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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. The Elements of Truth

    What does philosophy have to do with science?

    Issue Date | February 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. The Photoelectric Effect

    Have you ever wondered how the doors at the grocery store open all by themselves, or how automatic water faucets turn on when you put your hands under them? Some of these gadgets operate according to the same principle, one first explained in detail by none other than Albert Einstein in 1905.

    Issue Date | February 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. What's in Marshmallows?

    Whether you make them yourself or buy a bag of them, these puffy little sweets have magic to them because of the chemistry of the ingredients and how they interact.

    Issue Date | February 2022

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Bath Bombs: The Chemistry Behind The Fizz

    Bath bombs can transform your bathing experience with soothing scents, tiny bursting bubbles, and swirls of vivid colors. Find out what ingredients are mixed and matched to give these products their fizzy appeal!

    Issue Date | December 2021

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Chemistry in Person | From Chemist to Food-Tech CEO

    Aidan Mouat credits “dumb luck” for setting him on a path from chemist to CEO.

    Issue Date | December 2021

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Chemistry in Pictures | December 2021

    These alternating curvy patterns hark back to the ’70s, but they actually show a bird’s-eye view of the terraced surface of an iridium crystal.

    Issue Date | December 2021

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Open for Discussion | Why Do Experts Change Their Minds?

    On February 29, 2020, the U.S. Surgeon General at the time tweeted a clear message “Seriously people—STOP BUYING
    MASKS!” A little over a month later, public health officials told people to wear masks if they couldn’t socially
    distance.

    Issue Date | December 2021

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Radiation. The Good. The Bad. And Its Place In Our Modern World.

    The world learned the hard way that radioactive elements can be deadly. But with research, scientists figured out how to harness the properties of these materials and use them for good.

    Issue Date | December 2021

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. Tales of Concrete Forensics

    Concrete is everywhere! We rely on it to build roads, buildings, bridges, and sewage systems. But if poorly applied, concrete will quickly crack and flake. Investigators can often reveal where the chemistry went wrong and how to fix it.

    Issue Date | December 2021

  • Access is an AACT member benefit. The Mesmerizing Pull of Ferrofluids

    Mysterious. Alien. Magical. The captivating movements of ferrofluids in response to a magnetic field seem inexplicable—until you learn about the science behind the versatile material!

    Issue Date | December 2021

Generate a Student Pass

Teacher Members, use a Student Pass to give your students 7 days of access to our locked member-only videos, animations, and archived articles of ChemMatters Magazine.

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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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Discover how an AACT membership enhances your experience in the chemistry classroom. Join now to access a wealth of resources, professional development, and other member benefits. Members have access to the archive and can generate a Student Pass.

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