter is suited to various grades and curricula.

Interlocking toy building blocks (e.g., Lego) as chemistry learning modules for blind and visually impaired (BVI) students in high school and undergraduate introductory or general chemistry courses are presented. Building blocks were assembled on a baseplate to depict the relative changes in the periodic properties of elements. Modules depicting…

A current emphasis on teaching conceptual chemistry via the particulate nature of matter has led to the need for new, effective ways to assess students' conceptual understanding of this view of chemistry. This article provides a simple, inexpensive way to use interlocking toy building blocks (e.g., LEGOs) in both formative and summative…

The equilibrium between phases is a key concept from the introductory physical chemistry curriculum. Phase diagrams display which phase is the most stable at a given temperature and pressure. If more than one phase has the lowest Gibbs energy, then those phases are in equilibrium under those conditions. An activity designed to demonstrate the…

For most chemistry curricula, laboratory-based activities in quantitative and instrumental analysis continue to be an important aspect of student development/training, one that can be more effective if conceptual understanding is delivered through an inquiry-based process relating the material to relevant issues of public interest and student…

Discharge tubes are useful tools for teaching emission spectra and the discrete energy levels of the Bohr model. A new setup uses a plasma globe to illuminate the discharge tube and allows a higher degree of interactivity owing to the omission of a traditional, high-voltage power source. The decreased power consumption also reduces the heating of…

A simple procedure to quickly screen different consumer products for the presence of lead, cadmium, and other metals is described. This screening technique avoids expending a lot of preparation time on samples known to contain low levels of hazardous metals where only samples testing positive for the desired elements need to be analyzed…

The history of Balloon, which is enjoyed by most populations as ornaments and toys, is explained. The buoyancy of helium filled balloon has also helped many scientist in research work of chemistry.

Describes six commercially available toys useful in demonstrating various chemical principles in the secondary school classroom. (SL)

Suggests ways in which the "drinking duck," a seemingly self-propelled duck toy, can be used to illustrate the principles of phase equilibria and thermodynamics. (MLH)

A number of chemical concepts can be easily illustrated in a more friendly way to children by using toys as teaching tools in the classroom. Some of the examples illustrated are shrinking toys, drinking birds and hand boiler.

Toys which can help to learn the basics and more in-depth chemistry concept are investigated and explained, which are also available online on the website. Some of the examples are simple LCD clock powered by citric acid of lemon, crystal radio made from simple household materials, firework, homemade snow globe, which explains the properties of…