/mething new from the bo/t Energy "Home Heating Economy," Mario Iona, The Physics Teacher, 84, (February 1974). "The idea is widespread that a homeowner saves fuel by leaving his thermostat at a fixed setting rather than by turning it to a lower temperature setting at night." Iona discusses three parameters that are important to understand in order to deal with the incorrectness of the "idea." He discusses Conduction, Conuection, and Radiation. Though the article deals with the physics of the topic, the ideas presented can he very useful to the chemistry teacher when answering questions about energy and conservation thereof during classroom discussion. A good example fallows in the next article reviewed. "What costs More, Gas H e a t or Electric?", George Martins, T h e Science Teacher, 44 (October 1978). Martins oresents a simole oracedure far a lahoratorv investieation
Edited by: JOSEPH S. SCHMUCKLER Chairman of Science Education Temple Universihl 345 Rider Hall Philadelphia. PA 19122
"Principles of Chemical Reactions," R. T. Sanderson, J. CHEM. EDUC., 41 [I] 13 (January 1964). The February 1981 issue of THIS JOURNAL, Something New from the Past reported on, "The How and Why of Chemical Reactions" by Leo Schubert. The article being referred tonow, by Sanderson, is of a similar type. He too discusses "Why do Chemical Reactions Occur?" He discusses ". . . thenature of chemical change in the hope of recognizing and setting forth the basic principles that can help us to understand why. If we know why it occurs, then we can know what conditions are necessary to cause or prevent its occurrence and we can direct our ingenuity toward establishing such conditions." ". . .such understanding should be invaluable to students. . .faced with almost an infinite variety of chemical equations to he memorized but with no basis for recognizing that they do make sense." Sandersan explains fundamental principles to the beginning student. All of his 26 maior mints are in bold mint fallowed bv lucid . . explanations.
The Rubber Band Engine by Iona preceding this one) "Three Letters," Jerrold R. Zacharis, T h e Science Teacher, 33, [I], 31 (January, 1966). Early in the 19501s,Jerrold R. Zacharias, of PSSC fame (Physics, MIT), received a letter from a student asking, "What is an example of energy changinginto matter?" Zacharias took several years to develop his answer-and how he felt about the use of such concepts at the hieh school level. In aletter. October 11.1965. to Miss Helen Hale.
1. gravitational mass, 2. inertial mass, 3. energy, and 4. nose count.
The author writes in a clear and concise way, for the young letter writer, a good explanation of the phenomenon and two examples that illustrate E = Mc2.
Entropy "The Teaching of Thermodynamics, A Chem. Educ. Symposium," L u k e E. Steiner, J. CHEM. EDUC., 39 [lo], 491 (October 1962).
T h a t a piece of rubber contracts when heated was first observed b y J a m e s Prescott Joule a b o u t a century ago. It is known as t h e Joule effect. T h e writer of this feature series. Something New from the P a s t , first observed the phenomena in the Mid 50's a n d used the idea in T h e Hall of Chemistrv of has carried several articles about this phenomenon a n d they are listed below. (1) "The Carnot Cycle, A Chem. Educ. Tested Demonstration," J . CHEM. EDUC., 39 [I],69 (January 1962).
energy change sensor. (2) "Heat Runs" Rudy Kouhoupt, P o p u l a r Science, pp. 93-96 (January 1972). Kouhoupt describes the construction of a Rubber Band Engine Wheel. This was the form used in the Franklin Institute Exhibit referred to above. When used as a Teaching Demonstration using the Inquiry Approach-"What do you observe? Explain what you see." Interesting (and often incorrect) conclusions are made by the observer.
curriculum. Among the speakers whose papers are included in the Symposium series are 1) Henry A Bent, "The Second Law of Thermadynamics," Introduction for beginners at any level. 2) Milton Burton, "A Second Lecture in Thermodynamics." 3) John T. Yates, Jr., "Introduction to Physical Chemistry." "Content a n d Context. Entropy Principle Experiments i n a Course for Non-Science Students," Jerry A. Bell, J. CHEM. EDUC., 52 131,182 (March 1975). "This is a report on the way the context for these experiments was developed and haw they were used to test and expand the content." The amroach, ". . .was to besin with observations andsystems that .. were familiar.. . to scrutinize them carefully.. . develop and test models to explain them."
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(3) "Le Chatelier's Principle a n d a Rubber Band," Ronald DeLorenzo, J. CHEM. EDUC., 50 [2], 124 (February 1973).
Editor's Note During the Summer of1981, the writer of this Feature spent the slimmer teaching in the People's Republic of China. To his Chinese colleagues who have now been thoroughly introduced to the J. CHEMEDUC.andoll ofits fentures,Hello to all of you a t Tianjin Normal Uniuersity and at Huozhong Institute of Technology, Wuhon, Hebei Prouince!
(4) "Lecture
tropy," (December 1977).
Demonstration of EnJ. CHEM. EDUC., 54 [l21, 754
An almost identical set up of Dole's apparatus was used to develop "Rubber Elasticity-A Physical Chemistry Experiment,"" Morris Bader, J. CHEM.EDUC., 58 285, (March 1981).
Reaction Kinetics "Kinetics for the Undergraduate," A Chem. Ed. Symposium, Edward L. King, J. CHEM. EDUC.,40, [ll],573 (November 1963).
authors are well known far their continuous involvement in chemical education at the high school level. 0. T. Benfey was Editor of Chemistry, and J. Arthur Campbell was Director of the original CHEM Studv oraeram. " 1. "Concepts of Time in Chemistry." 0. T. Benfey. An historical Approach to the subject. 2. "Kinetics-Early and Often." J. Arthur Campbell. Campbell gives a good presentation of his now famous "Blue Bottle" experiment. 3. "A Course in Kinetics Based on Elementary Processes." Richard M. Noyes. 4. "Chemical Kinetics in Laboratory and Classroom." Robert E. Connick. 5. "A Laboratory Program in Chemical Kinetics." James E. Finholt.
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Volume 59
Number 2
February 1982
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