Resource Type: Virtual Labs
The Virtual Lab is an online simulation of a chemistry lab. It is designed to help students link chemical computations with authentic laboratory chemistry. The lab allows students to select from hundreds of standard reagents (aqueous) and manipulate them in a manner resembling a real lab. More information and offline downloads . Please scroll below to find our collection of pre-written problems, they have been organized by concept and ranked by difficulty.
Stoichiometry
The mole, molarity, and density, glucose dilution problem.
In this activity, students use the virtual lab to create a 0.025M glucose solution from a standard 1M glucose solution. First, they calculate the correct volumes of 1M glucose solution and water to mix together…
Acid Dilution Problem
In this activity, students use the virtual lab to create 500mL of 3M HCl solution from a concentrated stock solution of 11.6M HCl. They must first calculate the correct volumes of 11.6M HCl solution and water to…
Cola and Sucrose Concentration Problem
In this activity, students use the virtual lab to prepare a sucrose solution for a soda recipe. They next calculate the concentration of their solution in terms of molarity, percent mass and density. Finally, they…
Making Stock Solutions from Solids
In this activity, students use the virtual lab to create stock solutions starting from solid salts. Students must first calculate the correct amount of solid to make the solution. Next, they prepare the solution…
Identifying the Unknown Metal (Metals Density Problem)
In this activity, students use the virtual lab to identify an unknown metal by measuring its density and comparing their measurements to the densities of known metals.
Identifying an Unknown Liquid from its Density
In this activity students use the virtual lab to design an experiment to determine the identity of mislabeled bottles using the densities of the solutions inside.
Alcohol Density Problem
Determine the concentration of an alcohol solution from its density.
Reaction Stoichiometry and Limiting Reagents
Gravimetric determination of arsenic.
Set in the context of ground water contamination in Bangladesh, this stoichiometry and analytical chemistry activity examines the issues around identifying wells contaminated with arsenic. (Part of a larger online…
Determining Stoichiometric Coefficients
In this activity, students use the virtual lab to determine how 4 unknown substances react with each other including their stoichiometric coefficients.
Stoichiometry and Solution Preparation Problem
In this limiting reagents problem, students mix together solutions in different ratios in an attempt to produce a final solution that contains only 1 product.
Textbook Style Limiting Reagents Problems
Textbook-style practice limiting reagent exercises with that can be used as a way to "predict and check" your answers using the virtual lab.
Textbook Style Limiting Reagents Problem II
In this activity, students practice with experiments involving limiting reagents and the test their knowledge to determine the concentration of an unknown solution.
Predicting DNA Concentration
In this limiting reagents problem, students are given specific concentrations of DNA solutions and are asked to predict what products and reactants will remain after a specific volumes are mixed and reaction has…
Unknown Concentration of DNA Solution Problem
In this advanced limiting reagent problem, students use the virtual lab to determine the concentration of a solution of DNA by reacting it with known amounts of a fluorescent dye which binds to the DNA.
Thermochemistry
Energy and enthalpy, camping problem i.
In this part of the MRE scenario, students measure the enthalpy of a reaction.
Camping Problem II
In this part of the MRE scenario, students determine change in the enthalpy of a reaction as the concentration of reactants are varied.
ATP Reaction (Thermochemistry and Bonding)
Determine the enthalpy of the ATP reaction.
Determining the Heat of Reaction in Aqueous Solution
In this activity, students perform an experiment to determine the heat of a reaction.
Coffee Problem
Use the virtual lab to determine how much milk to add to hot coffee to reach the desired temperature
Measuring the heat capacity of an engine coolant.
As an analytical chemist at a company developing new engine coolants your task is to determine the heat capacity of a newly developed product and then to determine if its heat capacity is greater of less than that…
Measuring the heat capacity of an engine coolant II (Advanced version)
Measure and compare the heat capacity of an unknown liquid with an unknown density.
Camping Problem III
In this part of the MRE scenario, students create solutions that when mixed, increase to a certain temperature.
Heats of Reaction - Hess' Law
This activity provides a demonstration of Hess' Law using three reactions: the solubility NaOH in water, the solubility NaOH in HCl and the reaction of a solution of HCl and a solution of NaOH.
