Describes a science activity in which sixth-grade students, using tookpicks and spherical breakfast cereals to construct molecular models, discovered that compounds with the same molecular formulas can have different structural formulas and therefore different physical properties (isomerism). (JR)

Discusses the importance of ethene (ethylene) in industry and the pipeline grid in western Europe for transporting ethene. Describes methods for investigating organic compounds in school laboratories using ethene as the key compound. (JR)

Discusses chemical experiments on determination of triglyceride concentrations in biological samples by using 1,4-dihydro-3,5-diacetyl lutidine as a basis in absorbance measurements. (CC)

Discusses experimental evidence for the existence of organic material in the solar system prior to the earth's formation. Indicates that the earth could have received much of its organic compounds from meteors falling on its primitive surface. (CC)

Describes the use of two polarizing lenses, a yellow filter, an oatmeal bos, a piece of cardboard, a 1,000 ml beaker, and an overhead projector to demonstrate compound optical activity to large classes. Indicates the presence of an accuracy within 1-2 degrees of usually acceptable data. (CC)

Describes an experiment designed to expose the student to the classical techniques of organic dye synthesis and introduce him to a variety of modern scientific knowledge and exotic physical phenomena which he might not encounter otherwise. (Author/DF)

Exercises are developed which demonstrate the versatility of modern spectroscopic methods and the variety of structural information which can be obtained. (DF)