National Chemistry Research Articles

Textbook Sets Through the Perspective of the Orientation of the Intended Chemistry Curriculum for Primary and Secondary Schools

Textbooks have a central role in chemistry education and represent the intended chemistry curriculum at the national level. This paper focuses on analysing the intended chemistry curriculum as represented by the visual representations and the activities for students in the textbook sets in relation to the topics of the Slovenian National Chemistry Curriculum both at the primary and secondary school levels. The analysis involved all textbook sets approved by the national representatives for the 2021/2022 school year. The results revealed that in most of the curriculum topics in the analysed Slovenian chemistry textbook sets, the curriculum orientation structure of the discipline prevails and the everyday life orientation is present for both primary and secondary schools. To improve the relevance of the textbook sets for students, the currently rare presence of history of chemistry, environmental orientation, and technology and industry orientation and the lack of the use of socio-scientific orientation should be overcome. It would be valuable if further studies in textbook sets would also address the intended chemistry curriculum from a more holistic perspective.

Local sections host National Chemistry Week 2023 events

Local sections host National Chemistry Week 2023 events

ACS is seeking a college mentor for the US National Chemistry Olympiad program for the 2025–27 term

ACS is seeking a college mentor for the US National Chemistry Olympiad program for the 2025–27 term

Student Camps to Promote Scientific Vocations in STEM: The Quimi Camp Case

[Objective] From 1988 to 2018, high school students in Costa Rica had to pass a final exam to graduate from high school and be eligible for public university education. In this context, students had to choose a national science test from the areas of physics, chemistry, and biology. Historically, chemistry was the least chosen (4-6 %) of those sciences. On the other hand, there is a need -at the national level- to increase interest in careers related to STEM (Sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics). [Methodology] Under both premises, in 2016, the first national camp (called Quimi Camp) to promote scientific vocations was held to encourage high school students in Costa Rica to choose chemistry. Quimi Camp is an event supported by the OLCOQUIM National Chemistry Olympiad and the OLCOCI National Science Olympiad, which are in turn organized by the five Costa Rican State universities and the LANOTEC CENAT National Nanotechnology Laboratory at the National Center of High Technology, with the consent of the Ministry of Education (MEP) and the Ministry of Science, Innovation, Technology and Telecommunication (MICITT). The participating students made the final evaluation of this event. [Results] The results showed an excellent perception of the event regarding its organization and content. [Conclusions] Quimi Camp promoted students' vocation for science and engineering and positively influenced the selection of a University Career in STEM.

Students selected for 2023 Chemistry Olympiad Study Camp

The American Chemical Society’s US National Chemistry Olympiad program has selected the 20 high school students that will attend the 2023 Chemistry Olympiad Study Camp. The camp will take place from June 4 to 17 at the University of Maryland, College Park. The students have already completed local and national chemistry olympiad exams. At the camp, they will be competing for a place on the four-member team representing the US at the 55th International Chemistry Olympiad, to be held July 16–25 in Zurich. Representing 16 ACS local sections and 14 states, the students are Anantshri Asthana , John Foster Dulles High School in Texas; Luke Chen , Blue Valley North High School in Kansas; Nipun Dour , Mira Loma High School in California; Mingwen Duan , East Lyme High School in Connecticut; Canaan He , Carmel High School in Indiana; James Jiang , F. W. Buchholz High School in Florida

Comparison of Gravimetric Method with UV-Vis Spectrophotometry for Determination of Reaction Order in Natural Dyes Adsorption Process

The order of the reaction is the number of concentration factors that affect the speed of a chemical reaction. The reaction order can be used to determine how the adsorption process is in the colouring process based on determining the linear regression equation of the R square value. This study aims to compare the gravimetric method with the UV-Vis spectrophotometric method in determining the reaction order in chlorophyll samples of the natural dye papaya leaves. This study used a quantitative method to determine the value of the reaction order of the papaya leaf natural dye, with data analysis techniques including gravimetric method analysis to determine chlorophyll content, UV-Vis spectrophotometry to determine the value of chlorophyll absorbance and linear regression to determine the order of the reaction. The results showed that the two methods followed first order with an R-value of 0.951 for the gravimetric method and 0.994 for the UV-Vis spectrophotometric method. REFERENCESAisy, G. A. R. (2018). Analysis of the Chlorophyll Content of Papaya Leaf Extract (Upload Papaya L.) Against Extraction Time Variations Using a Hodothermal Extractor. Diponegoro University, (1969), 4–27.Azizah, H. P., & Utami, B. (2016). Utilization of Green Dyes from Papaya Leaves (Carica papaya L.) As a Natural Textile Dyes. UNY National Chemistry Seminar, (October 2016).Fauziah, L., & Wakidah, M. (2019). Extraction of Papaya Leaves (Carica papaya L.) Using Ultrasonic Cleaner. EKSAKTA: Journal of Sciences and Data Analysis, 19(1), 35–45.Khofya, A., & Aji, M. P. (2018). Papaya Leaf Extract (Upload Papaya L.) as a natural dye in batik cloth. Indonesian Journal of Natural Science Education (IJNSE), 1(1), 13–17.Manurung, M. (2012). Mangosteen Peel Application (Garcinia Mangostana L.) As a Natural Dyes on Cotton Fabrics by Pre-Mordanting. Journal of Chemistry, 6(2): 183-190.Matitaputty, J. K., Ufie, A., Ima, W., & Pattipeilohy, P. (2022). Implementation of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) Through Ecopedagogy in Learning at SMP Negeri 8 Ambon. BUDIMAS Journal, 04(1). http://journal.um-surabaya.ac.id/index.php/JKM/article/view/2203Namirah, I., Affifah, I., Wijayanti, I. E., & Langitasari, I. (2019). Study of Natural Coloring Plants in the Outer Baduy Community. EduChemia (Journal of Chemistry and Education), 4(2), 204.Pujilestari, T. (2015). Review: Sources and Utilization of Natural Dyes for Industrial Purposes Dynamics of Crafts and Batik, 32(2), 93–106. Retrieved from https://media.neliti.com/media/publications/61575-ID-review-sumber-dan-pemanfaatan-zat-warna.pdfRibeiro, M. G. T. C., Costa, D. A., & Machado, A. A. S. C. (2010). “Green Star”: A holistic green chemistry metric for evaluation of teaching laboratory experiments. Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews, 3(2), 149–159.Saputra, B. W. (2008). Adsorption System. 6–21. Tugas Akhir Sarjana. Jurusan Teknik Elektro Universitas Indonesia, Jakarta.Sugiyono. (2011). Quantitative Research Methods, Qualitative and R&D. Bandung: Alphabet.