Equilibrium
Lechatlier's principle, cobalt chloride and lechatlier’s principle.
In this activity, students safely explore the equilibrium reaction of the cobalt chloride reaction.
Equilibrium Calculations
Dna binding problem.
In this activity, students explore equilibrium constants in biochemical systems by measuring the binding constant of a DNA-Dye reaction.
Acid-Base Chemistry
Strong acids and bases, strong acid and base problems.
Textbook-style strong acid and base problems that can be checked using the Virtual Lab.
Determination of the pH Scale by the Method of Successive Dilutions
This activity was created as an accompaniment to an in-class demonstration of the method of successive dilutions using HCl, NaOH, a pH meter, and universal indicator solution. After the demonstration, students…
Weak Acids and Bases
Weak acid and base problems.
Textbook-style weak acid and base problems that can be checked using the Virtual Lab.
Determining the pKa and Concentration Ratio of a Protein in Solution
Use the virtual lab to determine the pKa of a protein then create a buffer solution with a specific concentration ratio of the protein in its protonated/ unprotonated form.
Unknown Acid and Base Problem
In this exercise, students graph the titration curve of an unknown acid and base to determine their pKa’s and concentrations.
Buffer Solutions
Creating a buffer solution.
An exercise to design a buffer solution with specific properties.
DNA - Dye Binding: Equilibrium and Buffer Solutions
Students examine equilibrium and buffer solutions in a biological setting.
Acid/Base Titrations
Standardization of naoh with a khp solution: acid base titration.
Use the Virtual Laboratory to standardize an unknown NaOH solution (approximately 0.2M) to four significant figures via titration with 25.00 mL of a KHP standard solution.
Solubility Product
Determining the solubility product.
Determine the solubility product constatnt (Ksp) for various solids.
Temperature and the Solubility of Salts
Examine the solubilities of salts based on temperature.
Determining the solubility of copper chloride at different temperatures
GIven the solubility of CuCl at 2 different temperatures, predict its solubility at a third temperature. Then test your prediction by creating the solution in the virtual lab
Oxidation/Reduction and Electrochemistry
Standard reduction potentials, exploring oxidation-reduction reactions.
Design an experiment to order Cu, Mg, Zn and Pb from strongest to weakest reducing agent.
Analytical Chemistry/Lab Techniques
Gravimetric analysis, unknown silver chloride.
Determine the concentration of Silver ion in a Silver Nitrate solution using gravimetric analysis
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Virtual Chemistry
Chemistry moves from in-person lab and the classroom to the computer, as working in a virtual chemistry laboratory and viewing simulations provide additional ways of learning chemistry.
- ACS Middle School Chemistry: Remote Learning Assignments from ACS Each assignment contains videos, images, and questions keyed to the ACS Middle School curriculum. Users can copy any of the Google Forms to their Google Drive to edit and use.
- Resources for Teaching Your Chemistry Class Online from Journal of Chemical Education ACS Publications and the ACS Division of Chemical Education share a free collection of resources for online delivery.
- Simulations from AACT A collection of all the simulations created by the American Association of Chemistry Teachers. Several new simulations are added each year. Every simulation is open for teachers and students to access.
- Animations from AACT Each animation in this series can be used to help students make connections between macroscopic observations and the particulate phenomena that explain them. To view an Animation, click the Animation’s title. AACT Teacher Members can share Animations with students for 7 days by generating a Student Pass.
- PhET Interactive Simulations from University of Colorado Boulder Chemistry-based simulations, some translated into different languages. Search by subject and grade level.
- MERLOT Materials: Chemistry Simulations from California State University Descriptions and links to a large number of chemistry simulations, with peer review ratings and comments, and information on appropriate grade levels.
- Chemistry Simulations from CK-12 A collection of simulations that cover topics like average atomic mass, solubility with rock candy, and freezing point depression with road salt.
- Virtual Lab Exercises from ChemReaX Each of these virtual lab exercises focuses on a specific chemistry topic and requires students to perform multiple simulations in ChemReaX. Students may also have to perform additional calculations and analysis using the data collected from simulations.
- Whether and How Authentic Contexts Using a Virtual Chemistry Lab Support Learning from Journal of Chemical Education Authors report on a study with high school chemistry students using virtual lab investigations, in a 2018 issue of the Journal of Chemical Education.
