Recreational Chemistry

Recreational ChemistryRecreational Chemistry is a popular course that teaches the basic elements of chemical and biological processes. Students learn chemistry through hands-on research and experiments, in lab simulations, and in lectures on topics such as spectroscopy, equilibrium, crystal structures, and biochemistry. In fact, most of the topics of this course are designed to help students learn some basic concepts in chemistry that will translate into real-world applications.Professors introduce the various elements of chemistry, introducing the chemical elements, compounds, and atomic elements that compose each element. The student is introduced to various ways of reacting in order to form these elements, by boiling, cooling, and various other methods. Students begin to learn basic mathematics to perform many calculations, and develop the ability to use the common units of measure used in chemistry. Using real world examples, students learn more about reactions that occur at the atomic level.Classes in this course cover important topics that range from organic chemistry, to chemical biology, to polymer science. Students learn a wide variety of techniques for analyzing and measuring various properties of materials, in addition to creating new materials, such as plastics. For example, students learn to manipulate liquids by using mechanical and chemical methods. Different kinds of chemicals can be produced by mixing, colloidal reactions, and using various solvents, among other techniques.Students are introduced to more modern applications of chemistry, such as cancer detection, protein structural biology, and therapeutic drugs. Finally, students learn about environmental and health hazards, including ionizing radiation, chemical pollution, and pharmaceutical contamination.The course uses a systematic approach. Students are introduced to a variety of topics in different areas of science, without addressing each one separately. The course begins with a laborato ry section, where students participate in laboratory experiments that simulate chemical reactions. After the laboratory is completed, the students study laboratory methods used in working with liquid and solid solutions, and in experimental observations. Students learn to analyze data through theoretical and experimental methods, and learn how to make chemical reaction sequences and transformations. They also learn about experiments using acids, bases, and alkalis, and how to measure and record data. The importance of these topics is highlighted in the material that students learn through lab simulations.At the end of the course, students should be able to describe how elements such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur interact with each other and the elements of the periodic table. Students should be able to create and/or manipulate materials, analyze data, and prepare analytical reports.