Uses crepe paper for the introduction of spectrophotometric concepts. Dyes used in the manufacturing of the crepe paper dissolve rapidly in water to produce solutions of colors. The variety of colors provides spectra in the visible spectrum that allow students to grasp concepts of absorption and transmission. (AIM)

Presents a design for constructing a colorimeter as an alternative to the more expensive spectrophotometer. The materials cost less than $25.00. (PR)

Describes the construction and use of a spectroscope using a compact disk as a reflection grating. Lists instructions for viewing emission spectra of white or fluorescent light sources or discharge tubes, and absorption spectra of colored solutions. Includes modified directions and expanded activities. Contains 16 references. (WRM)

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)

Describes strategies to introduce students in a first year chemistry course to the gas chromatograph coupled with a mass spectrometer (GC-MS) and provides students with hands-on experiences in its use. (ASK)

Materials science can be taught by applying organic light-emitting electrochemical thin-film devices and in this method students were allowed to make a light-emitting device by spin coating a thin film containing ruthenium (II) complex ions onto a glass slide. Through this laboratory method students are provided with the opportunity to learn about…

An experimental exercise on analytical proficiency studies in collaborative trials is proposed. This practical provides students in advanced undergraduate courses in chemistry, pharmacy, and biochemistry, with the opportunity to improve their quality assurance skills. It involves an environmental analysis, determining the concentration of a…

A laboratory exercise used in the senior biochemistry course at the University of Winnipeg for three years is discussed. It combines liquid chromatography and absorbance spectroscopy and also allows the students to produce a quantitative result within a single three-hour period.

With new and inexpensive computer-based methods, measuring the speed of light and the Earth's radius--historically difficult endeavors--can be simple enough to be tackled by high school and college students working in labs that have limited budgets. In this article, the author describes two methods of estimating the Earth's radius using two…

A laboratory experiment reinforces the concept of acid-base equilibria while introducing a common application of spectrophotometry and can easily be completed within a standard four-hour laboratory period. It provides students with an opportunity to use advanced data analysis techniques like data smoothing and spectral deconvolution to…

This article describes a novel, hands-on method to qualitatively determine the extent of microbial activity in topsoil using ordinary blank paper. Appropriate and scalable for the high school and college level, these experiments expose students to some of the challenges facing environmental researchers and also contribute to curriculum development…

A laboratory experiment is presented for the upper-level undergraduate physical chemistry curriculum in which the ternary phase diagram of water, 1-propanol and n-heptane is measured using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The experiment builds upon basic concepts of NMR spectral analysis, typically taught in the undergraduate…

New ways of obtaining environmental data are being developed to meet the demand for comprehensive, accurate, and timely information on the environment. This article examines four developments that are transforming the entire field of environmental measurement: spectroscopy; satellite transmission of environmental data; remote sensing; and…

This material discusses supernova, the violent death of a massive star, at a level appropriate for upper elementary students. Background information on Supernova 1987a is presented. Observation techniques using visible light, ultraviolet waves, radio waves, neutrinos, X-rays, and gamma-rays are described. A vocabulary list, 11 questions, and 6…