ERIC Number: EJ1269360
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Aug
Pages: 7
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0021-9584
EISSN: N/A
Demonstrating Basic Properties and Application of Polarimetry Using a Self-Constructed Polarimeter
Journal of Chemical Education, v97 n8 p2196-2202 Aug 2020
An easily constructed and inexpensive polarimeter with an optical rotation angle resolution of about 0.5° is presented. It is made from small pieces of polarizing film, 2 LEDs, a protractor, and a few wires, all held in place with plastic interlocking toy bricks, such as Lego bricks. The instrument was used to demonstrate the optical rotation of plane polarized light as a function of concentration, path length, temperature, and wavelength, and to determine enantiomeric excess in solutions of arabinose, the amount of limonene in citrus ski wax remover, and optical rotations of various types of honeys and essential oils. Results were comparable to values obtained on a commercial scientific instrument, and with literature values.
Descriptors: High School Students, Secondary School Science, Science Activities, Optics, Light, Hands on Science, Spectroscopy, Organic Chemistry, Laboratory Training, Measurement Techniques
Division of Chemical Education, Inc. and ACS Publications Division of the American Chemical Society. 1155 Sixteenth Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 800-227-5558; Tel: 202-872-4600; e-mail: eic@jce.acs.org; Web site: http://pubs.acs.org/jchemeduc
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: High Schools; Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A