Blog Archives

Apple juice and vinegar — Chemistry prompts about weak acids

Posted on March 25, 2015 by harveyjohnson — Leave a comment

Generating interest in weak acids We started a unit this week applying equilibrium concepts to acid base chemistry. To motivate this discussion, we used prompts to engage students in the critical thinking skills of problem solving and lab design. Apple juice and vinegar…

The number of photons ejected from the sun in a second

Posted on March 26, 2013 by harveyjohnson — 4 Comments

How many photons does the sun emit in a second? The following worksheet was used in companion with this post for chemistry students. Our chemistry class used the work of Brian Cox and (originally) John Herschel to determine the number…

Justification of equilibrium rate constant form

Posted on March 18, 2013 by harveyjohnson — Leave a comment

In this video, I explain why the rate constant expressions for every chemical equilibrium can be written by (naively) assuming that the forward and reverse reactions are elementary reactions.

Tagged with: Advanced Chemistry
Posted in Advanced Chemistry

The Hidden Reality

Posted on October 7, 2011 by harveyjohnson — Leave a comment

Brian Greene’s The Hidden Reality The Hidden Reality is an excellent book for anyone. It is by no means a prerequisite that you must have taken a college-level physics course, and if you have ever wondered about the physical basis…