Chemistry Innovative Uses

Inquiry experiments can be designed to be carried out using everyday household items. In this experiment, students use common beverages to investigate the relationship between conductivity and electrolyte levels. The experiment uses a Conductivity Probe and LabQuest 2 for data collection and analysis. Students begin the experiment by measuring the conductivity of distilled water. They…

Subjects: Chemistry

By Jack Randall Long ago, when I was a high school chemistry teacher, my students ran a forensics experiment using a Spectronic 20 spectrophotometer. The students measured the absorbance spectra of food dyes in various sports drinks to determine which drink had been “poisoned.” The Spectronic 20 used by my students worked very well, but…

Subjects: Chemistry

Jon Asbornsen, of the Hawken School (Gates Mills, OH), shared his work on a novel twist to a time-honored demonstration of boiling points that uses LabQuest, a Gas Pressure Sensor, and a Temperature Probe. In the demonstration, a small volume of water is placed in a bell jar. As the air in the jar is…

Subjects: Chemistry

Comparison of regular generic soda and diet soda using polarimetry In this activity, students use the Polarimeter to identify which sugars everyday beverages have in common. First, it is necessary to concentrate the beverages. They are initially too dilute to see any differences in sugar content. One way to concentrate the solution is to dry…

Subjects: Advanced Chemistry, Chemistry, College Chemistry

Just when you think that every possible variation of acid-base titrations has been explored and documented, along comes one more—and this one is really interesting. Larry Dukerich (Arizona State University) and Guy Ashkenazi (The Israel Center for Excellence through Education) constructed a custom Logger Pro 3 experiment file so that an acid-base titration would plot…

Subjects: Chemistry

Use our award-winning Logger Pro software to create sample movies for teaching chemistry. This is an excellent opportunity to use video analysis to sync a video of the experiment with real-time graphing of the data. For example, video analysis can be a valuable instructional tool for teaching students how to identify the melting temperature of organic solids…

Subjects: Chemistry

An interesting and challenging problem for AP Chemistry students is the investigation of a mixture. We offer a chemistry experiment in which the student analyzes a mixture of hydrochloric acid, HCl, and phosphoric acid, H3PO4. The student is presented with the task of conducting a seemingly routine acid-base titration. However, the student must analyze the…

Subjects: Chemistry

This quick experiment is great for National Chemistry Week and celebrating Mole Day! OBJECTIVES In this experiment, you will use an electrolytic cell to determine Avogadro’s number. MATERIALS Computer and Vernier computer interface or LabQuest Logger Pro 3 or LabQuest App Vernier Current Probe 3.0 volt DC power supply Four connecting wires with alligator clips…

Subjects: Chemistry

When you think of pH, you probably think of liquid acids and bases. But soil can be acidic or basic, too. Soils with pH above 7 are basic or sweet. Soils with pH below 7 are acidic or sour. The pH of soil is an important factor in determining which plants will grow because it…

Subjects: Chemistry

Fluorescent molecules are compounds that absorb light of one wavelength, then re-emit light at a longer wavelength. This emitted light can be quantified using fluorescence spectroscopy. Molecular and cellular biologists use fluorescent compounds to label proteins, gels, and even cellular organelles. In many ways, fluorescent compounds have revolutionized research in the life sciences. The new…

Subjects: Chemistry