JOURNRL OF
Chemical € Jucation: Software Abstract for Volume VB, Number 1 Atomic Spectroscopy Philip Pavlik Northern Michigan University Marquette, MI 49855 Robert C. Rittenhouse Walia Walia College College Place, WA 99324 Martin J. Rose Project SERAPHIM University of Wiswnsin--Madison Madison, WI 53706 William F. Coleman Wellesley College Wellesley, MA 02181
Lake Study for Windows David M. Whisnant Wofford College Spatianburg. SC 29304 James A. McCormick Project CATALYST University of Wiswnsin--Madison Madison, WI 53706
Lake Study for Windows is a two-part simulation designed to involve students with the scientific method. I t a k w s them to collect dnta, finmulate hypotheses, and test the hypotheses with controlled experiments. It is based on a n ~ p p l I1 e program of the same name ( I , 2). I n the first part of the simulation students are asked to discover why young fish in a lake have difficulty breathing and consequently are dying. They can collect samples of the lake water: analvze them for metals. dissolved oxveen. . . and pesticides; obtain library references on toxicities ofthe various pollutants; look at the fish themselves: or talk to a
Atomic Spectrosco~vhas been desimed to in. troduce stidents to-tiie principles OFthe emission spectra of simple gas-phase atoms and ions, including several one-electron species. I t encourages students to begin with experimental data and then proceed from the data to a model rather than the other way around. (The data are realtaken from atomic spectroscopy tables--but are presented via a simulated experiment.) Once a model h a s been developed, i t can be used to make predictions t h a t can be tested against other experimental results. The program consists of modules that permit a student to: determine and record spectra via a simulated experiment; magnify, measure, and record wavelengths of spectral lines; compare two spectra; do spreadsheetlike calculations on wavelength values; and construct a n energylevel diagram and test it against experimental SPECTROGRAPH: OPTIONS observations. A workbook is included that con, : + , . & ) SELECT ELEMENT OR IOH ;;Eniir> DETERMINE ITS SPECTRUM tains an overview of the program's capabilities, a ,.Erij T% IE i?',HELP tutorial for first-time users, and a set of suggested exercises t h a t students can carry. out Screen from Atomic Spectroscopy showing determination of line spectrum from hyusing the program. drogen.
Volume 69 Number 2 February 1992
129
