Have you ever wondered why some salts dissolve in water to release heat while others absorb energy?
If so, you should take a look at AUS-e-TUTE's new resources on the Molar Enthalpy of Solution (or Molar Heat of Solution).
AUS-e-TUTE members should log-in to view the new tutorial, game, test, exam and homework checker under the heading Thermochemistry, and the topic heading Heat (enthalpy) of Solution.
Not an AUS-e-TUTE Member?
Currently there is a "free-to-view" tutorial available for evaluation purposes at http://www.ausetute.com.au/heatsolution.html
Find out about the benefits of AUS-e-TUTE membership at
http://www.ausetute.com.au/membership.html
then, when you are ready to start improving your chemistry results, you can join AUS-e-TUTE at
http://www.ausetute.com.au/register.html
Friday, March 27, 2015
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Chemistry of Cement
What do the Roman Colosseum, the Roman Pantheon, a modern
bridge and a modern dam all have in common?
Go to the March 2015 issue of AUS-e-NEWS to find out about
the relevance of chemistry to the ancient Romans as well to modern day humans!
If you have not received this issue of AUS-e-NEWS, or, if you would like to subscribe to AUS-e-NEWS, please email us at :
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Why Study Science?
Listen to four of the world’s most eminent physicists discuss and deliberate on the biggest challenges facing the science community today.
- Professor Steven Chu was the co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize for Physics. He has devoted his recent scientific career to the search for new solutions to our energy and climate challenges.
- Professor Schmidt was jointly awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics for the discovery of the accelerating Universe.
- Professor Lawrence Krauss is theoretical physicist and the author of several bestselling books, including The Physics of Star Trek and A Universe from Nothing. He is an advocate of scientific scepticism, science education and the science of morality.
- Professor Lisa Randall studies theoretical particle physics and cosmology at Harvard University. Her research connects theoretical insights to puzzles in our current understanding of the properties and interactions of matter.
The podcast is about 1.5 hours, but you can select parts of it to listen to.
There is a very nice discussion of what is meant by "good science", there is also some very interesting discussion on "accidental discovery", "experiment to "prove" or "disprove" theory, and the importance of acknowledging that science is not an "absolute" but rather about belief in the "truth" of a scientific theory based on statistical probabilities.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Henry's Law and the Solubility of Gases
What is the relationship between the solubility of a gas in a solvent, and the pressure of the gas?
What happens to the solubility of gases as the temperature changes?
If you are asking these questions, you need AUS-e-TUTE's new Henry's Law resources!
AUS-e-TUTE Members will find the new resources listed under Gas Laws in the Members Only Test Centre. Where relevant to your syllabus, links to these resources have also been added to your Syllabus Study Guide.
If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE member, there is a "free-to-view" tutorial available for evaluation purposes at http://www.ausetute.com.au/henryslaw.html
Then, when you are ready to start improving your chemistry results, you can join AUS-e-TUTE at
http://www.ausetute.com.au/register.html
What happens to the solubility of gases as the temperature changes?
If you are asking these questions, you need AUS-e-TUTE's new Henry's Law resources!
AUS-e-TUTE Members will find the new resources listed under Gas Laws in the Members Only Test Centre. Where relevant to your syllabus, links to these resources have also been added to your Syllabus Study Guide.
If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE member, there is a "free-to-view" tutorial available for evaluation purposes at http://www.ausetute.com.au/henryslaw.html
Then, when you are ready to start improving your chemistry results, you can join AUS-e-TUTE at
http://www.ausetute.com.au/register.html
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Determining Hypochlorite in Bleach
The active ingredient in household bleach is sodium hypochlorite, but just how much hypochlorite will you find in a litre of bleach?
You can easily find out in your school lab, all it takes is a redox titration, which, ofcourse, you will find at AUS-e-TUTE!
AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to the Test Centre to use the new tutorial with drill, game and test.
Visit http://www.ausetute.com.au for a complete list of "free" tutorials available for non-members.
