Ethylenediamine Complexes of Nickel (II) Lab

Literature Experiment

One of the distinguishing characteristics that sets science apart from other fields of study is that published experiments and procedures are expected to be reproducible. Scientific advances are built on the work of others published in the scientific literature. In this laboratory you will carry out an experiment or build an apparatus from a description taken directly from the scientific literature.

Possible Experiments

Primary Reference

Demonstrating and Measuring Relative Molar Magnetic Susceptibility Using a Neodymium Magnet J. Chem. Ed., 81(8):1155 (2004)

Liquid-Crystal Displays: Fabrication and Measurement of a Twisted Nematic Liquid-Crystal Cell J. Chem. Ed., 81(6):854 (2004)

Kinetics of the Reaction of CaCO₃ with Acid J. Chem. Ed., 81(6):859 (2004)

Demonstration of the Exponential Decay Law Using Beer Froth (Note this article won a 2002 Physics Ig Noble) European Journal of Physics, 23:21 (2002)

A Simplified Method for the Determination of Critical Micelle Concentration
Brady Dykema, Jennifer Norman, Keith Vinecke J. Chem. Ed., 78(3):347 (2001)

Micellar Effects on the Spontaneous Hydrolysis of Phenyl Chloroformate J. Chem. Ed., 78(11):1538 (2001)

Kinetics of the Reaction of p-Nitrobenzyl Chloride with Cyanide Ion J. Chem. Ed., 70(5):429 (1993)

Kinetics of Methylene Blue Reduction by Ascorbic Acid J. Chem. Ed., 76(7):970 (1999)

An Easy Determination of the Surface Chemical Properties of Simple and Natural Solids J. Chem. Ed., 80(1):76 (2003)

A Precise Method for Determining the CO₂ Content of Carbonate Materials J. Chem. Ed., 75(12):1610 (1998)

An Inexpensive Microscale Method for Measuring Vapor Pressure, Associated Thermodynamic Variables, and Molecular Weight J. Chem. Ed., 76(8):1113 (1999)

Evaporation Kinetics in Short Chain Alcohols by Optical Interference J. Chem. Ed., 77(8):1047 (2000)
J. Chem. Ed., 74(11):1320 (1997)

A Simplified Method for Finding the pK_a of an Acid Base Indicator by Spectrophotometry J. Chem. Ed., 76(3):395 (1999)

A Novel Experiment for Fast and Simple Determination of the Oxygen Content of Air - Krista Hanson and Beverly Plumb J. Chem. Ed., 77(8):1047 (2000)

An Inexpensive and Accurate Tensiometer Using an Electronic Balance J. Chem. Ed., 78(9):1257 (2001)

Simultaneous Determination of the Ionization Constant and the Solubility of a Sparingly Soluble Drug Substance J. Chem. Ed., 78(6):786 (2001)

Reconstructing or reproducing an experiment from the published literature is more challenging than you might expect. You will probably need to read or study additional material in order to understand what you are doing. You may need to seek advice from faculty and staff.

This laboratory will be graded on your effort, your success in reproducing the published procedure, on how well you develop the data obtained from the procedure, and on the formal written report describing what you did. This report is expected to include a detailed introduction, theoretical background, experimental procedure, data section, analysis of results, discussion, and list of appropriate references. This laboratory will be graded on a 100 point basis.

Required Materials

It is up to you to determine what you need to carry out the experiment and then to set about acquiring the necessary materials. You may need to purchase some items or chemicals. If so, you will have to determine where to purchase these items and what they cost. You will need to get approval to purchase any items from your supervisor (me). Assembling the required materials should be initiated as soon as possible, since items that are ordered can take some time to arrive. The Director of Chemical Laboratories can help you determine what we already have on hand.

Safety

It is your responsibility to understand the hazards inherent in the procedure you are following and to take any necessary precautions to insure your own and other's safety. If you are uncertain about any safety issues - ASK! You should acquire and read the MSDSs for any materials that you will be using. All materials should be properly disposed of at the end of the experiment.

Possible Experiments	Primary Reference
Demonstrating and Measuring Relative Molar Magnetic Susceptibility Using a Neodymium Magnet	J. Chem. Ed., 81(8):1155 (2004)
Liquid-Crystal Displays: Fabrication and Measurement of a Twisted Nematic Liquid-Crystal Cell	J. Chem. Ed., 81(6):854 (2004)
Kinetics of the Reaction of CaCO₃ with Acid	J. Chem. Ed., 81(6):859 (2004)
Demonstration of the Exponential Decay Law Using Beer Froth (Note this article won a 2002 Physics Ig Noble)	European Journal of Physics, 23:21 (2002)
A Simplified Method for the Determination of Critical Micelle Concentration Brady Dykema, Jennifer Norman, Keith Vinecke	J. Chem. Ed., 78(3):347 (2001)
Micellar Effects on the Spontaneous Hydrolysis of Phenyl Chloroformate	J. Chem. Ed., 78(11):1538 (2001)
Kinetics of the Reaction of p-Nitrobenzyl Chloride with Cyanide Ion	J. Chem. Ed., 70(5):429 (1993)
Kinetics of Methylene Blue Reduction by Ascorbic Acid	J. Chem. Ed., 76(7):970 (1999)
An Easy Determination of the Surface Chemical Properties of Simple and Natural Solids	J. Chem. Ed., 80(1):76 (2003)
A Precise Method for Determining the CO₂ Content of Carbonate Materials	J. Chem. Ed., 75(12):1610 (1998)
An Inexpensive Microscale Method for Measuring Vapor Pressure, Associated Thermodynamic Variables, and Molecular Weight	J. Chem. Ed., 76(8):1113 (1999)
Evaporation Kinetics in Short Chain Alcohols by Optical Interference	J. Chem. Ed., 77(8):1047 (2000) J. Chem. Ed., 74(11):1320 (1997)
A Simplified Method for Finding the pK_a of an Acid Base Indicator by Spectrophotometry	J. Chem. Ed., 76(3):395 (1999)
A Novel Experiment for Fast and Simple Determination of the Oxygen Content of Air - Krista Hanson and Beverly Plumb	J. Chem. Ed., 77(8):1047 (2000)
An Inexpensive and Accurate Tensiometer Using an Electronic Balance	J. Chem. Ed., 78(9):1257 (2001)
Simultaneous Determination of the Ionization Constant and the Solubility of a Sparingly Soluble Drug Substance	J. Chem. Ed., 78(6):786 (2001)