Discusses methods for observing oscillations in a chemical reaction about a steady state en route to equilibrium. (MLH)

Discusses a special topics biochemistry course that uses membrance phenomena to illustrate the interplay of many physical chemistry principles. (MLH)

Describes a laboratory experiment that uses a programmable calculator and the concepts of activity and activity coefficients to examine the effect of ionic strength on equilibrium constants. (LH)

Describes an experiment that illustrates the role of hydrogen bond formation in producing a heat of reaction when ethanol and water are mixed. (MLH)

Discusses an equation that describes the variation with temperature of acid dissociation constants. (MLH)

Reviews the theories and fundamental principles of physics as they relate to the comprehensibility of the cosmos. (DKM)

Describes an investigation with the primary purpose of allowing students to generate and interpret a pressure/volume diagram of a Stirling engine. Explains how the Stirling engine can be used to demonstrate the principles of operation of a refrigerator and a heat pump. (DDR)

Presents a framework identifying the molecular level assumptions underlying many thermodynamic models. Tests the assumptions using theory and computer simulation to develop better assumptions. (YP)

Presents experiments that avoid using mercury by using pressure transducers to investigate the gas laws. (Author/JRH)

Suggests that Robert Frost's poem entitled "West-Running Brook" should be used to illustrate the second law of thermodynamics. The poem is included in the article. (ZWH)

Focuses on many alternative conceptions and nonconceptions about material related to equilibrium and thermodynamics. Uses interviews and compares the concepts from these with those expressed by experts in textbooks. (DDR)

Describes a new demonstration that uses an apparatus like the ammonia-fountain apparatus but with modifications designed to produce ammonium-chloride smoke. This demonstration is easy to perform, interesting to observe, and allows demonstration of the solubility of ammonia in water, the basic nature of ammonia, the acidic nature of hydrogen…

Presents a method to measure the mass of a definite amount of a gas that occupies a known volume at a given pressure in order to determine experimentally the root mean square speed of molecules of a gas. (JRH)

Describes a simple manual apparatus designed to serve as an effective demonstration of the differences between isothermal and adiabatic processes for the general or elementary physics student. Enables students to verify Boyle's law for slow processes and identify the departure from this law for rapid processes and can also be used to give a clear…

Presents an alternative approach to teaching reaction thermodynamics in introductory chemistry courses using calculations of enthalpies, entropies, and free energies of atomization. Uses a consistent concept, that of decomposition of a compound to its gaseous atoms, to discuss not only thermodynamic parameters but also equilibrium and…