Macromedia Flash
Use of Macromedia Flash to Create a
Web-based Tutorial for Inorganic
Qualitative Analysis
By
Prem D. Sattsangi, Ph.D. and
†Christopher L. Byers (Programmer)
Chemtrek, by Stephen Thompson
Solutions and Reactions
• Study of 14 Unknown (UK) aqueous solutions
– 12 Colorless UK
– 1 Blue UK (CuSO4)
– 1 Yellow UK (FeCl3)
Principles to be taught
• Acidity, Basicity, or Neutrality of Unknowns (UK)
(Universal Indicator (UI) test)
• Water insolubility of reaction products
(Binary-mixing of UK, to prepare an “Ion Reaction Chart”)
• Volatility of NH3(aq)
(Compared to non-volatility of other basic samples,
Na2CO3, Na3PO4, and NaOH)
An Economical and Eco-friendly
Exercise
• UK samples, ~1.5 mL, are stored
and used in *micropipets.
(*~3 mL capacity plastic bulbs
with a long stem)
[*SAMCO TRANSFER PIPETS]
• Tests need only one drop of each
reagent.
• Tests are performed over a
plastic sheet cleaned by washing
with water.
• Two students use one set.
Set of 16 UK Samples and reagents
Chemtrek, by Stephen Thompson
Ion Reaction Chart
First day of the lab
• pH test (UI)
• Colored/colorless
samples
• Soluble products
• Insoluble precipitates
Digesting all this in ~ 1 hr, Pretty overwhelming!
Chemtrek
Second day of the lab
Expectations from the student:
Identify a set of 8 unknowns
Unknowns are selected from 17 colorless samples.
6 out of 12 Samples used by students, 1 out of 2 *Cations
and 1 out of 4 *Anions. [*More challenging]
[Binary mix UK samples with 12 known solutions, compare
with the ion reaction chart for pH and solubility]
Identification, A formidable task!
Revised Approach “pH Tests”
Universal Indicator Test
First day of the lab
UI
• Colorless UKs only
• pH test
7
6
Neutral
Acidic
4
Basic
17
Which Chart
would you like
to go to?
UK
Test
Revised Approach “Chemical Reactions”
First day of the lab
(An abbreviated chart)
• Survey of insoluble precipitates
• Writing chemical reactions
Develop a clear understanding of
solubility rules and chemical reactions
Revised Approach “The Roadmap”
UK
HCl, AlCl3, Pb(NO3)2, HNO3,
Second day of the lab
Acidic Samples
H2SO4, Al(NO3)3
Na2CO3
Reagent
(+) bubbles
(+) white ppt
HCl, H2SO4, HNO3
Pb(NO3)2
AlCl3, Al(NO3)3
AgNO3
KI
AgNO3
(+) white ppt
(-) colorless
(+) yellow ppt
HCl
H2SO4, HNO3
confirmed
BaCl2
Easy Identification
(+) white ppt
(-) colorless
H2SO4
HNO3
(+) gel, bubbles
(+) white ppt
AlCl3
(-) colorless
Al(NO3)3
Improved Student Satisfaction
• Chemtrek Procedure:
– Most students could identify 2-3 of the 8 UK samples
in the 3 hour lab.
– Resulting in a frustrated class
• Roadmap Approach:
– Most students identify all 8 UK samples in less than
an hour.
View Flash
– Remaining lab time is more profitably
used in writing chemical equations.