The three plastic soda bottles were perched on a shelf above my head. They each appeared to contain some sort of chemical solution, but I couldn’t make out the handwritten labels as I stood on the ground. I decided to lift them down and put them in the lab prep sink to await further action. I carried the first two to the sink and set them down on the sink bottom. The bottoms of the bottles instantly shattered into dozens of brittle pieces, while their contents mixed and spilled down the drain. The disposal concern was unsettling enough, but in the aftermath of the incident, I considered another scenario. What if they had shattered while I was lifting them down, and showered the chemicals on me and the storage shelves below? I located a stepladder and a large dishpan to retrieve the third bottle. I wasn’t taking any chances now that I knew what might happen.

This incident came to mind as I paged through Jay A. Young’s most recent Chemical Laboratory Information Profiles, or CLIPs (first, second). The CLIP heading reads “Only when you know the hazards, can you take the necessary precautionary measures.” How true! These safety sheets debuted in JCE in April 2001. In his article “Introducing Chemical Laboratory Information Profiles: CLIPs” (1), Young discussed the problems in acquiring relevant hazard information from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) and labels. He saw a need for a document that described the hazards of a chemical in a manner more useful for teachers and their students, and the result was CLIPs. Two or three new chemicals are included in every issue, and the number of published CLIPs is now over 100. CDs containing more than 100 CLIPs will be available for purchase and as door prizes at the American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting in Washington, DC this August. CDs will be available at the JCE exhibit booth and during the High School Day program. Young will even be autographing CDs at select times during the meeting and will be making a presentation about CLIPs during a CHED symposium on safety. Don’t miss your chance to get your own set of CLIPs!

The abstract of Chemistry Comes Alive! (CCA!), Volume 7 also brings safety to the forefront. Many classic demonstrations cannot be performed today due to safety concerns. Sometimes chemicals are deemed too hazardous or cause too much difficulty with disposal. However, the demonstrations can still illustrate important aspects of chemistry. A solution? CCA! Volume 7 includes over 200 QuickTime movies and more than 6700 still images (including images of the movies caught step-by-step) of various demonstrations, mainly flames and explosions (see photo). As the abstract states, the CD “is sure to spark an interest”.

A laboratory by Gordon and Chancey offers a kinetics experiment that uses household chemicals. Students examine the kinetics of the rusting of steel wool as the iron reacts with molecular oxygen. A Vernier oxygen gas sensor is used to collect data that students use to construct graphs to determine the reaction order.

ACS National Meetings, Past and Future

This past March brought another High School Day, held at the spring ACS National Meeting in San Diego. Teachers enjoyed several presentations, including an opportunity to try the hands-on, taste-buds-on, JCE Classroom Activity “A Cool Drink: An Introduction to Concentrations” (2) and to win great door prizes. Annis Hapkiewicz also received the James Bryant Conant Award in High School Chemistry Teaching (read more about this) and presented her award address. The September issue is scheduled to contain an interview with this inspiring educator.

August brings the fall National Meeting in Washington, DC. JCE staff will share two presentations at High School Day: “Chemistry Teacher Connection: A Super Bargain for High School Teachers” and “JCE Classroom Activities: How To Use Them and How To Publish One”. See the August issue for program information.

Literature Cited

1. Young, J. A. J. Chem. Educ. 2001, 78, 444–446.
2. Bedrossian, M. J. Chem. Educ. 2005, 82, 240A–240B.