Philosophy
Yes, there is some science involved in snowglobes...but who cares, they are cool Christmas symbols.
What makes the snowflakes flutter down almost hypnotically when you shake a snow globe? People have been mesmerized by these transparent spheres enclosing a miniaturized scene since the first snow globe appeared in France almost 200 years ago.
A new video in the American Chemical Society (ACS) Chemistry of Holidays series answers that question in brilliant high-definition detail. The video, released today, showcases an actual general chemistry, or chemistry for nonscience majors, laboratory session at the Catholic University of America (CUA) devoted to the chemistry of the December/January holidays. It is available at...
http://www.BytesizeScience.com
The video features Diane Bunce, Ph.D., and her students, who perform experiments with a holiday theme. Bunce, professor of chemistry at CUA, is a recipient of the ACS Helen Free Award for Public Outreach and associate editor for Chemical Education research for ACS’ Journal of Chemical Education. The video, produced by the ACS Office of Public Affairs, shows students using the principles of chemistry to make:
* A colorful, bouncing super ball made with polymers.
* A snow globe-like stick, consisting of a test tube filled with water, glitter and glycerine. The glycerine slows the glitter and makes it look like snowflakes falling when the tube is shaken.
* A marbleized gift card made with shaving cream, paper and various food colorings.
Bunce explained that the experiments were used to demonstrate key chemistry concepts, such as polymerization cross-linking (the process in which polymer molecules link together) and viscosity and density (which keep snowflakes aflutter inside snow globes).
“We hope that students will actually hang these items on their trees at home and use them to explain the wonders of chemistry to their families and friends,” Bunce said.
A teachers’ guide with detailed instructions for each experiment is available in PDF format.
Another video in the ACS series, focusing on the Chemistry of Thanksgiving, also can be found at...
http://www.BytesizeScience.com
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Philosophy
Snowglobes
Yes, there is some science involved in snowglobes...but who cares, they are cool Christmas symbols.
"The chemistry of snow globes and other holiday gifts"
December 16th, 2009
Americal Chemical Society
December 16th, 2009
Americal Chemical Society
What makes the snowflakes flutter down almost hypnotically when you shake a snow globe? People have been mesmerized by these transparent spheres enclosing a miniaturized scene since the first snow globe appeared in France almost 200 years ago.
A new video in the American Chemical Society (ACS) Chemistry of Holidays series answers that question in brilliant high-definition detail. The video, released today, showcases an actual general chemistry, or chemistry for nonscience majors, laboratory session at the Catholic University of America (CUA) devoted to the chemistry of the December/January holidays. It is available at...
http://www.BytesizeScience.com
The video features Diane Bunce, Ph.D., and her students, who perform experiments with a holiday theme. Bunce, professor of chemistry at CUA, is a recipient of the ACS Helen Free Award for Public Outreach and associate editor for Chemical Education research for ACS’ Journal of Chemical Education. The video, produced by the ACS Office of Public Affairs, shows students using the principles of chemistry to make:
* A colorful, bouncing super ball made with polymers.
* A snow globe-like stick, consisting of a test tube filled with water, glitter and glycerine. The glycerine slows the glitter and makes it look like snowflakes falling when the tube is shaken.
* A marbleized gift card made with shaving cream, paper and various food colorings.
Bunce explained that the experiments were used to demonstrate key chemistry concepts, such as polymerization cross-linking (the process in which polymer molecules link together) and viscosity and density (which keep snowflakes aflutter inside snow globes).
“We hope that students will actually hang these items on their trees at home and use them to explain the wonders of chemistry to their families and friends,” Bunce said.
A teachers’ guide with detailed instructions for each experiment is available in PDF format.
Another video in the ACS series, focusing on the Chemistry of Thanksgiving, also can be found at...
http://www.BytesizeScience.com
- Chemistry Books Of The Past..."the Golden Book Of Chemistry Experiments" And "the Boy Chemist"
The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments, written by Robert Brent and illustrated by Harry Lazarus, is a 1960s children's book that tells kids how they can set up a home chemistry lab to conduct simple chemistry experiments. Supposedly the US government...
- Lab Accidents Do Happen
Ms. Hee Yeon Cho has been awarded a 2011 Graduate Fellowship by the Division of Organic Chemistry of the American Chemical Society. Hee Yeon's fellowship, sponsored by Roche, is one of only ten that the ACS awards annually nationwide "to outstanding...
- International Year Of Chemistry 2011
I don't know how I missed this. "The theme of IYC2011 is "Chemistry–our life, our future," and it will focus on the “achievements of chemistry and its contributions to the well-being of humankind.”[1] It aims to raise awareness of chemistry...
- Cheery Chemist's Christmas
"A Chemical Christmas Tree, 40 Years Of Cheery Christmases" by Bethany Halford December 21st, 2009 Chemical & Engineering News To appreciate their Christmas tree up close, the folks at the USDA Agricultural Research Service's Russell Research...
- Chemistry Art
Creation 17, chemistry on copper 36" x 24" 2002 Cheryl Safren Well, I am sure that you have seen art from physics and astronomy, but how about chemistry. Check out the Virtual Art Exhibition jointly published with the Special Issue on "Aesthetics and...