Reactions

ACS NEWS Reactions ShareShare onFacebookTwitterWechatLinked InRedditEmail C&EN, 2023, 101 (10), p 3March 27, 2023Cite this:C&EN 101, 10, 3Letters to the editorAll about C&ENI have noticed how C&EN has been changing in recent years: for example, fewer science articles and less reader response. The Feb. 13, 2023, issue had no letters to the editor, no chemical reactions, and only one structure (ceramide, page 8). The role of C&EN has never been to “follow the literature,” but it used to regularly highlight outstanding, cutting-edge, novel, or especially interesting chemistry. Not anymore, and I miss it!Howard DeutschAtlantaCongratulations on the forthright explanation of the difficulties with C&EN (Feb. 20/27, 2023, page 2). I have been a reader for almost 70 years and have noticed a troubling trend in recent years that seems to correlate with the changes you have discussed.I’ll state up front that I cannot wait each week to receive C&EN. I find it extremely instructive on worldwide technology, engineering, and business developments in the science I have enjoyed so much.However, in recent years I have been perplexed by the tone and at times context of many issues. This has left me with the feeling that your coverage has been more of a declaration of social trends than technology developments and the people who do them.Please bring us back to balanced coverage of scientific and engineering news important to our industry.Alexander MacLachlanWilmington, DelawareThank you for providing us some information on what happened to the magazine. I have enjoyed C&EN for many years, and it is one of the best news/technical magazines anywhere.I am sad that the fine personnel left but hope you can keep it going.Also, I read the letter from Gordon W. Gribble (Feb. 20/27, 2023, page 3). I wish I could listen to his lectures—what a great method to learn organic chemistry.I hope he writes a textbook.William R. TaskerFort Mill, South CarolinaRe: Turning carbon dioxide into a valuable resourceIn the late 1960s, Monsanto commercialized a breakthrough technology to make acetic acid. The process reacted methanol with carbon monoxide to make high-purity acetic acid in high yield. The first production plant was built at the Monsanto site in Texas City, Texas. The plant generated synthesis gas (carbon monoxide and hydrogen) from methane and steam and made methanol using well-known technology. Then the methanol was reacted with more CO to make acetic acid using the new technology. But the reactions are unbalanced: CH4 + H2O yields CO + 3H2. What one needs is 2CO + 2H2 to make acetic acid. I don’t know how it happened, but some clever person(s) learned that a nearby refinery generated a high-purity stream of carbon dioxide that was just wasted. A short pipeline was built, and that CO2 became the CO (H2 + CO2 = CO + H2O) that balanced the reaction.Louis E. DuPree Jr.Magnolia, TexasIs chemistry magic?It’s great to see American Chemical Society sections doing outreach for National Chemistry Week (C&EN, Feb. 20/27, 2023, page 32). It would be even better if we didn’t do chemistry “magic” shows. Demonstrations are great—keep doing these—but don’t call them magic. We should not be giving kids the idea, even if it’s just “good fun,” that chemistry is magic. It’s not. We are scientists, not wizards or magicians. Let’s do better. Words matter.Bob GotwalsDurham, North Carolina CorrectionsMarch 6, 2023, page 32: The preliminary program for the American Chemical Society Spring 2023 meeting incorrectly implies that the photograph of race cars is from an Indianapolis 500 race. It is from a NASCAR race. Also, the theme of the meeting is “Crossroads of Chemistry,” not “Crossroad of Chemistry.”March 13, 2023, page 15: The feature story about biomanufacturing in the US misstates the university working with Cargill to develop a publicly funded production site. It is Iowa State University, not the University of Iowa.March 13, 2023, page 37: The obituary of Frank H. Clarke has incorrect credits for the obituary remembrance and photo. They are both by Moses K. Kaloustian, not Bernadette Taylor. Also, the degrees earned have the wrong concentration. The BS and MS were in chemistry, not medicinal research.

Local sections participate in National Chemistry Week 2022

From Oct. 16 to 22, American Chemical Society members from 108 local sections and two international chemical science chapters engaged the public in hands-on activities and demonstrations as part of National Chemistry Week (NCW). The 2022 theme was “Fabulous Fibers: The Chemistry of Fabrics.” Thousands of people participated in these events in schools, universities, malls, museums, libraries, zoos, and other public spaces. “Chemists celebrated National Chemistry Week last fall in so many different ways, with people of all ages,” says Lori Stepan, chair of the ACS Committee on Community Activities. “It was so exciting to see people coming together to learn more about chemistry and to share a love of science.” Free NCW resources provided by ACS included the magazine Celebrating Chemistry : 64,750 print copies in English and 9,800 in Spanish were distributed at last year’s NCW events. The NCW illustrated poem contest received 80 entries from local sections,

Local sections participate in National Chemistry Week 2022

Local sections participate in National Chemistry Week 2022

Will It Rust? A Set of Simple Demonstrations Illustrating Iron Corrosion Prevention Strategies at Sea

Corrosion of metal, especially iron, is a natural electrochemical process that costs billions of dollars every year. Educating college and precollege students, our future STEM professionals, about the chemistry that governs corrosion and its prevention strategies is of paramount importance. In this manuscript, we share a few simple iron corrosion-related activities developed into a demonstration video that helped celebrate the 2021 National Chemistry Week and was used to accompany general chemistry lectures on electrochemistry. These easy-to-setup activities with clear and dramatic effects effectively demonstrated concepts of equilibria including Le Chatelier’s principle, buffers, oxidation and reduction potentials, and factors such as metal coupling, salinity, pH, and temperature that impact rusting and its inhibition. These demonstration activities, with an emphasis on maritime applications, may also be adapted for precollege science camps or chemistry laboratories.

