Monthly Archives: June 2021

Molecular Modeling Laboratory Now Open in LSC

The molecular modeling laboratory is now open in the new Laboratory Science Commons, room 2335. This laboratory is a shared research resource with eight Linux workstations and a variety of molecular modeling software such as MOE 2020, NAMD, VMD, Gaussian … Continue reading

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Chemistry Demonstration: Shaving Cream Swirls

Introduction The experiment demonstrates the interactions between hydrophobic and hydrophilic substances. Hydrophobic substances repel water – the name comes from the Greek word, “Hydros”, for water, and, “phobos”, for fear. Hydrophilic substances (the Greek stem, “philic”, means “love”) attract, or … Continue reading

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Chemistry Demonstration: PVA Slime

Introduction Multi-colored slime can be created using a solution of poly-vinyl alcohol (PVA) and borax. This experiment demonstrates the ability of borax to form chemical cross-links between molecules of the PVA polymer. The chemical structures below show a molecule of … Continue reading

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Chemistry Demonstration: Molecular Modeling with Candy

Introduction This is a fun demonstration that teaches students how to build simple molecular models using colored candies. It is relatively simple to prepare and set up, and easy to maintain. The basic principles of building small molecular models of … Continue reading

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Chemistry Demonstration: Molecular Modeling with Avogadro

Introduction This is a simple and fun, hands-on activity that demonstrates the basic concepts of computer-based molecular modeling. Using molecular mechanics, small molecules may be modeled by treating the atoms as balls and the bonds connected them as springs. We … Continue reading

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Chemistry Demonstration: Marker Butterflies

Introduction Some artists use the way paint moves on a surface to produce interesting shapes and designs. Many artists paint on a canvas, a type of fabric that is very absorbant. Before painting on canvas, most artists treat the surface … Continue reading

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Chemistry Demonstration: Iodine Clock Reaction

Introduction The iodine clock reaction is a classical chemical clock demonstration that displays chemical kinetics in action. It was first discovered by Hans Heinrich Landolt in 1886, so many texts may refer to it as the Landolt Reaction. In this … Continue reading

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Tutorial: UNIX and Linux Information

The systems in the computer modeling laboratory, as well as Tennessee Tech University’s HPC cluster, run versions of the Linux operating system. Linux is a family of open-source, UNIX-like operating systems that are based on the Linux kernel. UNIX is … Continue reading

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Tutorial: Converting a 2D Sketch of a Molecule to 3D

Many Chemistry students learn how to use ChemDraw to sketch a 2D molecule on the screen during their undergraduate or graduate education. ChemDraw is the de facto standard for producing chemical drawings, and is widely used by faculty and researchers … Continue reading

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Chemistry Demonstration: Catalytic Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide (Elephant’s Toothpaste)

Introduction Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) naturally decomposes to produce oxygen and water. However, this process takes a very long time. It may be sped up by the addition of a catalyst. In this experiment, we will use the iodide ion (I–) … Continue reading

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