Get information about how to improve your chemistry results at http://www.ausetute.com.au/membership.html
Begin improving your chemistry results at http://www.ausetute.com.au/register.html
You can easily find out in your school lab, all it takes is a redox titration, which, ofcourse, you will find at AUS-e-TUTE!
AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to the Test Centre to use the new tutorial with drill, game and test.
Visit http://www.ausetute.com.au for a complete list of "free" tutorials available for non-members.
Get information about how to improve your chemistry results at http://www.ausetute.com.au/membership.html
Begin improving your chemistry results at http://www.ausetute.com.au/register.html
Thursday, January 8, 2015
Aspro, Aspirin, and World War I
2015, a very significant year for all Australians and New Zealanders, marks the centenary of the "Landing at Gallipoli" on 25th April 1914 and the birth of the ANZAC legend. It also marks the centenary of "Aspro" and the birth of a giant international pharmaceutical company that began in Australia as a direct result of World War I.
Felix Hoffman, a German Chemist, first synthesized aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid (2-Ethanoyloxybenzene carboxylic acid), in 1897 while working for the German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG. This was the first major product released by Bayer AG and the trademark Aspirin was registered worldwide. Prior to 1914 Germany exported Aspirin all over the world.
German supplies of Aspirin to Australia (and other countries) were cut off with the outbreak of World War I in 1914, prompting the then Attorney-General W. M. Hughes (and the 7th Australian Prime Minister from 1915 to 1923) to suspend German patents and trademarks and grant them to any Australian-based manufacturer who could meet the requirements for purity and safety.
George Richard Rich Nicholas, a pharmacist who had opened a pharmacy in Punt Road, Windsor in Victoria in 1912, set out to make acetylsalicylic acid. Using kitchen utensils, he measured out quantities of the white salicylic acid powder and the acrid smelling acetic anhydride liquid and reacted them in kerosene tins. Needless to say, although he succeeded in producing acetylsalicylic acid it was impure! With the help of Henry Woolf Shmith, an entrepreneur, the experiments continued until they had pure samples of acetylsalicylic acid. In 1915 their product was tested by the government analyst and found to comply with the requirements of the British Pharmacopoeia so Shmith, Nicholas & Co. were granted a licence to make and sell aspirin in Australia.
Their acetylsalicylic acid product was originally marketed as Nicholas-Aspirin, but George was concerned that the name Aspirin could be reclaimed by Bayer after the war, so, in 1917 the name Aspro was registered.
After the war, in 1921, the name of the company making Aspro was changed to Nicholas Pty Ltd and moved from Windsor to South Melbourne. In 1923, New Zealand began production of Aspro. Between 1925 and 1927 sales of Aspro were expanding in Europe and Asia. In 1927, George's brother Alfred set up the company Aspro Ltd in England, which became a public company in 1935. In 1969 Nicholas Australia Ltd bought out the English Aspro-Nicholas Ltd, which, in 1970, became Nicholas International Ltd. In 1981 Nicholas International Ltd merged with Kiwi International Ltd (makers of the famous Kiwi shoe polish) to form the Australian public company Nicholas Kiwi. In 1984 Sara Lee acquired Nicholas Kiwi, and in 1988 Piramal India acquired Nicholas Laboratories from Sara Lee.
Ready to learn about the chemistry of aspirin and aspro?
Go to the Free Chemistry Tutorial on Aspirin at AUS-e-TUTE to read about the reactions that produced aspirin as well as the physical and chemical properties of aspirin.
(AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to the Test Centre and use the "Members ONLY" Aspirin Tutorial).
AUS-e-TUTE members also have access to other learning resources, such as games, tests and exams on the chemistry of aspirin.
Find out about AUS-e-TUTE membership here.
And you can become an AUS-e-TUTE member here, and start improving your chemistry results today!
Felix Hoffman, a German Chemist, first synthesized aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid (2-Ethanoyloxybenzene carboxylic acid), in 1897 while working for the German pharmaceutical company Bayer AG. This was the first major product released by Bayer AG and the trademark Aspirin was registered worldwide. Prior to 1914 Germany exported Aspirin all over the world.
