Series
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December 2019
Snow: Making life possible in the Arctic
Chemistry Inuit Life and Culture
In this series, we have shown the importance of ice coverage of the Arctic Ocean for Inuit survival. But equally important, particularly through the long, cold, winters is the solid crystalline form of dihydrogen oxide — snow. Author: Chaim Christiana Andersen and Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Category: Feature Series Chemistry and Inuit life and culture -
December 2019
The Radioactive Elements
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table
Although the radioactive elements uranium and thorium were discovered early in the history of the elements — 1789 and 1828, respectively, years before the advent of the Periodic Table — radioactivity itself was unknown until 1896 when Henri-Antoine Becquerel (1852-1908) in Paris found that uranium could expose photographic plates, even when protected by black opaque paper. The renowned Marie Curie (1867-1934) promptly made a study of all elements (that were known at that time) and determined that only two were radioactive — uranium and thorium.
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
The Creation of the Periodic Table
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table
In 1789 Lavoisier turned the concept of “element” on its head when he proposed that water was a compound and that hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, sulfur, iron, copper, and 25 other substances were the true elements. Author: James L Marshall, Professor Emeritus, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
October 2019
Spectroscopy
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table
The alchemists had known since the 1500s that salts could impart various colors to a flame. In the 1700s Andreas Sigismund Marggraf (1709-1782) demonstrated that sodium salts could be differentiated from potassium salts by the former’s yellow color and the latter’s purple hue. Author: James L Marshall, Professor Emeritus, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
September 2019
The Arctic atmosphere: Unique and amazing
Chemistry Inuit Life and Culture
The Arctic atmosphere is different. There are specific pollutant problems.There are also unique types of clouds: nacreous and noctilucent. But it is the awe-inspiring aurora that are the most well-known phenomena. Authors: Chaim Christiana Andersen and Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Category: Feature Series Chemistry and Inuit life and culture -
September 2019
Berzelius’ World
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table
In previous chapters we have seen how chemistry has evolved in stages. First was the world of the ancients with their concept of the four elements — fire, earth, water and air. Author: James L Marshall, Professor Emeritus, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
April 2019
Chemistry of the cure
Case studies of some Inuit remedies
Before modern synthetic and analytical chemistry, every civilization and culture had to find cures or palliatives for illness and disease from the natural world. We do not know how physiologically active materials were identified, but it was presumably by a trial-and-error basis. Authors: Chaim Christiana Andersen and Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Category: Feature Series Chemistry and Inuit life and culture -
April 2019
Humphry Davy and the Voltaic Pile
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table
Historically, the distinction between sodium and potassium was not made easily. Only gradually was it recognized that there was a difference between “plant alkali” (potash, potassium carbonate), obtained from the ashes of plants, and “mineral alkali” (soda, sodium carbonate), found in salt flats and evaporated seawater. Author: James L Marshall, Professor Emeritus, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
April 2019
IYPT 2019 Timeline of Elements poster
To celebrate International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT 2019) as print copy subscribers, you have received a Timeline of Elements poster with this, our last print copy of Chem 13 News magazine. Author: Jean Hein, Chem 13 News Editor, University of Waterloo, Ontario
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
April 2019
An Introduction to the Philatelic Table of the Elements 2.0
Larry French from St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York describes his updated version of the Philatelic Table of the Elements. This new version was presented at the spring 2016 American Chemical Society Meeting to mark the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT 2019). This version of the table has been updated to include the four most recently named elements. In addition, a handful of stamp selections have been altered in order to broaden topical coverage in ways that might enhance potential uses in the classroom.
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
April 2019
Philatelic Table of Elements
What would a periodic table made of postage stamps look like? Well, Larry French from St Lawrence University, Canton, New York has taken on this challenge to produce this Philatelic Table of Elements. It was first presented at the spring 2016 American Chemical Society Meeting to mark the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT 2019).
