1. Why Gas Chemistry?
    •  It's fun and easy!  Easy to learn the techniques.  Gases are ready in 5 minutes!
        •  Great labs!  Great demos!  High school students enjoy making gases.
            •  It's visual!  Best way to "see" a gas is to watch it being produced.
                •  It's microscale! Microscale in terms of quantities and costs, but large enough to see (60 mL)
                    •  It's inexpensive.  Little or no chemical wastes.
                        •  Chemistry concepts. Dozens of important concepts can be seen first hand:

• acid rain  • air pollution  • catalysis  • combustion  • environmental issues • equilibrium  • Ideal gas law  • intermolecular forces  • kinetics  • limiting reagent • microexplosions  • molar mass  • oxidation/reduction • precipitation  • reaction stoichiometry  • rocketry  • solubility   • and many more!

 

2009	The location for Chem Ed 2009 has not yet been announced as of 13 July 2008.
2008	During the Summer of 2008, we will offer the following programs and workshops at Biennial Conference on Chemical Education at Indiana University (July 27 - 31, 2008):  Poster presentation;  Download abstract to "Gas Reaction Catalyst Tube" as a Word file.  Poster presentation;  Download abstract to "Oxidation Reactions of Potassium Superoxide" as a Word file.  Workshop: Download abstract to"In Lab Workshop" (1 pg) or download the workshop booklet (approx 20 pgs). See pictures.
2007	During the Summer of 2007, we will offer the following programs and workshops at Chem Ed 2007 at the University of North Texas (July 28 - August 2, 2007):  Presentation; Download "20 Gas Demos" as a pdf file.  Workshop: Download "In Lab Workshop"
2005	During the Summer of 2005, we offered the following programs and workshops: 18 May 2005 PRESENTATION AND WORKSHOP. Microscale Gas Chemistry, presented at 3rd International Symposium on Microscale Chemistry at Universidad Iberoamericana (Mexico City, Mexico)  Presentation; Download "20 Gas Demos" as a Microsoft Word file. (See pictures from the workshop) 2 August 2005 Microscale Gas Chemistry at ChemEd 2005 (Vancouver, BC)  Presentation; Download "20 Gas Demos" as a Microsoft Word file. 3 August 2005 at ChemEd 2005 in Vancouver, BC Canada.  (See pictures from workshop!) 8 August 2005 as part of "Weird Science and Wade, Edition 10" at University of Illinois, Chicago campus (entire workshop from 8:30 am until 5 pm daily, August 8-12, 2005.  There is a web page with more info. (See pictures from workshop!)
2004	During the Summer of 2004, we offered two three-day workshops and one half-day workshop at these locations: 28 - 30 June 2004 (Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday) at Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska.  Contact Bruce Mattson at xenon@creighton.edu for more information (See pictures) 3-hour/half-day workshop (introductory) at the BCCE Conference, Ames, Iowa,  18 July 2004 (See pictures)
2003	During the Summer of 2003, we offered one-day workshops  at these locations: 27 June 2003 Kings College, London (See pictures) 1 July 2003 (and repeated 2 July) Mémosciences a.s.b.l., Louvain-la-neuve, Belgium (See pictures) 27 July 2003 We offered a half-day workshop  at ChemEd 2003 at Auburn University, Alabama (See pictures)
2002	During the Summer of 2002, we offered the course  at three locations: (1) Creighton University; (2) the National Microscale Chemistry Center at Merrimack College;  and (3) Squalicum High School as a pre-BCCE Conference workshop (both for continuing education and/or Creighton University credit). Learn more about each workshop: July 1 - 3, 2002 Creighton University, Omaha, Nebraska   (See pictures from this workshop) July 19 - 21, 2002 National Microscale Chemistry Center, Merrimack College, Massachusetts (See pictures from this workshop) July 24 - 26, 2002 Squalicum High School, BCCE pre-conference workshop, Bellingham, Washington (See pictures from this workshop)
2001	ChemEd 2001, July, 2001, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Introductory workshop (See pictures) ChemEd 2001, July, 2001, York University, Toronto, Ontario, Intermediate workshop (See pictures) Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut, July, 2001, (See pictures) Iberoamericana Universidad, Santa Fe, Mexico, (See pictures)
2000	BCCE, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, July, 2000, (20See pictures)

We present short workshops at ChemEd and BCCE Conferences. These are 3-hours in length and introduce participants to the basic techniques.  Sign up early — our introductory workshop has sold out 5 years running!

We offer 3-day (20 hour) workshop courses during the summer.  Participants can earn 1-credit (Creighton University, Chm 555).  Courses provide hands-on laboratory experience with a wide variety of gases. We place an emphasis on using gas chemistry to enhance and demonstrate your curriculum; time for sharing and discussing ideas is an important part of the workshop. The workshop is suitable for high school and college teachers.

Here are the activities you will do the first day.

