Chemistry
Allegheny College
Mastering chemistry concepts and scholarly research
Reproduced with permission from NeXT
Computer, Inc.
A Reference
Guide to NeXT in Higher Education, Fall 1992
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1992 NeXT Computer, Inc
In chemistry classes at Allegheny College, NeXT computers
are as essential as the periodic table of elements, thanks
to Assistant Professor Brian Reid and his colleagues Nancy
Lowmaster and Sally Hair who have created a plethora of
NeXT-based applications for both upper- and lower-division
courses.
"I appreciate the speed, development environment, and
graphic capabilities on NeXT," says Reid. "I had created
applications on the Macintosh and IBM platforms prior to
working on NeXT machines. But what I developed on those
platforms seems primitive to what I've been able to create
with NeXTSTEP. NeXT's speedy calculations, smooth
animation, multitasking, and Interface Builder are all
great.
"We're using the NeXT applications to address some of the
more difficult concepts in our curriculum," continues Reid.
"Many of the applications we've been able to create really
help students see things graphically. These are concepts
that are often difficult to illustrate on a blackboard,"
For introductory courses, Reid and Lowmaster developed a
NameThatCompound application that allows students to quiz
themselves on the names and formulas of inorganic
compounds. The applications tracks the students' responses
and gives a score at the end of each session. Another
application, VSEPR, lets students determine molecular
shapes. Students draw electron-dot structures and select
the correct molecular geometry from possible structures
displayed on the screen.
"These applications have worked quite well," says Reid. "In
fact, the classes that have used NameThatCompound have
mastered the nomenclature much better and faster than
previous classes."
He has created a periodic table application in which
students can click on a particular element and read
information about that element, including when it was
discovered and its uses.
Reid also has developed applications that let students
prepare for labs. For example, students are asked to test
the different reactions caused by mixing various chemicals,
and the computer provides a response about that reaction.
Once students determine the appropriate reactions for an
experiment , they perform them in the laboratory.
"The computer allows the students to experiment with all
the possible reactions among a set of reagents. We can't
try them all in a lab setting, mostly because of the time
factor," says Reid. "Students have reacted very positively
to being able to figure things out on the NeXT before they
do their labs."
When introductory classes study hydrolysis reaction rates
in the laboratory, they analyze their data with an
application Reid devised. In the application, students
record their data and use different graphical models to
determine the reaction rate law.
Reid and Hair have created several applications for
upper-division laboratories. RealGases allows students to
change the parameters of a real or ideal gas with sliders
and then determine the effect on pressure-volume isotherms.
Using Virial, students use Virial plot second virial
coefficient data obtained in the lab and compare them with
computer-calculated values based on a molecular model.
PhaseI plots experimental data from a binary liquid-solid
system and lets students compare their experimental phase
diagram to a theoretical calculation. ConjugatedDyes is a
tutorial and exercise program for investigating the energy
levels of brightly colored molecules. IR shows the
molecular vibrations responsible for the infrared spectra
of molecules, including carbon monoxide, hydrogen chloride,
carbon dioxide, methanol, and sulfur dioxide. DyeLaser
animates the molecular level processes that occur in a dye
laser.
Another custom application, Diatomic, animates the motion
of molecules with two atoms. Students can observe the
effects of adding varying amounts of energy for vibration
and rotation as well as plot molecular energy levels and
their relative populations. "The Diatomic application has
allowed us to perform an exercise we've never been able to
do before," says Reid. "With Diatomic students can
visualize the motions of molecules and interact with them."
He continues, "Interface Builder and the Application Kit
have been very helpful in developing all these
applications. "We are able to design much nicer interfaces
more quickly than we could with other platforms. I
originally wrote the Diatomic application for the IBM and
Mac, but students like the interface on the NeXT version
even better."
Reid says he also relies on the NeXT network for
distributing solutions to homework problems, new
assignments, and lab procedures. "The network is useful
because it saves me from distributing paper versions or
posting homework solutions outside my office," says Reid.
"With this method, students have better access to solutions
and course information."
The NeXT machine's networking and multitasking capabilities
also come in handy during the junior seminar for chemistry
majors that Reid teaches. For the course, students are
required to conduct literature searches by accessing the
chemical abstracts database via the Internet.
"Students use WordPerfect or WriteNow to write out their
search strategy. Then they're able to conduct the search in
a terminal window while viewing their search strategy in
another window. They can keep track of the information
they've obtained and copy and paste the search results into
the WriteNow or WordPerfect file. Because of its
multitasking capability, NeXT provides an excellent
environment for conducting an on-line search."
For more information, please contact:
Brian Reid
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA 16335
(814) 332-5329
breid@alleg.edu