Interactive Virtual Chemistry Laboratory

Posted by David Wetzel

Virtual Chemistry Lab

Here’s your chance to mix chemicals without wearing safety goggles. You won’t spill any acid on the spectrometer in this lab.

Choose solutions from the vast database and mix ‘em together till the cloned cows come home. Marvel as the chemical solutions react in real time.

Sample Simple Virtual Experiment

Student goes to virtual workshop site (see below), open a new workbench (File>select New Workbench (Cntl-N).
Then select Tools>Glassware>Beakers>600 ml Beaker.
After the Beaker appears, using the LEFT mouse button, drag the beaker to the center of the work bench.
Then RIGHT click and Select “Set as Recipient”.
Select from the Stockroom Explorer (left hand side of screen) Distilled Water, using the Left Mouse button DRAG the water container onto the Workshop bench.
Right click on the distilled water container and then select “set as Source”.
Notice that the water container moves over your beaker.
At the bottom of the workbench screen, look for the box next to “TRANSFER AMOUNT mL”. Type in 100, and then click the POUR button.
Observe that 100 mL of water has been added to your beaker.
Note down the Solution Info on the right hand side of the workbench. The pH is neutral (as demonstrated by equal concentrations of -OH and +H ions).
Select Tools>Bunsen burner.
After the Bunsen burner appears, using the LEFT mouse button, drag the Bunsen burner to a location under the beaker.
Click on the Bunsen burner with the LEFT mouse burner and two arrows, one up and one down, appears on the right side.
Click on the up arrow using the Left mouse button, this increases the size of the flame under the beaker.
On the right side above the pH meter, the temperature increases from 25 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius (specific heat of water)
Next observe that the pH of the boiling water drops to a pH of 6, down from a pH of 7.