Atoms => Molecules... & their properties
mineral, not vegetable, oil must be used. Latter has a polar headgroup and is too polar
Instructor guide will be available... someday. Just try 'em!
| Item | Actions | Observations | Ideas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Simple molecule viewer | View molecules as chemists represent them... or as they actually are (showing regions of charge and neutrality) | (not all features implemented) |
| 4 | Guided exploration of the bizarrities of water | Water lab | (Currently, no teacher's guide, but hey--it's science, so... or e-mail me!) |
| 10a | Create static using a balloon rubbed in hair (if too humid, use 'static wand'), pour thin streams of water and mineral oil pasted the charged item | Do both streams 'feel' the charged item? | Who is charged? |
| 10b | Cowardly pepper | Sprinkle a thin layer of ground pepper on pure water. Touch a toothpick that has been dipped in detergent to the surface | Why does the pepper flee? (Hint: pepper is just 'reporting' on movement at water's surface) |
| 10c | Oil, water, wax paper, aluminum foil | place drops of each liquid on flat surface of each covering | Do liquids cohere? Do they spread? |
| 20a | Alcohol and water | Make 4 tubes, each containing 1 ml water and 1 ml alcohol (methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol). See StructViewer software for 3D structures | Who mixes? What is this revealing? |
| 20b | Alcohol and water II | add saturating amount (1ml should do) of NaCl to the alcohol-water mixtures. Shake vigorously, wait. | What happens to which tubes? What does this say about Water, NaCl, and the alcohols? |
| 20c | Alcohol and water III | [this one isn't confirmed...] try a doubly ionic salt (Ca++, Ba++) instead of single (Na+) |