Discusses the difficulty of explaining the concept of entropy, and provides exercises, experiments, and discussions concerning entropy. (MLH)

Thermochemical cycles are used to decide which hypothetical compounds might exist and, if not, what is the factor that condemns them to non-existence. Hypothetical compounds of rare gases provide examples of the approach with added historical interest that thermochemical considerations led to prediction and demonstration that XePtF-6 was stable.…

Described is a demonstration utilized to measure the heat of vaporization using the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Explained is that when measurement is made as part of a demonstration, it raises student's consciousness that chemistry is experimentally based. (Author/DS)

Discusses and compares the use of the word "reversibility" as it applies to thermodynamics, to equilibrium studies, and to kinetics. Discusses misuse of the word "irreversible" and its elimination from descriptions of chemical reactions. (CS)

Fire-fighting considerations teachers may want to raise with students in physics classes are discussed. Concepts involved in extinguishing fires and the operation of fire equipment are detailed. (CW)

Generated are over 70 chemical reactions which constitutes a minicourse in descriptive chemistry and is designed to help foster "chemical literacy". Both aqueous and nonaqueous chemical reactions are discussed. (KR)

Describes how to construct an isothermal calorimeter and lists typical results of a displacement reaction using zinc. (LS)

Describes a series of activities for demonstrating the conditions necessary for burning (fuel, oxygen and temperature) plus several related phenomena. (CP)

The different approaches to the generation of power from solar energy may be roughly divided into five categories: distributed collectors; central receivers; biomass; ocean thermal energy conversion; and photovoltaic devices. The first approach (distributed collectors) is the subject of this module. The material presented is designed to…

Discusses two different uses of information theory in chemistry to present entropy and chemical structure analysis. (GA)

Describes an experiment simulating heat transfer and overall energy loss in upper layers of soil surfaces. (SL)

Contains contributed suggestions for laboratory equipment, chemistry activities, and explanations of chemical reactions. (CP)

Discusses theory of thermodynamics of the equilibrium in solution and dissociation-dimerization kinetics. Describes experimental procedure including determination of molar absorptivity and equilibrium constant, reaction enthalpy, and kinetics of the dissociation-dimerization reaction. (JM)