Category Archives: Post-lecture

I have retired from the Reed College faculty, effective Sept 1, 2021. This Chem 201 site hosts materials that I created for the classes I taught between Fall 2008-2019. If you are looking for a current version of the Chem … finish reading Chem 201 – Olde Reede version

Understanding what molecules look like, how they move, what relationships exist between atoms, are all challenging mental tasks. Here are two tools that might help.

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

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

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

Predicting the outcome of an “opposite side attack” SN2 reaction can be confusing at first, but animations can help. Check out the SN2 animation at chemtube3D.com. To operate the animation, find the drawing of the chemical reaction and click on … finish reading SN2 Reaction Animation

The web is loaded with videos explaining optical activity and demonstrating polarimeters of various types (see Sorrell, Fig. 4.3, p. 114). Here are two SHORT clever videos from David Whyte (and his cheeky daughter?): Home made polarimeter by David Whyte. (https://youtu.be/HP14LAEy9BY) … finish reading Optical Activity of Sucrose: Laptop + Sunglasses