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Introducing Density - A Free Virtual Chemistry Lab Activity
As much of the world remains affected by COVID-19, some schools remain in virtual or hybrid learning structures for the fall semester. These modified learning environments have significantly restricted classroom laboratory work. Since my school is operating entirely online, I put together a series of virtual laboratory experiments that follow a framework described in a previous ChemEd X post: A Virtual Lab Format for Online Teaching During COVID-19
Here, I’d like to share my first virtual lab activity in this format. In this investigation, students learn about density through a combination of video demonstrations and PhET simulations.
significant figures, particulate level, equipment, how to use a balance, how to use a graduated cylinder, how to analyze the data
additional vocab: intensive & extensive, quantitative & qualitative
This can be done in one class period. The extension "at home" section would require about 30 minutes.
Section 1 and 2 only require videos and PhET simulations. Section 3 (at-home investigation) requires a 100-mL graduated cylinder (available at amazon or home brewing supply stores), a kitchen scale (preferably with at least 0.1 g precision), tap water, 10 pre-1982 pennies & 10 post-1982 pennies
Students work through the Density - Virtual Lab assignment document (found in the Supporting Information) as described below. The document includes all of the required links to videos and PhET simulations.
Section 1 - Defining Density
First, students learn about the concept of density by way of an instructional video tutorial (video 1). I offer a simple demonstration that compares the density of water, oil, and a metal coin to begin to consider density through particulate representation.
Video 1: Virtual Chemistry Experiment: Exploring Density Part 1 on The Science Classroom YouTube Channel (Published 9/2/2020)
After this introduction, students use the PhET simulation, States of Matter Basic , to observe solids, liquids, and gases at the particulate level (image 1). Then, students answer a few analysis questions to deepen their thinking about density.
slide2.jpeg
Image 1: " States of Matter Basic " PhET simulation (accessed 9/15/2020)
Section 2 - Determining Density
Next, students watch a second instructional video tutorial to learn how to experimentally determine the density of a collection of pennies (video 2). This video focuses on equipment and technique to learn how to use a balance and a graduated cylinder. I also describe how to analyze the data, using the measured mass and volume to calculate the pennies’ density.
Video 2: Virtual Chemistry Experiment: Determine Density (Part 2) , on The Science Classroom YouTube Channel (Published 9/3/2020)
After watching the video, students use the PhET simulation, Density , to experimentally determine the density of the five mystery objects (image 2).
slide3.jpeg
Image 2: " Density ", PhET simulation (accessed 9/15/2020)
Section 3 - Try it at Home
In general, the video demonstrations use simple household materials and should be safe to complete at home. The last section of the virtual lab activity includes a straightforward lab sheet so that students can attempt experiments on their own. This section is optional since students may not have access to all of the materials necessary to carry out the procedure.
For the most part, these activities are easy to carry out in a virtual classroom setting. However, minor technical difficulties can always occur when using computer simulations. The second simulation, Density, uses Flash (link: https://get. adobe.com/flashplayer/about/ ) which may not run properly unless your computer is updated with the latest version. I recommend setting a small portion of class time for troubleshooting technical issues. Thankfully, PhET’s website includes a beneficial help center for this purpose.
See the Density - Virtual Lab Student Document in the Supporting Information..
Post the student pdf for students to access and complete.
PhET Interactive Simulations University of Colorado Boulder ( States of Matter & Density )
General Safety
For Laboratory Work: Please refer to the ACS Guidelines for Chemical Laboratory Safety in Secondary Schools (2016) .
For Demonstrations: Please refer to the ACS Division of Chemical Education Safety Guidelines for Chemical Demonstrations .
Other Safety resources
RAMP : Recognize hazards; Assess the risks of hazards; Minimize the risks of hazards; Prepare for emergencies
Science Practice: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Mathematical and computational thinking at the 9–12 level builds on K–8 and progresses to using algebraic thinking and analysis, a range of linear and nonlinear functions including trigonometric functions, exponentials and logarithms, and computational tools for statistical analysis to analyze, represent, and model data. Simple computational simulations are created and used based on mathematical models of basic assumptions. Use mathematical representations of phenomena to support claims.
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