Chemistry Comes Alive!, Volume 1
Compiled by Jerrold J. Jacobsen and John W. Moore Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53706
Note:	See theChemistry Comes Alive! home page.
Chemistry Comes Alive! Volume 1 is the first in a series of CD-ROMs for Macintosh and Windows computers. Chemistry truly does come to life through this collection of pictures, animations, and movies depicting chemical reactions. The Chemistry Comes Alive! collection includes all of the images previously published by JCE Software in ChemDemos Videodisc (1) ChemDemos II (2), and Titration Techniques Videodisc (3) as well as more than two hours of new video, computer generated graphics and animations, and still more under development. The collection will be divided into several CD volumes on related topics as recommended for maximum usefulness by a group of chemistry educators. Click the figure above and see a video of a Ammonium Dichromate Volcano demonstration - a safe and convenient way to show an exciting demonstration, with no cleanup or disposal problems. In Chemistry Comes Alive!, the emphasis is on the chemistry. Reactions are shown close up. In only a few cases, where scale is important, can more than the demonstrators' hands be seen. Each reaction or demonstration illustrates an important aspect of chemistry, may involve substances or equipment that are not available in many schools, and/or is hazardous or causes problems of disposal or cleanup. All are certain to stimulate students' curiosity and help them learn. The movies in Chemistry Comes Alive! include a voice-over narration. The sound of a reaction is included when it is important. An example is Exploding Soap Bubbles: Hydrogen + Oxygen in which the loudness of the explosion depends on the mole ratio of gases in the mixture ignited. Several of the demos are accompanied by computer-generated animations that provide microscopic explanations of the macroscopic phenomena observed. Examples include Electrolysis, Acid-Base Titration, and Redox Titration. Volume 1 contains several topics generally included in a first semester introductory chemistry course. The topics are: Stoichiometry Reaction of Magnesium with Carbon Dioxide; Exploding Soap Bubbles: Hydrogen + Oxygen; Acid-Base Titrations and Animation; Redox Titration and Animation; Loss of mass of Marble due to reaction with Nitric Acid Combination Reactions Reaction of Potassium and Bromine; Reaction of Sodium and Chlorine; Reactions of Metals + Iodine; Hydrogen + Chlorine Cannon; Burning of Sulfur to produce Sulfur Dioxide; Oxidation and Reduction of Copper Decomposition Reactions Ammonium Dichromate Volcano; Nitrogen Triiodide Detonation; Electrolysis of Water; Electrolysis of Aqueous Solutions Single Exchange Reactions Reaction of Magnesium with Carbon Dioxide; Water Gas Reaction; Thermite Reaction; Electrochemical Series--Metal Trees; Oxidation and Reduction of Copper Double Exchange Reactions Precipitation Reactions; Acid-Base Titrations and Animation; Thermodynamic vs Kinetic Control: Forming Mercury(II) Iodide; Loss of mass of Marble due to reaction with Nitric Acid Gases Fluidity of Gases; Atmospheric pressure; Gas Volume; Effusion of Gases; Gas Density: Light and Heavy Balloons Electrical Properties of Matter Electrical Conductivity; Electrostatic Attraction A number of the demonstrations consist of a comprehensive series of reactions. This allows the instructor and students to compare and contrast the behavior of similar reactions, and to provide material that can be used in constructing tests. Examples include: Precipitation Reactions, Reactions of Metals + Iodine, Electrolysis of Aqueous Solutions, and Electrochemical Series-Metal Trees. The CD-ROM is organized in the manner of a World Wide Web site. You access the contents of the CD-ROM with a browser such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. Chemistry Comes Alive! provides links to JCE Online where you will find resources that complement the CD, including a consolidated index for all volumes of Chemistry Comes Alive! as they are developed, instructional materials that utilize Chemistry Comes Alive!, and previews of all the Chemistry Comes Alive! volumes. See http://jchemed.chem.wisc.edu/JCESoft/CCA/ for a preview of Volume 1, which demonstrates the content of the volume using movies that are smaller in size and of lesser quality than those available on the CD. Hardware and Software Requirements Computer CPU RAM Drives Graphics System Other Software Other Hardware Mac OS Compatible 68040 or Power Mac 8 MB 2 x CD-ROM Hard Disk Color monitor 256 colors System 7 or higher WWW browser with graphics Internet connection (optional) Windows Compatible 80486 or higher 12 MB 2 x CD-ROM Hard Disk Color monitor 256 colors Windows 3.x or Windows 95 WWW browser with graphics Internet connection (optional) Acknowledgement Funding for Chemistry Comes Alive! was provided by the National Science Foundation, Curriculum Reform Project, grant 9455928 and National Science Foundation, Instructional Materials Development grant ESI-9154099. Many individuals made significant contributions to the development of this project. These include: George Gilbert, Denison University; Frederick Mattes, Hastings College; David Phillips and John Zimmerman, Wabash College; Gerald Zweerink, Missouri Western State College; Lynn R. Hunsberger, University of Louisville; Steven D. Gammon, University of Idaho; Robert Gayhart, Bradley University; Kenneth R. Magnell, Central Michigan University; David Whisnant, Wofford College; Tony Tautges, Kelly Houston Jetzer, and Néha Petani University of WisconsinÐMadison. Chemistry Comes Alive! Volume 1 is narrated by Kelly Houston Jetzer and G. Earl Peace. Literature Cited Moore, J. W.; Jacobsen, J. J.; Hunsberger, L. R.; Gammon, S. D.; Jetzer, K. H.; Zimmerman, J. ChemDemos Videodisc, J. Chem. Educ. Software, 1994, SP 8. Moore, J. W.; Jacobsen, J. J.; Jetzer, K. H.; Gilbert, G.; Mattes, F.; Phillips, D.; Lisensky, G.; Zweerink, G. ChemDemos II, J. Chem. Educ. Software, 1996, SP 14. Jacobsen, J. J.; Jetzer, K. H.; Patani, N.; Zimmerman, J. Titration Techniques Videodisc, J. Chem. Educ. Software, 1995, SP 9. Availability Available: Now

First Published: July 1997

Citation: Jacobsen, J. J.; Moore, J. W. . Chemistry Comes Alive!, Volume 1 J. Chem. Educ. Software SP18

Keywords: Lecture Aid; Computer Room; High School; General; Demonstrations

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