Category: Feature Chemistry News and updates Series -
April 2019
True elements — Lavoisier and Phlogiston
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table
The stage was now set for a giant leap in the understanding of chemistry. A vast amount of knowledge had been accumulated during the previous several thousand years. Author:James L Marshall, Professor Emeritus, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
April 2019
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table update
Timeline of Elements Social media blitz: On March 6 we began revealing the element artwork in order of atomic number. We will be tweeting out two elements a day for 59 days. Follow us @chem13news to see each elemental artwork revealed. A happy coincidence — on March 6th, Dmitri Mendeleev’s Periodic Table was announced to the Russian Physicochemical Society in 1869. This issue will be going to print when hydrogen and helium were revealed. All the artwork has been truly amazing Author: Jean Hein, Chem 13 News Editor, University of Waterloo, Ontario
Category: Feature Series Mendeleev Mosaic -
March 2019
The Ulu: Chemistry and Inuit women’s culture
What is an ulu? An ulu is a multi-purpose cutting tool with a semi-circular blade and a handle. It has been a major part of an Inuit woman’s life and culture for at least the last 4500 years. Authors: Chaim Christiana Andersen and Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University, Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Category: Feature Series Chemistry and Inuit life and culture -
March 2019
The Miners
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table
Modern science depends upon both theory (basic science) and technology (practical applications). Likewise, progress during the Middle Ages depended upon both theory and technology — as the alchemists were plodding along with their secret recipes and cryptic writings, the practical miners were advancing their techniques for extracting the metals from the ores for spears, plowshares and ornaments. Author: James L Marshall, Professor Emeritus, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
February 2019
Marie mosaic
As inspiration for our mosaic here is another collaborative chemistry mosaic we found that appeared on the front cover of the 2011 September issue of Nature Chemistry (Volume 3 Issue 9). This cover was a celebration of the International Year of Chemistry and the 100th anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry to Marie Curie. In this issue, Michelle Francl considers how the representation of women in science has changed since Curie's day.
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
February 2019
Selection of early submissions to Mendeleev Mosaic
A selection of early submissions to the Mendeleev Mosaic
Category: Feature Series Mendeleev Mosaic -
February 2019
The Ancients and the Alchemists
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table
[This series is a companion to our International Year of the Periodic Table project — Timeline of Elements and Mendeleev Mosaic. Time periods from our timeline project will be featured highlighting the historical and scientific advancements resulting in the discoveries of the elements of that period. Jim Marshall researches the history of the discovery of the elements. Author: James L Marshall, Professor Emeritus, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
February 2019
Sea ice: Essential for northern survival
This article is the fourth part in a continuing series on chemistry and Inuit life & culture. Inuit culture is passed down from generation to generation orally, and the use of story-telling is an important function. Authors: Chaim Christiana Andersen And Geoff Rayner-Canham, Grenfell Campus, Memorial University Corner Brook, Newfoundland
Category: Feature Series Chemistry and Inuit life and culture -
December 2018 - January 2019
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table update
In January 2019 we start to celebrate the International Year of the Periodic Table of Elements. Hopefully those who are designing elements for the Timeline of Elements project have already started!
Category: Feature Activities Outreach Series Timeline of Elements -
December 2018 - January 2019
Mendeleev Mosaic
wanted artwork of Mendeleev
Over the holiday break, make sure to encourage your students to delve into some artwork and design an image of Mendeleev. We are asking you to get your students, as well as any chemistry enthusiasts, to create an image of Mendeleev — dimensions as the hexagon tile.
Category: Feature Activities Outreach Series Mendeleev Mosaic -
October 2018
Soy Sauce — An essential Inuit condiment
Living and thriving cultures innovate, adapt and incorporate from other cultures.
Category: Feature Outreach Series Chemistry and Inuit life and culture -
November 2018
Timeline of elements update
We had over 200 applications for 118 elements for our 2019 International Year of Periodic Table project. There will be representation from 26 countries, 38 US states and all Canadian provinces and territories. There still is a way for all your students to participate in the timeline — Mendeleev Mosaic. See the following pages.
