Laboratory Manual to accompany Chemistry in Context

Overview

For those whose course including a laboratory component, a Laboratory Manual, compiled and edited by Gail A. Steehler (Roanoke College), is available for the 6th edition. The experiments use microscale equipment (wellplates and Beral-type pipets) and common materials. Project-type and cooperative/collaborative laboratory experiments are included. New experiments are on the ozone and biodiesel. Additional experiments are available on the Online Learning Center, as is the instructor’s guide.

Table of contents

1 What Am I Breathing? Preparation and Properties of O2 and CO2 1
2 Is it Pure or a Mixture? Chromatographic Study of Felt-Tip Pen Inks 9
3 Can I Spot a Trend? A Graphic Experience 13
4 What Protects Us from Ultraviolet Light? 23
5 Visibly Delighted: How Do Colored Solutions Interact with Light? 27
6 What Does a Molecule Look Like? Bonds, Molecular Models, and Molecular Shapes 37
7 How Can We Measure the Mass of a Molecule? Weighing Gases To Find Molar Masses 43
8 Chemical Moles: Soda to Table Salt. How Do Chemical Equations Connect Compounds? 51
9 Hot Stuff: An Energy Conservation Problem. Can I Measure What I Can’t See? 57
10 Which Fuels Provide the Most Heat? Comparison of the Energy Content of Fuels 59
11 Can Waste Oil be Turned into a Fuel? Biodiesel: Preparation and Properties 67
12 A Conductivity Detector for Ions. Can We Build Our Own Instruments? 77
13 How Much Acid is in Food? Analysis of Vinegar 85
14 What Makes Water Hard? Measurement of Water Hardness 93
15 How Does Human Activity Affect Water Purity? Measurement of Chloride in River Water 101
16 What’s in My Bottled Water? 109
17 Does Acid Reign? Reactions of Acids with Common Substances 117
18 Which Common Materials are Acids or Bases? 125
19 Does Acid Rain Fall in my Neighborhood? 133
20 Solubilities: An Investigation. How Do I Design My Own Lab Procedure? 139
21 Measurement of Radon in Air. Am I Breathing Radioactive Particles? 141
22 Can We Get Electricity from Chemical Reactions? 149
23 How Do Polymer Properties Connect to Structure? 157
24 Why Do Plastics Get Sorted for Recycling? Properties of Common Plastics 165
25 What Drugs are in an Analgesic Tablet? Identification by Thin-Layer Chromatography 171
26 How is Aspirin Made? 179
27 How Much Fat Is in Potato Chips and Hot Dogs? 189
28 How Much Sugar Is in Soft Drinks and Fruit Juices? 197
29 How Much Vitamin C is in Juice and Vitamin Tablets? 205
30 How Can We Isolate DNA? 213

Performance-Based Assessment Activities 217