Presents background information on nitric acid including old names, history, occurrence, methods of preparation, uses, production, and price. Includes such chemical properties as decomposition; acidity, oxidation of metals and nonmetals; reactions with organic and inorganic compounds; gaseous fluorine; and nitrating properties. Also discusses bond…

Because class size often limits student opportunity to handle individual models, teachers use stereoscopic projections to demonstrate structural features. Describes three-dimensional pointers for use with different projection systems so teachers can indicate a particular atom or bond to entire classes, avoiding the perspective problems inherent in…

Discusses major events leading to the development of the octet rule. Three conclusions based on the work of Mendeleev, Abegg, Thompson, Kossel, Lewis, and Langmuir are considered as is the debate over the rule's validity. (JN)

Discusses the measurement of electrons ejected from a system which is being irradiated with X-rays or ultraviolet photons, and a theoretical model for calculating core-electron ionization energies. (MLH)

Describes the use of magnets to simulate s, p, and d atomic orbitals from which a wide variety of molecular orbitals can be derived. The technique gives students an idea of molecular orbitals' shapes and stresses the importance of symmetry labels. (MLH)

Describes a card game that uses chemical symbol and number cards to represent chemical formulas. Also discusses an end-of-term review game that utilizes competing teams. (MLH)

Discusses the nature and applications of mass-selective laser photoionization. The ionization can be done with a single intense laser pulse lasting a few billionths of a second with no molecular fragmentation. Applications focus on: (1) benzene clusters, excimers, and exciplexes; (2) metal clusters; and (3) triplet formation and decay. (Author/JN)

Reviews graphical methods for representing ternary and quaternary systems, focusing on use of triangular composition diagrams. Examines some of the relevant geometry of triangles in general, showing that right isosceles triangles possess some very advantageous features for representing ternary systems. (JN)

Provides sample output and describes a program for programmable calculators that determines the molecular parameters of any type of diatomic molecule. (CS)

The salient features and importance of chain-reaction polymerization are discussed, including such topics as the thermodynamics of polymerization, free-radical polymerization kinetics, radical polymerization processes, copolymers, and free-radical chain, anionic, cationic, coordination, and ring-opening polymerizations. (JN)

Following a rationale for focusing on this topic, a molecular and nonmathematical approach is used to explain the basics of the flow (rheological) behavior of polymer melts, emphasizing the behavior of melts compared to that of solutions. (JN)

Suggests the topic of macromolecules and synthetic polymers be included in undergraduate courses. Two macromolecular systems (polyethylene in a state unperturbated by long-range interactions and a polypeptide undergoing a helix-coil transition) are described which are suitable for inclusion in the statistical mechanics section of physical…

Reviews the characteristics, reactions, importance, and commercial applications of block and graft copolymers. (JN)

Molecular mechanics is a nonquantum mechanical method for solving problems concerning molecular geometries and energy. Methodology based on: the principle of combining potential energy functions of all structural features of a particular molecule into a total force field; derivation of basic equations; and use of available computer programs is…