ChemEd X Talks, ChemBasics Talks - Schedule and Recordings
ChemEd X | Thu, 09/08/2022 - 13:00
Check out the schedule for upcoming ChemEd X Talks and ChemEd X ChemBasics Talks along with recordings of past events.
high school chemistry
How to Use TikTok and YouTube Shorts in Your Chemistry Class
Josh Kenney | Tue, 01/24/2023 - 15:42
TikTok and YouTube Shorts are video sharing platforms for short-form, vertical aspect videos. Both of these services are growing more quickly in popularity compared to more traditional video formats. Josh Kenney shares some of the ways that he is using short-form videos in his chemistry class and shares a free resource (an exam review worksheet that links to a YouTube Shorts playlist through a QR code).
Hatching Ideas to use Egg Cartons to Represent Electron Arrangements
Dean Campbell | Mon, 01/23/2023 - 14:11
Egg cartons and small objects such as milk jug caps or plastic eggs can be used to illustrate chemical concepts. The egg cartons can be cut into trays to represent atoms or to represent energy levels associated with atomic orbitals. The plastic caps or eggs distributed among the dimples of the trays can be used to represent electrons or pairs of electrons.
Chemistry and the Titanic
Tom Kuntzleman | Wed, 01/04/2023 - 09:56
Some metals and metal alloys undergo a transition to brittleness at cold temperature. This phenomenon likely contributed to the demise of the Titanic.
Incorporating Molecular Number Density into Demonstrations
Dean Campbell | Tue, 01/03/2023 - 08:05
Describing the number density of molecules involved in chemistry demonstrations while presenting those demonstrations can help to convey concepts such as the small size of molecules and how the distance between molecules can vary during change of physical state.
A Demo A Day II: Demonstrations and Props Used in My Environmental Chemistry Class
Dean Campbell | Sat, 12/03/2022 - 21:08
Short descriptions of demonstrations and props that Dean Campbell has used while teaching his collegiate Environmental Chemistry course. Many of these examples are also suitable for use in high school and collegiate General Chemistry courses.
Surprising Shrinking Styrofoam Stick: Using the Gas Laws to Get a Square Peg into a Round Hole
Dean Campbell | Thu, 11/10/2022 - 16:45
Polystyrene foam sticks with a square or rectangular profile will not fit into a round target hole (e.g., the opening of a soda bottle) at room temperature. However, they do contract sufficiently in contact with liquid nitrogen to fit into the hole and produce a simple demonstration of Charles’s Law. Many other polymer foams do not shrink under these conditions, but still provide opportunities to discuss and explore their structure and chemistry.
Bonding Interactive Notebook
Nora Walsh | Mon, 10/24/2022 - 13:29
Nora Walsh outlines the interactive notebook pages she uses for her unit on Bonding. All of the documents and foldables are available for download.
The Pumpkinator
Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 10/17/2022 - 17:09
This Pumpkinator is a fantastic orange-to-blue-to-orange chemical reaction that will make a great addition to your Halloween-themed chemistry demonstrations.
A Visit to Natural Fiber Welding: Demonstrating Green Chemistry in Action
Dean Campbell | Mon, 10/10/2022 - 09:00
The theme to the 2022 National Chemistry Week, observed October 16-22, is “Fabulous Fibers: The Chemistry of Fabrics”. A visit to Natural Fiber Welding, Inc. in Peoria, IL, revealed how that company is using ionic liquids to solvent weld cellulose fibers together to produce more durable yarn which can then be made into more durable fabric. The production method and “greenness” of the product is discussed, from the cellulose itself to the recycling of the solution used in the welding process. Macroscopic demonstrations of the fiber solvent welding process are also described.