Chemical Demonstrations, Volume 2: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry

by Bassam Shakhashiri

Book Overview

The demonstrations capture interest, teach, inform, fascinate, amaze, and perhaps, most importantly, involve students in chemistry. Nowhere else will you find books that answer, "How come it happens? . . . Is it safe? . . . What do I do with all the stuff when the demo is over?"
Shakhashiri and his collaborators offer 282 chemical demonstrations arranged in 11 chapters. Each demonstration includes seven sections: a brief summary, a materials...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0299101304
• ISBN13: 9780299101305
• Release Date: November 1985
• Publisher: University of Wisconsin Press
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 2.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 8.9" x 11.4"

Customer Reviews

Review of Volume 2, "Chemical Demonstrations" by Shakhashiri

Since the other reviews are all referencing Volume 1 of this renowned four-volume set, I thought I would post a review of Volume 2. Volume 2 offers a total of 69 demonstrations related to the properties and behavior of gases and amazing oscillating chemical reactions. Because these books are a set, this volume begins with Chapter 5, which offers 26 demonstrations of the PHYSICAL BEHAVIOR OF GASES. Chapter 6 provides 29 examples of the CHEMICAL BEHAVIOR OF GASES. Demonstrations include Carbon Dioxide, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Dioxide, Methane, Hydrogen Chloride, Ammonia, and Chlorine. Chapter 7 reveals 14 OSCILLATING CHEMICAL REACTIONS, including the classic Zhabotinsky Bromate-Malonic Acid reaction and seven additional variations on this theme. Each demonstration is completely discussed with the intent of allowing for easy replication of the demonstration.

Very interesting and useful book

The book is very interesting and useful for teachers whom use the lecture and demostration method in teaching chemistry. The experiments are well tested and one can create some other new experiments taking the basis from this book. I recommend the whole series (Vols. 1 to 4). Dr. Shakhashiri is a talent chemistry teacher and he transmits his enthusiasm in teaching this science.

THIS BOOK IS A MUST HAVE FOR CHEMISTRY TEACHERS!

I am a first year teacher and this book has been the best investment I've made. I may have had to buy it with my own money, but it has been worth every cent. Lots of ideas are presented in this book and it gives really good ways to integrate the demonstrations to teach particular concepts. I plan to buy the other three books by this author.

All teachers of chemistry should have access to this book.

This is the first volume in Shakhashiri's unequalled Chemical Demonstrations series. There are over 80 demonstrations in this book, each one with a list of required materials, a detailed procedure, notes on hazards and disposal, a discussion of the chemical principles involved, and references. The demonstrations cover the areas of thermochemistry (Chapter 1), Chemiluminescence (Chapter 2), Polymers (Chapter 3), and Equilibria of Metal Ion Precipitates and Complexes (Chapter 4). Included in the introductory text is an article by Richard W. Ramette entitled "Exocharmic Reactions" which relates how chemical demonstrations for teaching purposes have evolved and what qualities the successful demonstrator should possess for maximum impact.There is absolutely nothing so good as a demonstration for getting students interested in chemistry and keeping them interested. Demonstrations may take a bit of extra work on the part of the teacher, but they are worth the effort, and the effort is minimal when Shakhashiri has written such a magnificant collection of useful experiments.

This Book is Great!!!

I acutally love this book for chem demonstrations. Shakhashiri gives in depth explanations for all of his demonstrations and it is just a great book. I recommend this book to anyone who is doing any demonstrations.