Analysis of Problems 9 and 10 of the Organic Chemistry in the 35th National Chemistry Olympiad Competition (Preliminary)

Analysis of Problems 9 and 10 of the Organic Chemistry in the 35th National Chemistry Olympiad Competition (Preliminary)

The Tapestry of Chemistry Education

Academic journals, including the Journal of Chemical Education, are repositories of individual works from communities of scholars. Often the use of information from journals is discrete, operating at the level of the individual article. Indeed, the use of search engines and rapid electronic delivery of individual articles as a PDF file has likely exacerbated this tendency. For chemistry education, National Chemistry Week presents an opportunity to contemplate the larger picture, woven as if a tapestry, for the teaching and learning of chemistry. Even a brief synopsis of a small fraction of articles in this Journal shows that taking such a broad point of view reveals a field that is constantly creating a dynamic pathway for students to find their favorite piece of the picture of chemistry.

Colonial Research on Public Hygiene and its Postcolonial Legacy: Focusing on Hygiene Laboratory in Colonial Korea.

Previous studies on the history of Korean public health have shown that the public hygiene system in Korea under Japan's colonial rule relied heavily on the sanitary police, whose lack of expertise in hygiene reinforced the coercion and violence of the colonial public hygiene system. This view, however, has overlooked the existence and function of scientific knowledge, which underpinned the formulation and implementation of public hygiene policies. This paper explores the knowledge production in public hygiene by research institutes of Japan's colonial government in Korea, drawing on the Hygiene Laboratory as a case. The Hygiene Laboratory chiefly played three roles: first, providing advice on the sanitary police's crackdowns; second, quality inspection of food, beverage, and pharmaceuticals, and authorizing their production and distribution; third, investigating health resources such as conventional food ingredients, medicinal herbs, and drinking water to support the wartime public health policy of the colonial government in Korea. The third function in particular continued after the reorganization of the Hygiene Laboratory as the National Chemistry Laboratory in the postcolonial period. By tracing the Hygiene Laboratory's research activities, this paper highlights the complicated cooperation between expertise, practices, and institutions in the field of sanitation control in colonial Korea.

Chemistry Olympiad study camp begins

Twenty high school students selected by the American Chemical Society–sponsored US National Chemistry Olympiad program are attending the Chemistry Olympiad study camp June 5–18 at the University of Maryland, College Park. The students are competing for a place on the four-member team that will represent the US at the 54th International Chemistry Olympiad, to be hosted virtually by China from July 10 to July 18. Representing 15 ACS local sections and 11 states, the students are Anantshri Asthana, John Foster Dulles High School in Texas; Luke Chen, Blue Valley North High School in Kansas; Yufei Chen, University High School in California; Neil Chowdhury , Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire; Nipun Dour, Mira Loma High School in California; Mingwen Duan, East Lyme High School in Connecticut; Alexander Gu, Gunn High School in California; Canaan He, Carmel High School in Indiana; Brian Li, Acton-Boxborough Regional High School in Massachusetts; Alice Liu,

Connecting Chemistry Education and Insects

The outreach efforts of the American Chemical Society incorporate two opportunities each year, National Chemistry Week and Chemists Celebrate Earth Week, where chemistry educators can contemplate connections of chemistry content to real-world issues. Often these connections present the possibility of considering both risks and benefits to society associated with the use of chemicals. An example of such a connection is the use of neonicotinoid pesticides that are an important component of pest control strategies in modern agriculture. Looking at the history of the introduction of these chemicals and how they replaced other pesticides provides one component of the way chemical usage can be understood. At the same time, concerns about broad impacts on pollinating insect populations merit significant considerations as well. Thus, the theme of Chemists Celebrate Earth Week in 2022 provides interesting scenarios of how to incorporate societal scale questions in the chemistry classroom.

