What does this software do?

Fourteen experiments were selected, performed, and computerized. Each experiment provides prelab questions, a procedure section, results, and postlab questions. The demo section contains one of these experiments.

These are not simulated experiments. They are just like traditional experiments, except that still photographs are used to show the results. You have to try it to appreciate the similarity to a real experiment.

Why should I use this type of experiment?

Safety - Your students can perform experiments that use concentrated acids and organic chemicals without ever being exposed to them.

Distance Learning - Students can access the experiments via the internet, providing a lab experience where one would otherwise be impossible.

Environmentally Consciousness - You generate no chemical waste.

Efficiency - Most of the experiments I have chosen include repetitive tasks that take time away from understanding what is occurring. Using the computer recovers much of this time.

Cost - Only the computer is required. There is no equipment or glassware to buy, no chemicals to purchase or waste to dispose of.

Student Independence - Students can run these experiments without the immediate supervision of an instructor. If the experiments are made available on-line they will be able to run them from the accross campus, from the dorm or from home.

Won't my students lose valuable lab skills?

No, while there are enough experiments for a one semester lab course, these experiments were designed to supplement a traditional laboratory experience, replacing only some of the experiments usually performed

No, these experiments are mainly qualitative in nature. If the students were to actually perform these labs they would be mixing six drops of solution A with 6 drops of solution B (after the first 100 trials, their lab skills aren't going to improve much).

What is different about this software?

It is designed to be used as a laboratory experiment - Most of the current software available is designed to supplement lecture material or are tutorial in nature. While some of these experiments have tutorial type information in them, they are primarily laboratory activities.
It is designed to run on most computers - see below.

What are the computer system requirements?

Almost any computer that has a CD player, can run a web browser and display 256 colors, can use this software (an internet connection is not required). While we have run these experiments on less, a 25 MHz Mac or 486/33 IBM compatible with 8 MB of RAM should be considered the minimum.