Author Archives: alan

Where do I put my CH3 groups in a condensed formula?

I’ve been getting a lot of office visits and emails over the same homework problem. Folks say, “I typed CH3CH2CH(CH3)CH(CH3)CH3” or “I typed CH3(CH3)CHCH…” or “I typed CH3CH(CH3)CH…” and it was marked incorrect. =(

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Molecular Model Kits – Is NOW the time?

The Day 3 materials offered a small taste of where we are headed next: the 3-D world of molecules. Carbon is tetrahedral. Does this wedge-dashed diagram make sense? Can you rotate it in your head (rotate around any bond or … finish reading Molecular Model Kits – Is NOW the time?

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Making Sense of Electrons, Atoms, and Molecules

The discovery of the electron in 1897 was followed just 14 years later by the discovery of the atomic nucleus in 1911. In 1913 Bohr proposed a model of the hydrogen atom in which the electron made perfectly circular orbits … finish reading Making Sense of Electrons, Atoms, and Molecules

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Elemental Haiku

Carbon, C Show-stealing diva, throw yourself at anyone, decked out in diamonds. And that pretty much sums it up. Carbon is awesome. Interested in seeing how the other elements fare when filtered through haiku paper? Check out Elemental Haiku (Science, 4 … finish reading Elemental Haiku

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Protecting Your Eyes During Next Week’s Eclipse and Beyond

What’s so special about the sunlight during an eclipse? Isn’t it the same old sunlight we see the rest of the time? Yes, it is, but because the event is so interesting to look at, and because the normally blinding solar … finish reading Protecting Your Eyes During Next Week’s Eclipse and Beyond

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READ ME – this blog is dormant through Fall, 2018

This web page will not be maintained during the 2017-18 academic year. All course-related materials should be obtained from the appropriate Moodle pages. This site will resume business in Fall, 2018.

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Retrieval Practice Protects Your Memory

A new article in Science magazine from Prof. Ayanna Thomas’ research group is one that every O Chem student should look at. The article doesn’t contain any chemistry, but it contains some potentially valuable insights into becoming a more successful O Chem … finish reading Retrieval Practice Protects Your Memory

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Drop-In Tutors for Finals

The DoJo will have drop-in tutoring available 7-9 PM for Chem 201 on Sat (12/10) and Mon (12/12). Sam and Alan will also be in their offices for drop-in-consultation for much of Th/F/M/Tu/W, weather permitting.

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O chem slowing you down? Try FOH!

Some of you may be suffering from FMOOWMP. You know the symptoms, but you probably didn’t know that help was close at hand. And it’s painless. Here’s a short video to bring you up-to-speed. https://youtu.be/yQq1-_ujXrM

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Distractions Are Everywhere

I heard a presentation from a neuroscientist last week on how our brains work. She highlighted different brain networks that one can imagine working well in some situations (“keep an eye out for tigers and snakes”), but get corrupted into … finish reading Distractions Are Everywhere

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