ACS honors its 2022 Outreach Volunteers of the Year

The American Chemical Society honors 33 local section and international chapter volunteers with its 2022 Outreach Volunteer of the Year Awards. The program, established by the Committee on Community Activities, recognizes extraordinary outreach volunteers. Kim Morehouse, a retired chemist from the US Food and Drug Administration, is the global winner. He is honored for his work as the driving force behind the Chemical Society of Washington’s annual Chemists Celebrate Earth Week and National Chemistry Week (NCW) activities. Morehouse’s contributions include running the events’ biannual illustrated poem contests, recruiting volunteers for outreach activities, planning and preparing materials for demonstrations and take-home bags, and partnering with organizations for broader participation. “The joy you see on kids’ faces, and the enthusiasm that comes out of them when they’re doing these outreach activities—it’s just so much fun for me, as well as them,” Morehouse says. “I’ve always enjoyed that part of being involved with

Highlights from National Chemistry Week 2021

This year’s National Chemistry Week (NCW) explored the world of reaction rates with the theme “Fast or Slow . . . Chemistry Makes It Go!” As part of the annual outreach event, participants investigated how temperature, pressure, concentration, the presence of a catalyst, and other variables can influence reaction rates. This year, 117 American Chemical Society local sections and 4 international chapters participated in the event. “This year’s NCW theme was such a fun way to explore the world of reaction rates while asking the question, ‘How can I catalyze change?’ ” says Holly Davis, chair of the ACS Committee on Community Activities. “I cannot express enough gratitude for the volunteers that joined this celebration and planned safe and fun outreach events all over the world to engage the public with chemistry.” In 1987, ACS immediate past president George Pimentel launched the outreach event as National Chemistry Day. It was such

Highlights from National Chemistry Week 2021

Highlights from National Chemistry Week 2021

Analysis of Rasch Model for the Validation of Chemistry National Exam Instruments

Information about score obtained from a test is often interpreted as an indicator of the student's ability level. This is one of the weaknesses of classical analysis that are unable to provide meaningful and fair information. The acquisition of the same score if it comes from a test item with a different level of difficulty, must show different abilities. Analysis of the Rasch model will overcome this weakness. The purpose of this study was to analyze the quality of the items by validating the national chemistry exam instrument using the Rasch model. The research sample was 212 new students of the Department of Chemistry at the State University of Medan. The data collected was in the form of respondent's answer data to the 2013 chemistry UN questions, which amounted to 40 items multiple choice and uses the documentation method. Data analysis technique used the Rasch Model with Ministep software. The results of the analysis show the quality of the Chemistry National Exam (UN) questions is categorized as very good based on the following aspects: unidimension, item fit test, person map item, difficulty test level, person and item reliability. There is one item found to be gender bias, in which men benefit more than women. The average chemistry ability of respondents is above the average level of difficulty of the test items

CONTENT ANALYSIS OF NATIONAL CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT APPROACH OF CHEMISTRY GRADE IX- X IN PAKISTAN

Purpose of the study: This study was designed to the analysis of curriculum development approach of the National Curriculum for Chemistry Grade IX- X in Pakistan.
 Methodology: The study was related to theoretical and content analysis based.
 Main Findings: National Chemistry Curriculum for grade IX- X is majorly based on the subject-centered curriculum. To meet the need of society, it demands to cope up with the demands of technology. To enhance the skills of students, activities, and construction of knowledge on their own is stressed in the aims of the curriculum. National Curriculum for Chemistry grades IX- X, 2006 reflects the eclectic approach. It is dominant with subject-centered while assessment is leading with the traditional and teacher-centered approach.
 Applications of this study: The curriculum of Chemistry emphasis developing higher order thinking and skills in students.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: This study was based on documented content analysis. The curriculum developmental approach was observed in this study.