chemNRICH

Stage: 4 and 5 Challenge Level:

stemNRICH : Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics enriched

Welcome to chemNRICH: the chemistry section of stemNRICH. This contains mathematical activities for students aged 14 - 19 designed to complement and enhance the study of chemistry.

Area of chemical maths	Style	Question	Description
Molecular masses		Heavy Hydrocarbons	Explore the distribution of molecular masses for various hydrocarbons.
		Molecular Sequencer	Investigate the molecular masses in this sequence of molecules and deduce which molecule has been analysed in the mass spectrometer.
		Spectrometry Detective	From the atomic masses recorded in a mass spectrometry analysis can you deduce the possible form of these compounds?
Dilutions		Dilution Series Calculator	In this interactive tool a bacterial solution is diluted in four stages. Can you work out what the final concentration will be? Practise with new questions until you understand the process.
		Investigating the Dilution Series	Follow on from the previous question by choosing the dilutions in each of four stages to try to match certain final targets.
		Exact Dilutions	Save on the washing up! Using just three beakers can you create dilutions of certain concentrations?
Logarithms and pH		pH Temperature	From a table of data for the dissociation constant of water at various temperatures, work out how hot water must be to have different pH values.
		Mixing pH	Use the pH formula to calculate the pH and concentrations of dilutions.
		Extreme Dissociation	Take the pH formula to its theoretical limits in these extreme calculations.
		Blood Buffers	In this extended question explore how blood buffers keep the pH levels balanced in the human body.
Atoms and particles	See the Atoms and Particles problems on the physNRICH pages
Reaction kinetics		Catalyse That	Explore rates of a temperature dependent reaction
Reaction kinetics		Reaction Types	How can algebra be used to represent different reaction types? What does the equation tell us about the behaviour of the reaction?
Gases	See also the Gas Laws problems on the physNRICH pages
		Eudiometry	Which reactions cause an increase in volume, and which a decrease?
		Gassy Information	Does each of these scenarios allow you fully to deduce the required facts about the reactants?
		Diamonds Aren't Forever	Investigate the ideal gas laws in the context of diamond gas.
Bonds, geometry and crystals		Coordinated Crystals	Practise your visualisation skills regarding 3D crystal structures.
		Bond Angles	Put your vectors to the test with this exploration of the geometry of tetrahedral molecules and ammonia.
		Stereoisomers	Which of these molecules can be rotated on to each other, and which are stereoisomers?
Enthalpy		Which Salt?	Work out why common salt is not NaCl2 by analysing the Born-Haber cycle.
Moles and molarity		Conversion Sorter	A molarity calculation has been written out and broken up into several pieces. Can you use the interactive tool to rearrange the pieces of the calculation into their logical order?
		Reductant Ratios	What does the empirical formula of this mixture of iron oxides tell you about its constituents?
		Smoke and Daggers	Give your general chemistry and knowledge of moles and concentrations a workout with this entertaining extended problem concerning the dangers of smoking.
Advanced mathematics in chemistry		CSI: Chemical Scene Investigation	Give your general quantitative chemistry and problem solving skills a workout in this entertaining extended investigation.
		The Real Hydrogen Atom	Dip your toe into the world of quantum mechanics by looking at the Schrodinger equation for hydrogen atoms.
		Clear as Crystal	Unearth the beautiful mathematics of symmetry whilst investigating the properties of crystal lattices.
Articles		Inspect Your Gadgets	Look at the tools and mathematics which underly quantitative chemistry.
Articles		Reaction Rates!	Find out how rates of reactions and equations go together.