Chemical Mystery #20: Magic Kool-Aid
Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 07/11/2022 - 10:05
You can solve Chemical Mystery #20 if you know your chemistry...and your magic!
Outreach
Why every student should take chemistry: An astrophysicist’s perspective
Thomas Cox | Thu, 06/02/2022 - 16:08
Student: "Why do I have to take this chemistry class?" Heard it before, perhaps numerous times right? Let's see what an astrophysicist has to say about this ubiquitous student question.
Cabbage, colours and cleaning products: A citizen science inspired review of anthocyanin extractions that can be attempted at home
Iain Smellie | Mon, 12/06/2021 - 13:59
Check out this citizen science inspired review of anthocyanin extractions that can be attempted at home
A Polystyrene Model of Polystyrene Tacticity
Dean Campbell | Sun, 11/21/2021 - 10:55
Thin sheets of polystyrene can be patterned with permanent markers to represent repeating units of the polymer and then shrunk down in size using heat. The shrunken models of the repeating units can be connected with a string and then flipped into positions to demonstrate different types of polymer tacticity.
Recreating the Mary Poppins Colored Medicine Scene with Acid-Base Indicators
Nick Thomas | Mon, 09/27/2021 - 13:21
When introducing acid-base theory, the concept of indicators and their pH color changes is usually discussed. To illustrate some color transitions to students, a classroom demonstration has been devised based on a memorable scene from Disney’s 1964 movie Mary Poppins.
Soda Fountains from Aluminum Cans
Dean Campbell | Thu, 09/16/2021 - 15:18
The familiar soda fountains that can be produced by adding Mentos candies to plastic bottles of carbonated beverages can also be produced by adding objects to carbonated beverages in aluminum cans. A variety of simple methods for producing soda fountains from cans are described.
LEGO Brick Atmosphere Sticks
Dean Campbell | Sun, 06/06/2021 - 11:25
Stacks of LEGO bricks can be used to illustrate the composition and pressures of various planetary atmospheres. Guides for the construction and use of these atmosphere sticks are provided.
Program Evaluation Part 4 – My Theory of Evaluation
Clarissa Sorens... | Mon, 04/19/2021 - 19:02
Evaluations are part of everyday life. This multi-part blog has aimed to expand the collective understanding on what is evaluation and what are some ways that it is done.
The Carbon Dioxide Spiral Staircase
Douglas Mulford | Mon, 03/15/2021 - 11:17
The demonstration where CO2 is generated and used to snuff out a candle in an aquarium or other container is well known. This article describes a dramatic variation on these demonstrations that allows for discussion of such topics as the ideal gas law, densities of different gases, gas density changes with temperature, miscibility, and viscosity. The device described is easily and inexpensively produced and stored. The demonstration is large scale and works well for classrooms and community outreach events.
How Does the Rainbow Candy Experiment Work?
Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 02/08/2021 - 07:10
Have you seen the rainbow candy experiment? It's a very simple experiment that involves pouring water into a plate that has M&M's candies or Skittles arranged in a pattern. Very curious shapes of sharply divided regions form spontaneously. How does this happen?!