German supplies of Aspirin to Australia (and other countries) were cut off with the outbreak of World War I in 1914, prompting the then Attorney-General W. M. Hughes (and the 7th Australian Prime Minister from 1915 to 1923) to suspend German patents and trademarks and grant them to any Australian-based manufacturer who could meet the requirements for purity and safety.
George Richard Rich Nicholas, a pharmacist who had opened a pharmacy in Punt Road, Windsor in Victoria in 1912, set out to make acetylsalicylic acid. Using kitchen utensils, he measured out quantities of the white salicylic acid powder and the acrid smelling acetic anhydride liquid and reacted them in kerosene tins. Needless to say, although he succeeded in producing acetylsalicylic acid it was impure! With the help of Henry Woolf Shmith, an entrepreneur, the experiments continued until they had pure samples of acetylsalicylic acid. In 1915 their product was tested by the government analyst and found to comply with the requirements of the British Pharmacopoeia so Shmith, Nicholas & Co. were granted a licence to make and sell aspirin in Australia.
Their acetylsalicylic acid product was originally marketed as Nicholas-Aspirin, but George was concerned that the name Aspirin could be reclaimed by Bayer after the war, so, in 1917 the name Aspro was registered.
After the war, in 1921, the name of the company making Aspro was changed to Nicholas Pty Ltd and moved from Windsor to South Melbourne. In 1923, New Zealand began production of Aspro. Between 1925 and 1927 sales of Aspro were expanding in Europe and Asia. In 1927, George's brother Alfred set up the company Aspro Ltd in England, which became a public company in 1935. In 1969 Nicholas Australia Ltd bought out the English Aspro-Nicholas Ltd, which, in 1970, became Nicholas International Ltd. In 1981 Nicholas International Ltd merged with Kiwi International Ltd (makers of the famous Kiwi shoe polish) to form the Australian public company Nicholas Kiwi. In 1984 Sara Lee acquired Nicholas Kiwi, and in 1988 Piramal India acquired Nicholas Laboratories from Sara Lee.
Ready to learn about the chemistry of aspirin and aspro?
Go to the Free Chemistry Tutorial on Aspirin at AUS-e-TUTE to read about the reactions that produced aspirin as well as the physical and chemical properties of aspirin.
(AUS-e-TUTE Members should log-in to the Test Centre and use the "Members ONLY" Aspirin Tutorial).
AUS-e-TUTE members also have access to other learning resources, such as games, tests and exams on the chemistry of aspirin.
Find out about AUS-e-TUTE membership here.
And you can become an AUS-e-TUTE member here, and start improving your chemistry results today!
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
Concentration of Acetic Acid in Vinegar
Here's a strange thing. Most adults wouldn't dream of drinking wine that has been oxidized and "gone bad", just the smell is likely to put most people off! The same people, however, probably have no objection to consuming wine that has been deliberately oxidized, bottled, and marketed as vinegar.
Ofcourse, the chemistry of the oxidation of a mixture like wine is quite complex, but the most important constituent of the mixture is acetic acid (also known as ethanoic acid).
Determining the acidity of your vinegar, or how much acetic acid (ethanoic acid) is present in your vinegar, is quite easy. It's just a simple acid-base titration, and AUS-e-TUTE has just added new resources to help you understand how you can use acid-base titrations to find the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar.
AUS-e-TUTE Members have access to the new tutorial, games, test and exam.
If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE, you can take a sneak peek at the tutorial here
Ofcourse, the chemistry of the oxidation of a mixture like wine is quite complex, but the most important constituent of the mixture is acetic acid (also known as ethanoic acid).
Determining the acidity of your vinegar, or how much acetic acid (ethanoic acid) is present in your vinegar, is quite easy. It's just a simple acid-base titration, and AUS-e-TUTE has just added new resources to help you understand how you can use acid-base titrations to find the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar.
AUS-e-TUTE Members have access to the new tutorial, games, test and exam.
If you are not an AUS-e-TUTE, you can take a sneak peek at the tutorial here
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