Category: Feature Activities Outreach Series -
November 2018
Mendeleev Mosaic
Exciting news! We have expanded the Timeline of Elements project — so there is an opportunity to be a part of this international collaboration to celebrate 2019 International Year of the Periodic Table.
Category: Feature Activities Outreach Series Mendeleev Mosaic -
September 2018
Ramah Bay 7,000 years of Aboriginal culture — and chemistry
With this issue of Chem 13 News, we have the first in a series of articles on chemistry in northern Canada, focussing specifically on the Inuit context. The unique Inuit life and culture has developed experimentally over thousands of years in response to the challenges of limited material and food resources. And now life is being impacted by new material additions to daily lives (including pollutants).
Category: Feature Outreach Series Chemistry and Inuit life and culture -
May 2018
2019 International Year of the Periodic Table Timeline of Elements
YES! We are doing another collaborative project! If you missed out on participating in our 2011 Periodic Table Project, this is your opportunity to have your students celebrate and be part of a worldwide initiative.
Category: Feature Series Timeline of Elements -
April 2018
Know the limit and teach within it! Part 3: Evolution and revolution
In part 1 of this series,1 I described how different representations of concepts and theories can be confusing for dualist (“right or wrong”) and concrete operational students
Category: Feature Series Models and Analogies -
March 2018
Part 2: The evolution of models
In part one of this series, I described how switching between macroscopic, microscopic, and symbolic representations of concepts and theories can be confusing for students, especially for those still operating as dualist (right and wrong only), concrete operational thinkers. I also described the nature of scientific models, and the need to carefully identify their inherent limits.
Category: Feature Series Models and Analogies -
February 2018
Thought lab: Using turmeric as an indicator
This is a continuation of the Thought labs used as review for AP Chemistry. This style of review allows students to incorporate the skills they have acquired throughout their course experience in AP Chemistry while providing a platform for them to increase their comfort level in situations where they are asked to apply their learning to a new lab setting.
Category: Feature Activities Classroom Series AP Chemistry Thought Lab -
December 2017 - January 2018
Thought lab: Surface area and rate of reaction
This is a continuation of the Thought Labs used as review for AP Chemistry. This style of review allows students to incorporate the skills they have acquired throughout their course experience in AP Chemistry while providing a platform for them to increase their comfort level in situations where they are asked to apply their learning to a new lab setting.
Category: Feature Activities Classroom Series AP Chemistry Thought Lab -
December 2017 - January 2018
Analogies and models: Part 1
During the data collection phase of research into the high school–university transition in chemistry, my attention was caught by one comment that quite literally stated, “Our high school teachers lied to us.”
Category: Feature Series Models and Analogies -
November 2017
Thought lab: Catalysts and hydrogen peroxide
This is a continuation of the Thought Labs used as review for AP Chemistry. This style of review allows to students to incorporate the skills they have acquired throughout their course experience in AP Chemistry while providing a platform for them to increase their comfort level in situations where they are asked to apply their learning to a new lab setting.
Category: Feature Activities Classroom Series AP Chemistry Thought Lab -
October 2017
Thought lab
A couple of years ago, with the re-write of the AP Chemistry test and the increased focus on inquiry...
Category: Series AP Chemistry Thought Lab Article -
October 2017
Lime-A-Way
Spend 7 to 10 minutes with your group...
Category: Series AP Chemistry Thought Lab Article -
September 2017
Winning tiles to be added to Periodic Table Project
periodic table project...
