Animations

Each animation in this series can be used to help students make connections between macroscopic observations and the particulate phenomena that explain them. To view an Animation, click the Animation’s title.

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Animation

Physical Properties and Particle Interaction Animation

This animation explores the relationship between physical properties and particle-level interactions. Particle diagrams of common household substances are used to illustrate that forces of attraction influence melting points. Similarly, particle diagrams of the same substances dissolved in water are used to compare their conductivity in solution. This animation was featured in the November 2023 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Separating Mixtures Animation

This animation explores different ways of separating a variety of mixtures. The separation techniques addressed in this animation include filtration, evaporation, distillation, and chromatography (focusing on paper chromatography). Real-world applications as well as particle diagrams of the separation processes are included. This animation was featured in the May 2023 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Units of Chemistry Animation

This animation explores the importance of including units to communicate the value of measurements effectively. It presents definitions, units of measurement, and measuring tools for physical properties that are commonly measured or calculated in chemistry class: mass, length, temperature, volume, amount (moles), and density. This animation was featured in the November 2022 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Atoms: The Building Blocks of Matter Animation

This animation explores the idea that everything is made of atoms, and that since atoms are so extremely small, even small objects contain vast numbers of atoms. Students will see several examples to illustrate this point. Then they will be given a brief overview of the evolution of how people thought about atoms from the ancient Greeks through Dalton. This animation was featured in the May 2022 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**
Animation

The pH Scale Animation

This animation explores the fundamentals of the pH scale and how it is used to distinguish between acids and bases. Students will see everyday examples of acids and bases and where they fall on the pH scale. The logarithmic nature of the pH scale is explained, and universal indicator is introduced as a way of identifying the pH of a substance. There is also a brief overview of the chemistry of acids and bases. This animation was featured in the November 2021 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Classifying Chemical Reactions Animation

This animation explores some of the ways to classify different types of chemical reactions. It covers synthesis (combination), decomposition, single replacement (single displacement), double replacement (double displacement), combustion, and acid-base neutralization reactions. This animation was featured in the November 2020 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**
Animation

The Electromagnetic Spectrum Animation

This animation explores the electromagnetic spectrum, with a focus on the visible spectrum. It addresses the relationship between color, wavelength, frequency, and energy of light waves, as well as how an object absorbs and reflects certain wavelengths of light to contribute to the color we perceive. This animation was featured in the May 2020 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no spoken audio**
Animation

Classifying Matter Animation

This animation explores definitions and examples of several broad classifications of matter, including pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures (homogeneous and heterogeneous). Students will see real-life examples as well as particle diagrams. This animation was featured in the November 2019 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Measurement Animation

This animation explores three forms of measurement, including length, mass, and volume. Various units of measurement will be presented for comparison, and several conversion calculations will be demonstrated using dimensional analysis. This animation was featured in the May 2019 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Solubility Animation

This animation explores how ionic and molecular compounds dissolve (or don’t) in water. Students will see that if an ionic compound such as salt dissolves, the ions dissociate, whereas the molecules in a molecular compound such as sugar remain intact but are separated from one another by water molecules. They will also see that some ionic compounds such as chalk do not dissolve, and the cations and anions remain stuck together. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Atomic & Ionic Radii Animation

This animation explores patterns in atomic and ionic radii. Students will look at the different sizes of atoms in the third period and the atoms in the sixth group to see trends across periods and down groups. They will also look at an atom and its corresponding cation as well as an atom and its corresponding anion. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Orbitals Animation

This animation explores the shapes of the 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, and 3d orbitals and how they build up and overlap as each successive orbital is added. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Net Ionic Equations Animation

This animation explores what happens in a precipitate reaction on the particulate level. Students will see why writing a net ionic equation accurately represents what happens in these scenarios. An example of diluting a soluble solid, mixing two aqueous reactants that yield aqueous products, and mixing two aqueous reactants that yield a precipitate are part of this animation. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Limiting Reactant Animation

This animation explores what happens in a limiting reactant problem on the particulate level. Assembling a bike is used as an analogy to introduce the concept of limiting reactant, and then the balanced equation of the combustion of methane is used in four quantitative examples to show what it means for a chemical to be a limiting reactant. The concept of the conservation of mass is also demonstrated by calculating masses from the mole quantities of the reactants and products. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Equilibrium Animation

This animation explores equilibrium through the examples of water and a piece of chalk (CaCO3). Students will see the relationship of H+ and OH– with water molecules, as well as the autoionization of water. They will also see that once equilibrium is established, there is no net change in the ions in solution, as when one set of particles dissolves, another set of particles will recombine. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Density Animation

This animation explores density on the particulate level. There are opportunities to make qualitative and quantitative comparisons between substances. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Bonding Animation

This animation explores how different chemical bonds form. Examples of ionic, covalent, and polar covalent bonds are animated, and then students are given a sample of compounds to predict the bonding types. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Gases Animation

This animation explores how properties of gases (quantity, volume, temperature, and pressure) are related. This is done qualitatively through the balloon and bell jar scenarios. Quantitative relationships, with the corresponding laws, are summarized at the end. **This video has no audio**
Animation

Galvanic Cell Animation

This animation explores how a galvanic cell works on a particulate level. Copper and zinc are the chemicals depicted in the spontaneous reaction. The transfer of electrons and involvement of the salt bridge are highlighted, in addition to the half reactions that take place for Zn (Zn → Zn2+ + 2 e-) and Cu (2 e- + Cu2+ → Cu). **This video has no audio**