Features – Page 7
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FeatureSymmetry of buckminsterfullerene
Both Euler's formula and Descartes' theorem can be used to show how buckyballs are made from closed cages of carbon pentagons and hexagons
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FeatureChemical Bonding
A masterclass in teaching the topic of bonding, basing chemical explanation on physical forces
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FeatureTwo-step bromine attack
An experiment for the classroom to show that bromine adds to an alkene by two-step electrophilic addition
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FeatureMaking the most of valency
Teachers are encouraged to use valency as a way of rationalising the atomic composition of a large number of compounds
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FeatureA blockbuster synthesis for undergraduates
By investigating the synthesis of a major antiulcer drug, undergraduates get an insight into the challenges of modern process chemistry
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FeatureInvestigating Crystal Structures
Sixthformers are introduced to Madelung constants as a way of investigating ionic crystal structures
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FeatureWhat is entropy?
What's the best way to introduce to your students this most misunderstood of thermodynamic properties?
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FeatureInvestigations get real
What real chemists do can be the basis of motivating investigations and learning in school chemistry
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FeatureCambridge Pre-U chemistry
The 'Cambridge Pre-U' qualifications - the latest alternatives to A-levels
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FeatureBuild your own spectrophotometer
By designing and building their own visible-light spectrophotometers, students get to grips with the underlying principles of this widely used analytical tool
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FeatureExperimenting with biodiesel
The synthesis of biodiesel is exploited to teach general chemistry principles and as a way of fostering a 'green conscience' within undergraduate chemistry students
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FeatureInvestigating commercial sunscreens
Commercial sunscreens provide the basis of an industry-linked investigation suitable for students at various levels
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FeatureMaking triazoles, the green way
Triazole synthesis provides an excellent example of a reaction that has the potential to illustrate principles of green chemistry to undergraduates
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FeatureMicroscale chemistry
The range of school experiments being done on the microscale is growing. Here are examples from Key Stage 3, through Key Stage 4, to A-level
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FeatureInvestigating activation energies
A challenge for post-16 students to investigate the activation energies of the enzyme-catalysed and the inorganic-catalysed decomposition of hydrogen peroxide
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FeatureApplied science: on course
Applied science has a key role in the 14-16 curriculum, and its popularity is growing
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FeatureThe carbon dioxide problem
Measuring carbon dioxide from plant debris provides an opportunity for an inquiry-based experiment aimed at 14-15 year olds. Similar experiments are done by soil scientists and ecologists in their efforts to understand the global carbon cycle
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FeatureRough science and homemade batteries
Investigations involving simple batteries made from items found in the home or school laboratory can help KS3 pupils understand the origin of current, voltage and power, and the chemistry that drives batteries.