Chemical Education Today cover design by Betsy True
Cover Feature
Chemistry Sudoku Puzzle Sudoku puzzles have taken the world by storm and their popularity can be used to help students learn a variety of chemical concepts, as discussed in three articles in this issue (1–3). This month’s cover also features a chemistry sudoku puzzle in which the usual numbers 1–9 have been replaced with 9 images from the 8 volumes of the JCE Software collection, Chemistry Comes Alive! (4–11). The identity of the images used in the cover puzzle and the solution to the puzzle Aluminum with Iron Oxide: Thermite Reaction. When ignited by a glycerin/permanganate reaction, an aluminum/iron oxide mixture reacts vigorously and spectacularly, producing molten iron and aluminum oxide (4, 10).
are shown below. Many more spectacular images from the Chemistry Comes Alive! collection can be found at: http:// www.jce.divched.org/JCESoft/ CCA/. Literature Cited 1. 2. 3. 4.
5. Colors of Elements in a Flame: Lithium Chloride. An aqueous solution of lithium chloride (LiCl) is sprayed from an aerosol spray bottle into the air inlet of a lit Meker burner (5, 10).
6.
7. Nitric Acid Acts Upon a Copper Penny. Concentrated (15 M) nitric acid reacts with an all-copper penny (pre-1982) (6, 11).
8. 9.
Mercury(II) Ion with Sodium Iodide. Sodium iodide (NaI) is added to mercury(II) ion (Hg2+). The result is an orange precipitate (7).
Oxidation of Glycerin with Solid Potassium Permanganate. Oxidation of glycerin (1,2,3-propanetriol) by potassium permanganate is demonstrated (8).
10. 11.
Welsh, M. J. J. Chem. Educ. 2007, 84, 610–611. Crute, T. D.; Myers, S. A. J. Chem. Educ. 2007, 84, 612–613. Perez, A. L.; Lamoureux, G. J. Chem. Educ. 2007, 84, 614. Jacobsen, J. J.; Moore, J. W. Chemistry Comes Alive!, Vol. 1, 2nd ed. (Stoichiometry; Combination, Decomposition, and Exchange Reactions; Gases; Electrical Properties of Matter) [CD-ROM]; J. Chem. Educ. Software 2000, SP 18. Jacobsen, J. J.; Moore, J. W. Chemistry Comes Alive!, Vol. 2, 2nd ed. (Electronic Structure/Periodic Table; Bonding; Solids/Liquids; Solutions) [CD-ROM]; J. Chem. Educ. Software 2000, SP 21. Jacobsen, J. J.; Moore, J. W. Chemistry Comes Alive!, Vol. 3 (Enthlapy/Thermodynamics; Oxidation/Reduction Reactions; Oxidation/Reduction Aqueous Solutions; Electrochemistry) [CD-ROM]; J. Chem. Educ. Software 2000, SP 23. Jacobsen, J. J.; Moore, J. W.; Bain, G.; Bruce, K. Chemistry Comes Alive!, Vol. 4 (Reactions in Aqueous Solution and Reactions of the Elements) [CD-ROM]; J. Chem. Educ. Software 2000, SP 25. Jacobsen, J. J.; Moore, J. W.; Trammell, G.; Johnson, K. Chemistry Comes Alive!, Vol. 5 (Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry) [CDROM]; J. Chem. Educ. Software 2001, SP 29. Jacobsen, J. J.; Moore, J. W.; Browne, L. M.; Zimmerman, J. F. Chemistry Comes Alive!, Vol. 6 (Chemistry Laboratory Techniques and Quantitative Techniques in Volumetric Analysis) [CD-ROM]; J. Chem. Educ. Software 2002, SP 30. Bain, R. L.; Jacobsen, J. J.; Maynard, J. H.; Moore, J. W. Chemistry Comes Alive!, Vol. 7 (Flames and Explosions) [CD-ROM]; J. Chem. Educ. Software 2005, SP 32. Bain, R. L.; Jacobsen, J. J.; Maynard, J. H.; Moore, J. W.; Mitschele, C. J. Chemistry Comes Alive!, Vol. 8 (Waves and Particles; Properties of Gases; Reactions in Aqueous Solutions; Bonus Topics) [CD-ROM]; J. Chem. Educ. Software 2006, SP 34.
images from Chemistry Comes Alive! vol. 1–8 (4–11)
Manual Mixing with a Glass Rod. Glass stirring rods can be used to homogenize a heterogeneous mixture (9).
Sulfur with Zinc. Zinc powder and sulfur are mixed. A heated metal rod causes the mixture to react vigorously (10).
Orange Tornado: Precipitation of Mercury(II) Iodide. When mercury(II) nitrate and potassium iodide are combined with rapid stirring, an orange tornado of mercury(II) iodide is formed (11). Oscillating Reaction: Belousov–Zhabotinskii. The Belousov–Zhabotinskii reaction oscillates in both time and space and involves bromate, bromide, malonic acid, sulfuric acid, ferroin indicator, and oxygen from the air (11).
www.JCE.DivCHED.org
•
Solution to the puzzle shown on the cover of this issue.
Vol. 84 No. 4 April 2007
•
Journal of Chemical Education
577
