Chemical Education Today
Reports from Other Journals
The Information Column Journal of Chemical Education • Subscription Fulfillment: new, gift, renewal, change of address: see Reader Inquiry Card • A Guide for Submissions: see page 910; also available from the Editorial Office by fax, email, or World Wide Web (JCE: Online) • JCE: Online: http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/ • Books and Other Publications: see A200 • JCE: Software orders, information, A Guide for Submissions: see page 875
ACS Division of Chemical Education, Inc. • Membership Information, Officers, or Newsletter: Jerry L. Sarquis, CHED Secretary, Department of Chemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH 45056; 513-529-2819; 513-529-5715 (Fax);
[email protected]; http://divched.chem.wisc/ ed/divched/#top.
Examinations Institute • ACS DivCHED Standardized Tests, Test Item Banks: Examinations Institute, 223 Brackett Hall, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634; 864-656-1249; 864-656-1250 (Fax);
[email protected]; http://tigerched.clemson.edu.
Safety Guidelines • Minimum Safety Guidelines for Chemical Demonstrations: Jerry L. Sarquis, see above.
Lists of Available Textbooks and Other Classroom Materials • Book Buyer's Guide: a print resource in each September Journal; updates each March. • Chemical Education Resource Shelf: an online resource (http://www.umsl.edu/~chemist/books/ index.html) of JCE Internet, includes Index to Chemistry Textbooks in Print; has hyperlinks to publisher's sites.
Organizations • American Chemical Society: 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; 202-872-4600; http:// www.acs.org/. • AAAS: American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1200 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20005; 202-326-6640; 202-371-9526 (Fax); http:// www.aaas.org/. • NSTA: 1840 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 222013000; 1-800-722-NSTA; http://www.nsta.org/. • National Science Foundation 4201 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22230; 703-306-1234; http://www.nsf.gov/ . • U.S. Department of Education.: Washington DC 20202; 800-872-5327; http://www.ed.gov/.
A192
Selected Articles from Education In Chemistry, by Paul F. Schatz Education in Chemistry is a bimonthly publication of the Royal Society of Chemistry, which has a subscription rate for nonmembers of the Royal Society of $195 for six issues per year. Each issue contains news items about education in chemistry in Great Britain and several short articles of two to three pages each on a wide variety of subjects of interest to educators. This survey is an eclectic and definitely personal collection from the previous eighteen months. Michael Spiro, “What's in a nice cup of tea?” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(1), 11. A description of how black tea is made (by fermentation) and what organic compounds it contains. (21 references)
This survey [of Education in Chemistry] is an eclectic and definitely personal collection from the previous eighteen months.
Reiko Isuyama, Peter W. Tiedemann, and Omar A. El Seoud, “Halogenation of alkanes, revisited,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(1), 23. Demonstrations of light-catalyzed bromination and phase transfer dehydrobromination are described. (14 references) T. M. Brown, C. J. Cooksey, A. T. Dronsfield, and R. Boon, “Porphyrins—past, present and future,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(2), 44. Several chemical concepts and techniques are described with porphorins as examples. Laboratory preparations of tetraphenylporphorin and several of its metal complexes are included. (13 references)Simon A. Coffon, “Searching for the transactinides,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(3), 67. A brief recounting of the synthesis of man-made elements 104 to 111. (19 references) John W. Nicholson and Lydia R. Pierce, “Strontium—a neglected element,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(3), 74 The story of strontium. (12 references) John Mann, “The antibiotic era,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(4), 94. The successes of antibiotics from salvarsan to penicillins to valinomycin are outlined. The need for continued reseach in light of acquired drug resistance by bacteria is emphasized. (10 references)
Journal of Chemical Education • Vol. 73 No. 9 September 1996
Chemical Education Today
Reports from Other Journals
Terence R. Kee, “The one minute lecture,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(4), 100. Small groups of students prepare concise presentations on a given topic. Students learn to focus on the most important aspects and facts as well as learning organization skills. (1 reference) Michael Laing, “Shaping up with EAN and VSEPR,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(4), 102. The effective atomic number (EAN) and the valence shell electron pair repulsion (VESPR) rule are used to predict geometries of transition metal complexes. (29 references) Barry Halliwell, “Free radicals—in sickness and in health,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(5), 123. The link between free radicals and illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritus, Parkinson's disease, and heart disease is highlighted. (16 references) T. M. Brown, C. J. Cooksey, A. T. Dronsfield, and T. R. B. McLachlan, “Analysing mixtures, the modern way,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(5), 125. A short description of modern gas chromatography/ quadrupole mass spectrometry instrumentation. (5 references) E. O. Bishop, “Group work for undergraduates,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(5), 131. Laboratory practicals consisting of projects carried out by teams of 5 to 7 students are described. (9 references) Michael Laing, “The Karlsruhe Congress, 1860,” Educ. Chem. 1995, 32(6), 151. A short account of the first international conference of chemists convened to establish the atomic weights of the elements. (7 references) Najah J. Kadhim, Stuart H. Laurie, and Reman McDonagh, “Chemistry for electronics,” Educ. Chem. 1996, 33(1), 11. The chemical etching process used in the manufacture of semiconductors is explained. GaAS is used as a specific example. R. J. H. Clark, C. J. Cooksey, M. A. M. Daniels, and R. Withnall, “Indigo—red, white and blue,” Educ. Chem. 1996, 33(1), 16. The synthesis of indirubin is described. Historical and other background information on indigoid dyes—indigo, Tyrian purple, and indirubin—is provided. (24 references)
P. G. Nelson, “Demonstrating constant composition,” Educ. Chem. 1996, 33(1), 22. A demonstration of constant composition using precipitation of barium chromate is described. (3 references) John Nicholson, “Cyanide—a toxic partnership,” Educ. Chem. 1996, 33(2), 39. A brief description of the discovery and chemical and physical properties of hydrogen cyanide and other cyanide compounds. (13 references) Michael Laing, “Bonding in ozone,” Educ. Chem. 1996, 33(2), 46. A description of the bonding in ozone is developed considering only overlap of 2p atomic orbitals on oxygen. The predicted bond length and bond angle are consistent with measured physical properties. (17 references) T. M. Brown, C. J. Cooksey, A. T. Dronsfield, and T. R. B. McLachlon, “In control of organic reactions,” Educ. Chem. 1996, 33(2), 48. An experiment for upper-level undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory is described. Acetophenone and related compounds are reduced with an optically active reagent (DIP-Chloride) to yield a chiral alcohol with high enantiomeric excess. (6 references) M. J. Pratt, “Chemistry on a plate,” Educ. Chem. 1996, 33(3), 68. The role of polymers and photochemistry in modern lithographic printing is discussed. (7 references) K. S. Lou, K. H. Wong, E. T. Chau, and S. K. Yeung, “Fibre optics in the laboratory,” Educ. Chem. 1996, 33(3), 75. The construction of a simple fiber optic sensor from readily available materials is described. (8 references) Stephen W. Bigger, Lawrence N. Ngeh, John D. Orbell, and Peter T. McTigue, “Kinetics in a calorimeter,” Educ. Chem. 1996, 33(3), 80. Two experiments in reaction kinetics, the hydration of propanal and the hydrolysis of tert-butyl chloride, are described. The kinetics are followed using a simple calorimeter. (14 references)
Paul F. Schatz is in the Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706;
[email protected].
Vol. 73 No. 9 September 1996 • Journal of Chemical Education
A193
