Describes a simple redox reaction that occurs between potassium permanganate and oxalic acid that can be used to prepare an interesting disappearing ink for demonstrating kinetics for introductory chemistry. Discusses laboratory procedures and factors that influence disappearance times. (CW)

Reports an experimental procedure for studying Einstein's theory of Brownian movement using commercially available latex microspheres and a video camera. Describes how students can monitor sphere motions and determine Avogadro's number. Uses a black and white video camera, microscope, and TV. (ML)

Explores the selection, source, funding, time constraints, and community support involved in developing carefully planned and executed science projects. Lists 21 kinetics experiments noting the instrumentation needed and the original references. (MVL)

A new method is presented for measuring the rate of the oxidation of glucose in the presence of glucose oxidase. The improved method employs luminescence measurements to directly determine the concentration of oxygen in real time, thus obviating complicated reaction schemes employed in previous methods. Our method has been used to determine…

The use of participatory lecture demonstrations in the classroom is described. Examples are given for the following topics: chromatography, chemical kinetics, balancing equations, the gas laws, kinetic molecular theory, Henry's law of gas solubility, electronic energy levels in atoms, and translational, vibrational, and rotational energies of…

Describes a physical chemistry experiment that uses Fourier transform (FTIR) spectrometers and microcomputers as a way of introducing students to the spectral storage and manipulation techniques associated with digitized data. It can be used to illustrate FTIR spectroscopy, simple kinetics, inorganic mechanisms, and Beer's Law. (TW)

Describes a kinetic and mechanistic investigation of ascorbic acid by a substitution-inert complex in acidic medium suitable for the undergraduate level. Discusses obtaining the second order rate constant for the rate determining step at a given temperature and comparison with the value predicted on the basis of the Marcus cross-relation. (CW)

Discusses the mechanism and the change of pH during the reaction. Notes that a dramatic rise in pH occurs when the reaction nears completion. Evaluates theories by other authors. (MVL)

An activity in which students obtain a growth curve for algae, identify the exponential and linear growth phases, and calculate the parameters which characterize both phases is described. The procedure, a list of required materials, experimental conditions, analytical technique, and a discussion of the interpretations of individual results are…

Examines the influence of enzyme and substrate concentrations, pH, temperature, and inhibitors on catalytic activity. Follows the influence of different phosphate concentrations in the growth medium on enzyme activity. Studies regulation of enzyme synthesis by repression. Includes methodology for six experiments. (MVL)

Shows how video recordings of the Brownian motion of tiny particles may be made. Describes a classroom demonstration and cites a reported experiment designed to show the random nature of Brownian motion. Suggests a student experiment to discover the distance a tiny particle travels as a function of time. (MVL)

Follows the increase of the pH in a solution of vinegar during neutralization with commercial antacid tablets. Provided are background information, equipment details, procedures, and details of the data analysis. (MVL)

This unit is based on the premise that science was developed for the purpose of describing and explaining natural phenomena. This means that an important part of teaching science consists of giving students the chance to practice their own descriptions and explanations. This unit was specifically designed to help middle school students acquire an…

This unit is based on the premise that science was developed for the purpose of describing and explaining natural phenomena. This means that an important part of teaching science consists of giving students the chance to practice their own descriptions and explanations. This unit contains many questions that require students to write out…