Category: Series Periodic Table Project -
September 2017
New elements contest winners
Nihonium was discovered in Japan. It is the first element to be discovered in Asia. To showcase this, we made our tile the Japanese flag. Since the name of nihonium translates to "land of the rising sun" in English, we made the red circle of the flag a sunrise. Along with this we added a radioactive sign to the top left of the tile. This is because nihonium is highly radioactive. Finally, we added cherry blossom trees to the bottom of our tile to represent more of the Japanese culture
Category: Series Periodic Table Project -
May 2017
Judging — Oganessian and our stakeholders
Our New Elements Contest received over 200 submissions from over 40 schools. After careful consideration, our University of Waterloo New Elements Team selected the TOP TEN submissions for each element. We asked our stakeholders to vote for the FINAL FOUR for each.
Category: Feature Series Periodic Table Project -
May 2017
Runners up
Our New Elements Contest team selected the TOP TEN. Six tiles for each element are shown below with the other four tiles becoming the FINAL FOUR. These were selected by our stakeholder judges. The FINAL FOUR and their descriptions are shown on the next four pages.
Category: Feature Series Periodic Table Project -
May 2017
Nihonium: Final four elemental tiles
Element 113 was discovered in Japan, so I incorporated Nihon in its name, meaning Japan in Japanese. Artistic elements in this design are drawn from Japanese aesthetics, such as the Japanese mountainous scenery and architecture, zen garden and wabi-sabi.
Category: Feature Series Periodic Table Project -
May 2017
Moscovium: Final four elemental tiles
Moscovium is a radioactive element on the periodic table located in group 15. It was first synthesized in 2003 in a research facility found in Dubna, Russia.
Category: Feature Series Periodic Table Project -
May 2017
Tennessine: Final four elemental tiles
There were different institutions behind this super-heavy element discovery. In my tile, I tried to honour all of them along with recognizing the contribution of the Tennessee region.
Category: Feature Series Periodic Table Project -
May 2017
Oganesson: Final four elemental tiles
Oganesson was discovered in October of 2006 and was a scientific collaboration between Russian and American scientists. On this tile, this joint effort is depicted by the two shaking hands, with each country’s flag on the lab coat sleeve.
Category: Feature Series Periodic Table Project -
April 2017
Early submissions to New Elements Contest
See more early submissions at https://uwaterloo.ca/chemistry/international-year-chemistry/periodic-table-project/early-submissions.
Category: Series Periodic Table Project -
March 2017
Periodic graphics of elements
Xiwen (Julie) Hu is creating her own periodic table project. She is a 16 year-old IB student in Brandon Yates’s chemistry class at Beijing City International School, Beijing, China.
Category: Series Periodic Table Project -
March 2017
Early submissions to New Elements Contest
Nihonium has the atomic number 113 and was created by a group of Japanese scientists at RIKEN in 2004. I designed it with a rising sun because nihon, in Japanese, means “land of the rising sun”.
Category: Series Periodic Table Project -
February 2017
Early submissions to New Elements Contest
We have started posting submissions to our New Elements Contest on Twitter @chem13news #NewElementsContest.
Category: Series Periodic Table Project -
February 2017
Seaborg group
This final report for the ACT2 signature-mug series includes Seaborg's contributions and those of some select members of his extended research group: Segrè, Ghiorso, and Morgan. Others in the Seaborg group, Choppin and Oganessian, were previously discussed in Texas connections
Category: Series Signature mugs -
October 2016
Across the pond
Dalton's mug presents 15 elements and the symbols used by Dalton. Dalton used his own symbols to visually represent the atomic structure of compounds depicted in A New System of Chemical Philosophy, where he listed 20 elements and 17 simple molecules.
Category: Series Signature mugs -
September 2016
Nihomium, moscovium, tennessine and organesson
The periodic table has had a big year. It started with the IUPAC announcement in January 2016 that elements 113, 115, 117 and 118 have been added to the 7th row.
Category: Series Periodic Table Project -
September 2016
Texas connections
In the April 2016 issue, the article on "Firsts" highlighted mugs dedicated to two professors who taught at The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin): Morgan and Lagowski.
Category: Series Signature mugs