(Suitability given after each activity: M = middle school lab, H = high school lab, C = college/university, D = demonstration for the classroom)

 
Part 1. Experiments with Carbon Dioxide

General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of CO2 and washing the gas (M H C) *
Traditional limewater test for CO2 (M H C) *
Flame-out!  (Carbon dioxide extinguishes fires) (M H C) *
Acidity of CO2 (M H C) *
 Reacting  CO2 with a solution (NaOH(aq)) inside the syringe.  (H C) *
The Equilibrium Between CO2(g) and Carbonic Acid (H C D) *
Molar Mass of CO2 — A Cooperative Learning Activity for the entire class (M H C)

Part 2. Experiments with Hydrogen

General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of H2 and washing the gas.  (M H C) *
Traditional Test for Hydrogen (M H C) *
Effusion Experiment (H C D) *
Limiting Reagent and Theoretical Yield — Classroom Cooperative activity:  Class plot of mass of Mg vs volume H2 produced (Avogodro's law)  (H C)
Hydrogen bubbles vs bubbles of hydrogen-air mixture (M H C)
Reduction of CuO(s) with Hydrogen  (H C D) *
Reduction of Fe2O3(s) with Hydrogen  (H C D) *
Hydrogen Burns With a Gentle Flame  (D)

Part 3. Experiments with Oxygen

General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of O2 and washing the gas. (M H C) *
Traditional Test for Oxygen  (M H C) *
Oxygen Supports Combustion  (M H C) *
The Blue Bottle Experiment  (D)
Dynamite Soap  (M H C) *
Steel Wool Burns in Oxygen  (H C)
Hydrogen/Oxygen Rockets (M H C) *

Second Day Activities in our 3-day Workshop:

Part 4. Experiments with Nitrogen Oxides

General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of NO and washing the gas (H C D) *
Reactions in a Well Plate: (H C D)
              a. Nitric oxide reacts with KMnO4(aq)
              b. NO(g) reacts with Fe⁺²(aq)
              c. NO(g) reduces Br2(aq) to colorless bromide

Conversion of NO to NO2 (H C D) *
LeChatelier Principle and the NO2/N2O4 Equilibrium (H C D) *
High temperature favors the endothermic substance (H C D) *
Acid Rain Microchemistry (H C D) *
Gas Catalyst reaction Tube: Reaction of NO2 with Methane (H C D) *
React (Destroy excess/unwanted) NO2 with KMnO4(H C D)

Part 5. Experiments with Ammonia

General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of NH3 and transferring the gas (H C D) *
Ammonia is a Base (H C D)
Ammonia Fountain (H C D) * (This is the last activity of our one-day workshops offered in 2003)
Acid-Base Reactions with Fruit Juices (H C D)
Ammonia Forms Complex Ions with Transition Metals — group show and share (H C D)

Part 6. Experiments with Ethyne

General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of C2H2 and washing the gas (H C D)
Ethyne Reacts with Aqueous Bromine (H C D)
Sooty Combustible of Ethyne (H C D)
Ethyne/Oxygen Rockets (H C D)

Third Day Activities in our 3-day Workshop:

Part 7. Experiments with Hydrogen Chloride

General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of HCl and transferring the gas (H C D)
Formation of an aerosol (H C)
In-vial reaction: Reaction with concentrated ammonium hydroxide (H C)
"Acid Snow?"  Supersaturating NaCl(sat'd) (H C)
Reaction with NaHCO3(aq) (H C)
Curdled milk (H C)
Office paper (H C)
HCl fountain (H C D)

Part 8.  Experiments with Carbon Monoxide

General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of CO and transferring the gas (H C D)
Blue Jets!  Combustion of CO(g) with a Blue Flame (H C D)
Reduction of CuO with CO (H C D)
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning (H C D)
Catalytic Converters and Your Car (H C D)
Carbon Monoxide Detectors (H C D)

Part 9. Experiments with Ethene

General Method of Gas Generation, preparation of C2H4 and transferring the gas (H C D)
Reaction with Bromine-water (H C D)
Going Bananas with Ethene! (H C D)
Catalytic Hydrogenation of Ethene (H C D)
Preparation of C2H4 from polyethylene (H C D)

        "The workshop provided me with many helpful ideas when it comes to teaching about gases and it related the generation of gases to real life situations."

        "These experiments promote inquiry-based learning without being complicated.  Simple materials are used and readily available in a typical high school lab."

        "Well-organized and clearly presented, appropriately paced, labs were set-up and clearly thought  out and many of the labs were very cleverly designed!"

         "I have taken many workshops since I began teaching and often leave disappointed.  I was very impressed with this workshop and
               found it extremely valuable.  We were given many materials that we can use immediately in the classroom and lab."

        "This was a very well-planned and valuable workshop.  Everything was practical ans most of it can and will be used by me and others with whom I will share the knowledge and materials."

       "I especially liked the ability to have time to run the experiments, look for problems, correct the problems, and achieve good results."

        "The presenters knew their material well -- they could cope with all questions or problems that arose."

        "Excellent!  Well-suited to my needs, enjoyable, well-planned and practical"

       "The sense of humor that Bruce and Sue brought to the workshop was especially refreshing.  These three days zipped by and each day was sufficiently distinct to be motivating.  This was perhaps the most useful workshop I've taken."

Details vary from location to location.  Click in the locations listed in #2 above for all the details.

I'll try to be human.  Call me (Bruce Mattson) at 402-280-2278 or e-mail me at xenon@creighton.edu