chemNRICH is the area of the stemNRICH site devoted to the mathematics underlying the study of chemistry, designed to help develop the mathematics required to get the most from your study. . . .
An introduction to a useful tool to check the validity of an equation.
This is the area of the advanced stemNRICH site devoted to the core applied mathematics underlying the sciences.
Many physical constants are only known to a certain accuracy. Explore the numerical error bounds in the mass of water and its constituents.
Estimate these curious quantities sufficiently accurately that you can rank them in order of size
Explore the rates of growth of the sorts of simple polynomials often used in mathematical modelling.
An article about the kind of maths a first year undergraduate in physics, engineering and other physical sciences courses might encounter. The aim is to highlight the link between particular maths. . . .
Do each of these scenarios allow you fully to deduce the required facts about the reactants?
Find out why water is one of the most amazing compounds in the universe and why it is essential for life. - UNDER DEVELOPMENT
Get some practice using big and small numbers in chemistry.
Dip your toe into the world of quantum mechanics by looking at the Schrodinger equation for hydrogen atoms
A brief outline of the mathematical issues faced by chemistry students.
Explore the possibilities for reaction rates versus concentrations with this non-linear differential equation
We all know that smoking poses a long term health risk and has the potential to cause cancer. But what actually happens when you light up a cigarette, place it to your mouth, take a tidal breath. . . .
Unearth the beautiful mathematics of symmetry whilst investigating the properties of crystal lattices
Read about the mathematics behind the measuring devices used in quantitative chemistry
Ever wondered what it would be like to vaporise a diamond? Find out inside...
Work out the numerical values for these physical quantities.
Can you work out how to produce the right amount of chemical in a temperature-dependent reaction?
Investigate why the Lennard-Jones potential gives a good approximate explanation for the behaviour of atoms at close ranges
Investigate the mathematics behind blood buffers and derive the form of a titration curve.
In this question we push the pH formula to its theoretical limits.
Here are several equations from real life. Can you work out which measurements are possible from each equation?
Explore how can changing the axes for a plot of an equation can lead to different shaped graphs emerging
From the atomic masses recorded in a mass spectrometry analysis can you deduce the possible form of these compounds?
Which dilutions can you make using 10ml pipettes and 100ml measuring cylinders?
Which exact dilution ratios can you make using only 2 dilutions?
Can you fill in the mixed up numbers in this dilution calculation?
There has been a murder on the Stevenson estate. Use your analytical chemistry skills to assess the crime scene and identify the cause of death...
Investigate the effects of the half-lifes of the isotopes of cobalt on the mass of a mystery lump of the element.
Investigate some of the issues raised by Geiger and Marsden's famous scattering experiment in which they fired alpha particles at a sheet of gold.
Are these statistical statements sometimes, always or never true? Or it is impossible to say?
Put your visualisation skills to the test by seeing which of these molecules can be rotated onto each other.
Think about the bond angles occurring in a simple tetrahedral molecule and ammonia.
Fancy learning a bit more about rates of reaction, but don't know where to look? Come inside and find out more...
Use your skill and knowledge to place various scientific lengths in order of size. Can you judge the length of objects with sizes ranging from 1 Angstrom to 1 million km with no wrong attempts?
Investigate the molecular masses in this sequence of molecules and deduce which molecule has been analysed in the mass spectrometer.
Explore the distribution of molecular masses for various hydrocarbons
Explore the lattice and vector structure of this crystal.
What does the empirical formula of this mixture of iron oxides tell you about its consituents?
Which dilutions can you make using only 10ml pipettes?