ChemMatters Archive

ChemMatters is produced by the American Chemical Society in October, December, February, and April. The archive gives you access to all of ChemMatters’ past articles, dating back to February 1983. The most recently released issue is available through a complimentary subscription, if you chose to receive one when you joined AACT.

For recent articles, issues, or available teacher’s guides visit acs.org/ChemMatters.

AACT members can access the archive and generate a Student Pass that gives their students access to the articles. Available Teacher’s Guides can also be found next to the corresponding issue and article in the archive.

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  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Flatus - Chemistry in the Wind

    There’s chemistry going on in that digestive tract of yours. As for the products of those reactions? Solids, liquids, and a whole lot of gas!

    Issue Date | October 2023

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Gas Laws and Scuba Diving

    What happens if scuba divers hold their breath while making emergency ascents to the surface from depths of 30 meters (m), or about 100 feet, or more? Why shouldn’t divers fly or take hot showers soon after deep dives? Is contaminated compressed air more dangerous to the diver at the surface or at a depth of 30 m?

    Issue Date | October 2023

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Pimple Patches and What They Offer

    Pimples are common and often a teenager’s worst nightmare. Waking up to a conspicuous red spot on your face could not be more horrifying. So, what to do with these small, painful, discolored bumps with a thick, white-yellow fluid (pus) at the tip?

    Issue Date | October 2023

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. The Radium Girls: Dialing Up Trouble

    A lawsuit brought by some of the Radium Girls resulted in one of the first instances of workers receiving compensation for a disease developed because of their occupation. Most of the women who received the money, however, died within two years of the settlement.

    Issue Date | October 2023

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Chemistry and the Sandy Seashore

    The next time you stroll along the beach and experience the marvelous sensations of the sea shore, think about some of the varied and fascinating chemistry behind them and their global significance.

    Issue Date | April 2023

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Fireworks!

    Almost everyone loves a great fireworks display. To make that dazzling light and color, there’s a lot of science and engineering that goes into making modern fireworks.

    Issue Date | April 2023

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. From Pond Scum to Product: The Chemistry of Algae

    You might think of algae as the dark stuff on your sushi or the layer of green growth inside a forgotten water bottle. But their many species (up to one million) can be harvested and engineered into products that are not just useful, but better than what we use now.

    Issue Date | April 2023

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. The Chemistry that Keeps Trains Moving

    The first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869. A cross-country journey that used to take months could now be completed in a week. By the end of the 19th century, 200,000 miles of track would be laid. Few innovations were as instrumental to the growth of the modern era as the railroads.

    Issue Date | April 2023

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. The Ingredients in Cosmetics: What Do They Do?

    When putting on your best face, remember that cosmetics can be a complex formulation of different chemicals. Knowing what these chemicals are, and what they do, can go a long way in making informed decisions about your cosmetic products.

    Issue Date | April 2023

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. What is the Story With Climate Change?

    Climate refers to long-term weather and related natural events, including rainfall and storms. Over the billions of years of Earth’s existence, climate has changed significantly.

    Issue Date | April 2023

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About ChemMatters Magazine

Published four times a year since February 1983, ChemMatters Magazine is an award-winning high school chemistry magazine from the American Chemical Society that helps students demystify chemistry and make connections to the world around them. AACT members receive a complimentary subscription.

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