JCE Software, 9B1: Beer's Law

Beer's Law: A Computerized Experiment

Jacqueline L. Scott
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706

Note:
This program is out of print.

This program is a modification of KineticsLab: The Crystal Violet/Sodium Hydroxide Reaction (1) and is published here as a derivative of that program. The program has been modified to provide a simple introduction to Beer's Law with data acquisition using the Personal Science Lab (PSL) (2) hardware and a Blocktronic PSL photometer (3).
The program is designed to walk students through all aspects of obtaining a Beer's Law calibration plot based on the absorption of a colored complex formed by the reaction of ethanol with ammonium hexanitro cerium (IV). The percent ethanol in a sample of white wine is then determined. The exercise requires approximately 1.5 hours and can easily be combined with a related exercise in a 2-3 hour laboratory period. The program is most effective when coupled with a broader introduction to spectroscopy.
The wording and directions in the program are framed in terms of the analyses of a wine sample, but this can easily be modified to guide students through the analysis of any number of substances. The only requirement is that the analyte absorb strongly in the wavelength region that the PSL photometric probe can detect.
Hardware and Software Requirements
Programs in Series B of JCE: Software require an IBM PC-compatible microcomputer with 640K RAM, a hard disk, one floppy disk drive, and VGA or better graphics. DOS 5.0 or greater is required.
In addition to the above, Beer's Law requires a Personal Science Laboratory (2) with temperature probe and photometric or radiometric probe. Additional materials are also required to build the Blocktronic PSL photometer (3).
Literature Cited

Cannon, J. F., Gammon, S. D., Hunsberger, L. R.; KineticsLab: The Crystal Violet Sodium Hydroxide Reaction, J. Chem. Educ.: Software, 1994, 7B, (1).
Personal Science Lab (PSL), Team Labs, 6390 B Gunpark Drive, Boulder, CO 80301; 1-800-PSL-HELP.
Hunsberger, L. R.; Gammon, S. D.; Ladell, T. E.; Holmes, J. L., Blocktronic PSL Colorimeter, J. Chem. Educ.: Software, 1994, 7 B, (1).

First Published: June 1996
Citation: Scott, J. L. . Beer's Law: A Computerized Experiment J. Chem. Educ. Software 9B1
Keywords: Laboratory; High School; General; Visible spectrophotometry; Lab interface-PSL

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Last Updated: April 26, 2001
Created: December 4, 1996 Created by: J. L. Holmes
Comments to: jceonline@chem.wisc.edu

© 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.



Beer's Law: A Computerized Experiment
Jacqueline L. Scott University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706

Note:	This program is out of print.

This program is a modification of KineticsLab: The Crystal Violet/Sodium Hydroxide Reaction (1) and is published here as a derivative of that program. The program has been modified to provide a simple introduction to Beer's Law with data acquisition using the Personal Science Lab (PSL) (2) hardware and a Blocktronic PSL photometer (3). The program is designed to walk students through all aspects of obtaining a Beer's Law calibration plot based on the absorption of a colored complex formed by the reaction of ethanol with ammonium hexanitro cerium (IV). The percent ethanol in a sample of white wine is then determined. The exercise requires approximately 1.5 hours and can easily be combined with a related exercise in a 2-3 hour laboratory period. The program is most effective when coupled with a broader introduction to spectroscopy. The wording and directions in the program are framed in terms of the analyses of a wine sample, but this can easily be modified to guide students through the analysis of any number of substances. The only requirement is that the analyte absorb strongly in the wavelength region that the PSL photometric probe can detect. Hardware and Software Requirements Programs in Series B of JCE: Software require an IBM PC-compatible microcomputer with 640K RAM, a hard disk, one floppy disk drive, and VGA or better graphics. DOS 5.0 or greater is required. In addition to the above, Beer's Law requires a Personal Science Laboratory (2) with temperature probe and photometric or radiometric probe. Additional materials are also required to build the Blocktronic PSL photometer (3). Literature Cited Cannon, J. F., Gammon, S. D., Hunsberger, L. R.; KineticsLab: The Crystal Violet Sodium Hydroxide Reaction, J. Chem. Educ.: Software, 1994, 7B, (1). Personal Science Lab (PSL), Team Labs, 6390 B Gunpark Drive, Boulder, CO 80301; 1-800-PSL-HELP. Hunsberger, L. R.; Gammon, S. D.; Ladell, T. E.; Holmes, J. L., Blocktronic PSL Colorimeter, J. Chem. Educ.: Software, 1994, 7 B, (1).


News \| Issues \| CD-ROM / Video \| Find It! \| Technical Support \| For Authors
JCE Online \| Journal \| Software \| Internet \| Happenings \| About JCE \| Contact JCE

Last Updated: April 26, 2001 Created: December 4, 1996	Created by: J. L. Holmes Comments to: jceonline@chem.wisc.edu

© 1997 Division of Chemical Education, Inc., American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.