|
There are many resources on the Internet with information on chemistry (and other sciences). The parts below will lead you to a few of them, and help you find more. The parts are independent. I suggest that you read this all through once before doing any computer work.
There are three main sections below:
Links to external sites will open in a new window. To return to this page, close the new window.
Your feedback on this page is welcomed. In particular, let me know if sites suggested here do not work, or if you have contributions. Some sites listed here are also included on other pages at my site, either for specific courses, or on the page of Miscellaneous Resources. You can get to all of these pages from the List of pages of Internet resources. Notes about the Internet:
|
1. Go to the Biocatalysis/Biodegradation Database site at the University of Minnesota:
http://umbbd.msi.umn.edu/index.html
Look up the pathway for degradation of 1,2-dichloroethane.
Report: What is made from chloroacetaldehyde (chloroethanal)? Give the name and structure of the product.
Other features at this site include:
* The Biochemical Periodic Table, with a delightful collection of information about the role of each chemical element in biology. Click on the link to the Biochemical Periodic Tables at the top of their main page. Look at how they classify the elements, and click on one to explore further. This page is also listed on my page Introductory Chemistry -- Internet resources, under Periodic tables.
* Microbial Biotechnology -- a nice list of "Useful Internet Resources". Click on Links at the left on their main page. This page is also listed under Internet resources: Biology - Miscellaneous, under Microbiology: other.
2. A good periodic table is at
* The Web-elements site, from Mark Winter, University of Sheffield: http://www.webelements.com.
Choose an element (perhaps a "random" one? but better, one of some special interest to you). What do you learn about your chosen element?
Click on History. Look up when cobalt was discovered.
This PT site and many others are listed for Introductory Chemistry Internet Resources: Periodic table.
3. Among the "newest" chemical elements are #113 & 115, announced in the Spring of 2004 by the lab in Dubna, Russia, in collaboration with Lawrence Livermore Lab. They made #115 by direct bombardment, and observed #113 among the decay products. The elements were actually made in July and August, 2003.
Here are two of the news stories for this announcement:
* Livermore Scientists Team With Russia To Discover Elements 113 and 115. https://publicaffairs.llnl.gov/news/news_releases/2004/NR-04-02-01.html. Announcement from Lawrence Livermore, February 2, 2004.
* Transactinides: New superheavy elements created -- High-energy experiments produce a few atoms of elements 113 and 115. http://pubs.acs.org/cen/topstory/8206/8206notw1.html. From C&EN, February 9, 2004; includes a link to the published article announcing the elements.
These sites are also listed for Introductory Chemistry Internet Resources: Elements #113 and 115. Information about other new elements is also on that page.
4. Go to the Science gateway at Cornell University:
http://www.tc.cornell.edu/Services/Education/Gateways/Math_and_Science/
(A gateway is a site with links to many other sites.)
Go to the Chemistry section, and then to All About Atoms -- a basic overview of atomic structure.
Report: What is the Jefferson lab doing, related to atoms? (Hint: Click on the neutron.)
5. Go to the Global Instructional Chemistry site at Imperial College in London, England:
http://www.ch.ic.ac.uk/GIC/
Look for the Molecule of the Month, for February 1996. (Choose the H version, unless you have the special viewing program needed for the other versions.)
Report: What is the molecule of the month for 2/96? Give the name and structure, and tell something about it, from the site. (If you have a headache, you might want to visit it twice.)
(Some chemical structures at the Molecule of the Month site require the RasMol viewer. If you want RasMol for your own computer, you can download it by following the links. For more about using RasMol for viewing molecular structures, see my page RasMol - An Introductory Guide.)
The following sites are popular general science sites. Give them a try, and see what you find. For each, report on a specific article or exhibit from the site, as appropriate.
6. Bugs in the News.
http://people.ku.edu/~jbrown/bugs.html
The site is somewhat oriented to microbiology. However, it is really rather broad. Much of the site consists of answers to science questions posed in the form "What the heck is..." (such as mad cow disease, penicillin, or HIV protease inhibitors). The articles are well written, for a general audience. Fun and instructive. From Jack Brown, University of Kansas,
7. Whyfiles.
http://whyfiles.org/
The "Whyfiles" generally deal with current events related to science, and are intended for a broad audience. There is also a Forum section for public dialog.
8. Exploratorium.
http://www.exploratorium.edu/
Visit the world's finest science museum, famous for its informal and interactive exhibits. Several exhibits are online (mostly involving visual effects).
Better yet, why not just go over there in person?
9. NanoTheater.
http://www.veeco.com/library/nanotheater/
Presented by Veeco, a manufacturer of AFM instruments. Images include individual atoms, DNA molecules, and more. (If you have the Cracolice textbook, see Figures pp 272-3 of 2nd ed.)
For more, see the Atomic force microscopy and electron microscopy (AFM, EM) section of my page for Internet Resources for Introductory Chemistry.
10. EurekAlert!.
http://www.eurekalert.org/
Current research news -- science, medicine and technology. Companies and universities can post news releases here. (Maintained by AAAS.)
More news sources are listed in the section Science: General, news, acronyms of my page Internet resources: Miscellaneous page.
11. The Internet contains programs that will search the 'Net.
You may use your favorite search program here, or you may try one that I suggest.
The most popular search engine now is undoubtedly Google:
http://www.google.com/
You might try some common household chemicals or medicines. Try a couple of links.
Try to learn something from each site you visit.
Report: Search program and search terms used, exact site address, something interesting from the site.
[Searches can yield a very large number of hits. Searches on scientific topics can lead to scientific links, such as university labs. Some of these may be interesting, some may be too technical. Such searches also lead to nonscientific sites, including commercial sites -- of varying quality; use your judgment. If you find a link uninteresting, just go "back", and try another one.]
List of pages of Internet resources
Home page for Intro Chem (X11) Organic/Biochem (X402) Biotechnology in the News (BITN) Molecular Biology
Contact information Site home page
Last update: March 1, 2009