Chem 385 - Information Literacy – Using handbooks – sample exercises
For all quantities reference the URL where information was found and make sure to
include UNITS!
Paid Sources (20 points)
CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics
Log on to the library website and access the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and
Physics
View the brief tutorial of the features of the CRC as shown
http://library.rpi.edu/update.do?artcenterkey=1896
Complete the following exercise using the CRC online version.
1. Determine whether or not a mixture of cyclohexane and water will form an
azeotrope.
If it does, what is the composition of the azeotrope? ______________________________
URL:
What is the boiling point of the azeotrope? ____________________________________
URL:
2. What are the indices of refraction of cyclohexane and toluene at 20° C (to 4
decimal places)?
cyclohexane ________________________
toluene ________________________
URL:
URL:
3. A separatory funnel has 3 immiscible liquids in it. The possibilities are water,
tetrahydrofuran and dodecanol. Using density values tell which liquid is on top, in
the middle, and on the bottom.
densities of water ________________________ THF_____________________ and
dodecanol _______________________________
URL:
URL:
URL:
Top _____________
Middle _____________
Bottom _____________
4. Aluminum chloride will be used in the Friedel-Crafts lab as a Lewis acid. Is it
soluble in water? ___________________
URL:
Are there any precautions you might want to take when working with it?
______________________________________________________________________________________________
URL:
5. Sodium borohydride is used in the reduction of benzil. What is the molecular
weight of sodium borohydride? ________________________________________
URL:
Name 2 solvents that can dissolve sodium borohydride.
URL:
6. You need to prepare 5L of a 6M HCl solution from concentrated HCl.
What is the heat of dilution in kcal/mol at 25° C? ______________________
URL:
What is the molarity of concentrated HCl? _______________________________
URL:
7. One of the reagent bottles in the lab lost its name label. However, the stockroom
coordinator had a separate label with the chemical abstracts registry number on it.
The CA registry number is 7487-88-9. What is the substance? ________________________
URL:
Free Sources (30 points)
Using Kaye and Laby – determine the following – paste the URL where the
information is found
http://www.kayelaby.npl.co.uk/
1. Scan the table of contents for Kaye and Laby. Summarize the type of information
contained in the database.
2. What is the viscosity of water at 30 C? ____________________________
URL:
3. What is the mass of a Tau (fundamental particle)? ? ____________________________
URL:
4. Accessing the chart of the nuclides for Zn – what is the half life of Zn-64?
____________________________
URL:
5. What is the standard state molar heat capacity for nitrous oxide? (NO) ?
____________________________
URL:
NIST
http://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry/
Using the NIST database answer the following questions
1. Summarize the type of information that can be found using NIST.
2. How can you search (what types of searches are available?) on webbook.
2. Search for 2-pentanone
URL:
Record its CAS number ___________________________________________________
Screen shot, crop and attach the IR spectrum of liquid 2-pentanone. Attach as the
next page to this assignment
URL:
Using the CAS number perform a reaction search and record all reactions found for
the compound.
URL:
Sigma Aldrich Handbook
http://www.sigmaaldrich.com
1. Perform a structure search for para xylene
Screen shot, crop and paste your structure below
The default similarity is 70% - using that default how many structures do you find?
___________________
URL:
2. Do an exact search for p-xylene? Does the efficiency increase?
___________________
URL:
Rate the structure search success –
3. Searching for the compound by name – how many compounds are sold by sigma ?
____________
URL:
4. What is the compound’s CAS number?
5. What protective equipment should be used when handling p-xylene in the United
States?
URL:
6. Search for the enzyme B-galactosidase from E.Coli.
URL:
What is its Enzyme Commission number? _______________________________________
How many peer review articles can be found related to this enzyme? ______________
What is the title of the 10th paper available?
7. Using the IUBMB link to the PDB and copy the enzymes pdb identifier
____________________
Spectral Database for Organic Compounds
http://sdbs.db.aist.go.jp/sdbs/cgi-bin/cre_index.cgi
1. What type of information can be found in this database?
2. Search for benzaldehyde C-13 spectra by name
What is the SDBS number? _________________________________
URL:
List the chemical shifts of each peak in the C-13 spectrum
URL: