The history behind the association of Avogadro's name related to the hypothesis that equal volumes of gases at constant temperature and pressure contain equal numbers of molecules is explored. The findings suggest that the index entry "Avogadro's Number" did not become common in American college texts until the 1930s and was rare in American high…

The different methods used for computing labile metal-ligand complexes, which are suitable for an iterative computer solution, are illustrated. The ligand function has allowed students to relegate otherwise tedious iterations to a computer, while retaining complete control over what is calculated.

Reconstructing phylogenies from nucleotide sequences is a challenge for students because it strongly depends on evolutionary models and computer tools that are frequently updated. We present here an inquiry-based course aimed at learning how to trace a phylogeny based on sequences existing in public databases. Computer tools are freely available…

Modern computer-based molecular modelling opens up new possibilities for chemistry teaching at different levels. This article presents a case study seeking insight into Finnish school teachers' use of computer-based molecular modelling in teaching chemistry, into the different working and teaching methods used, and their opinions about necessary…

By comparing two-dimensional (2D) chemical animations designed for computer's desktop with three-dimensional (3D) chemical animations designed for the full immersive virtual reality environment CAVE[TM] we studied how virtual reality environments could raise student's interest and motivation for learning. By using the 3ds max[TM], we can visualize…

A new type of DVD spectroscope, the periscope type, is described and the numerical analysis of the observed emission and absorption spectra is demonstrated. A small and thin mirror is put inside and an eighth part of a DVD is used as a grating. Using this improved DVD spectroscope, one can observe and photograph visible spectra more easily and…

Laboratory and practical courses, where students become familiar with experimental techniques and learn to interpret data and relate them to appropriate theory, play a vital role in chemical education. In the large panoply of currently available techniques, it is difficult to find a rational and easy way to classify the techniques in relation to…

Nanotechnology is viewed by those in favor of its development in two different ways, and the divide is not recent. This article describes the origins of the differing visions of nanotechnology and examines their broader impacts. The typical history of the field tells nothing about these differing visions, which perhaps misleads. At least two…

Describes the piezoelectric effect in ceramics and presents a quantitative representation of this effect. Explains the processes involved in the manufacture of piezoelectric ceramics, the materials used, and the situations in which they are applied. (GS)

Presented are representative examples of the spectra and the analyses for a linear molecule (HC1), a symmetric top molecule (NH3), and an asymmetric top (H2O). Any combination of these projects could be incorporated in a physical chemistry or molecular spectroscopy laboratory. (RH)

Ligand binding is generally explained in terms of the equilibrium constant K[subscript d] for the protein-ligand complex dissociation. However, both theoretical considerations and experimental data point to the life span of the protein-ligand complex as an important, but generally overlooked, aspect of ligand binding by macromolecules. Short-lived…

The usefulness of the bond triangle for categorizing compounds of the main-group elements may be extended by the use of weighted average electronegativities to allow distinction between compounds of the same elements with different stoichiometries. In such cases a higher valency for the central atom leads to greater covalent character and the…

A simple algorithm for a complete enumeration of the possible ways a redox reaction (RR) might be uniquely decomposed into half-reactions (HRs) using the response reactions (RERs) formalism is presented. A complete enumeration of the possible ways a RR may be decomposed into HRs is equivalent to a complete enumeration of stoichiometrically…

Valence as a numerical measure of an atom's combining power, expressed by the number of bonds it forms in a molecular formulation of the compound in question, was unable to cope with coordination compounds. The covalence of an atom is the nearest model equivalent, but is subject to ambiguity since it often depends on which bonding model is being…

A series of substituted benzoic acids (SBAs) are prepared by students. The pKa shift, a result of the electron-withdrawing or electron-donating characteristics of the subsistent is examined in reference to the electrophoretic migration behavior of benzoic acid.