Vanadium complexes provide good examples that illustrate the use of Orgel diagrams for the interpretation of electronic transition-metal spectra.

In place of traditional cookbook laboratory exercises, a nonmajors' chemistry course uses a demonstration-focused laboratory to understand basic chemical theories. Each student spends the lab session preparing, practicing, and learning the chemistry of two unique demonstrations. By selecting demonstrations of different concepts, the students cover the same breadth and type of themes as a traditional laboratory in a new and exciting format. Twice during the semester, students from the course prepare and present two demonstration shows as an outreach program to 3rd–5th graders at local elementary schools. The demonstration format provides the college nonscience students an active-learning experience that is able to provide motivation and generate interest. Overall, the students felt that the demonstration-focused laboratory succeeded in increasing their level of understanding of material, strengthened their interest in science, and held their interest. This pedagogy also provides purpose for studying chemical concepts and direction as students strive to explain concepts to younger children.

The public debate about the causes and effects of acid rain will have a greater meaning to students who determine the

This equilibrium illustrates the application of LeChatelier's principle to concentration effects.

This first semester laboratory was designed to give instruction and practice in the intellectual skills of application, analysis, synthesis, and in Piaget's formal operations.