Bruker SMART X2S is a portable benchtop diffractometer that requires only a 110 V outlet to operate. The instrument operation is intuitive and facile with an automation layer governing the workflow from behind the scenes. The user participation is minimal. At the end of an experiment, the instrument attempts to solve the structure automatically;…

Inexpensive electrodes for the measurement of pH have been constructed using the ionophore tribenzylamine for sensing H[superscript +] concentrations. Both traditional liquid-membrane electrodes and coated-wire electrodes have been constructed and studied, and both exhibit linear, nearly Nernstian responses to changes in pH. Measurements of pH…

Extending the usefulness of the instruments we have has never been more important. The current economic crisis has prompted all of us to re-examine how money is spent and to try to minimize our expenditures because of future uncertainties. We have been able to breathe new life into an aging 60 MHz NMR spectrometer used by hundreds of…

Five years of longitudinal data for general chemistry student assessments at the University of Georgia have been analyzed using item response theory (IRT). Our analysis indicates that minor changes in question wording on exams can make significant differences in student performance on assessment questions. This analysis encompasses data from over…

A simple, online, self-diagnostic tool has been developed to allow students to independently and quickly measure their potential of success in a first-year general chemistry course. The online tool employs well-established performance predictors in areas such as student educational background, conceptual basics, critical thinking, mathematical…

In this Activity, students identify samples of seven types of recyclable plastic by using a flowchart scheme. The flowchart procedure includes making density comparisons of the plastic samples in water and alcohol and observing physical changes of plastic samples subjected to boiling water temperatures and exposure to acetone. This scheme is…

Fascination with fireworks and pyrotechnics can be used for educational purposes. Several aspects of pyrochemistry such as redox reactions, flame colors, or the theory of combustion can be incorporated in the curriculum to illustrate some basic chemical principles, guaranteeing a lesson that will be engaging and memorable. Beyond classic…

Vast quantities, on the order of megatons, of pollutants are emitted monthly to the atmosphere both by natural and anthropogenic sources. The evaluation of rainwater composition has great importance in understanding the atmospheric chemical composition, as water drops scavenge particles and soluble atmospheric pollutants. Most students are aware…

As battery producers and vendors, legislators, and the consumer population become aware of the consequences of inappropriate disposal of batteries to landfill sites instead of responsible chemical neutralization and reuse, the topic of battery recycling has begun to appear on the environmental agenda. In the United Kingdom, estimates of annual…

Topics commonly taught in a general chemistry course can be used to calculate the quantity of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by various human activities. Each calculation begins with the balanced chemical equation for the reaction that produces the CO[subscript 2] gas. Stoichiometry, thermochemistry, the ideal gas law, and dimensional…

The basis sets for symmetry operations of d[superscript 1] to d[superscript 9] complexes in an octahedral field and the resulting terms are derived for the ground states and spin-allowed excited states. The basis sets are of fundamental importance in group theory. This work addresses such a fundamental issue, and the results are pedagogically…

Using readily available computational applications and resources, students can construct a high-level ab initio potential energy surface (PES) for the argon dimer. From this information, they can obtain detailed molecular constants of the dimer, including its dissociation energy, which compare well with experimental determinations. Using both…

Catalytic conversion is an important tool in environmental-remediation strategies and source removal of pollutants. Because a catalyst is regenerated, the chemistry can be extremely effective for conversion of undesirable pollutant species to less harmful products in situations where the pollutants have accumulated or are being continuously…

An electrochemical experiment is presented to illustrate biosorption to second-year and upper-division undergraduate students. The extraction of Cd[superscript 2+], Pb[superscript 2+], and Cu[superscript 2+] by nonliving "Typha latifolia" (cattail) roots can be monitored in real time by potentiometry determinations. The open circuit potential…

Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) have found increasing application in the analysis of biological samples. Using these techniques to solve problems in analytical chemistry should be an essential component of the training of undergraduate chemists. We…