Heroic thermodynamics

By Tom Husband2017-07-18T15:24:00

Source: andreea-cristina / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Engaging students with qualitative assessment of thermodynamics

Why did John Logie Baird, inventor of the television, reroute the entire output of the Clyde Valley Electrical Power Company into a dustbin full of coal dust? And what does he have in common with Superman?

I found these questions pretty useful for interesting my A-level students in considering the important, but dry, topic of Gibbs free energy. They also helped my younger students think about the scientific method.

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor.

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
applications for funding to support your lessons

Set up your Teach Chemistry account

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.