Investigate what makes something soluble by exploring the effects of intermolecular attractions and what properties are necessary in a solution to overcome them. Interactive models simulate the process of dissolution, allowing you to experiment with how external factors, such as heat, can affect a substance's solubility.

This term-long project involves identifying a set of 65 unknown mineral samples through various common mineral identification techniques including their physical properties (e.g. streak, luster, habit, density, cleavage/fracture, etc.) and through the use of XRD.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

This term-long project involves identifying a set of 65 unknown mineral samples through various common mineral identification techniques including their physical properties (e.g. streak, luster, habit, density, cleavage/fracture, etc.) and through the use of XRD.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

Students use gesture to convey information about mineral cleavage and the relationship between crystal structures and cleavage planes.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

I use single, euhedral, natural crystals of minerals extensively when teaching basic concepts of crystallogtaphy. Wooden or paper models, showy museum-quality crystal clusters, colorful pictures in a book, or even computer images simply cannot compete with the beauty and awe-inspiring mystery and educational value of genuine, individual mineral crystals when held in your (or your students') hands.
In my Mineralogy course, I use single, well-formed crystals in all aspects of basic crystallography inlcuding measurement of interfacial angles, determination of symmetry elements, recognition of crystal system and class, determination of forms, stereographic projections and stereograms, recognition of common twins and pseudomorphs, and even SHAPE plots - these are just some of the possibilities.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)

An inquiry activity for students to test physical properties of several compounds to analyze data and determine if the compound is ionic or covalent. This is ideal for an introduction to ionic and molecular compound nomenclature.

This is an x-ray diffraction analysis of six sand samples and comparison with hand specimens. Students look at each of the six samples under the binocular microscope and note such useful properties as number of minerals, cleavage/fracture, color, shape, grain size, roundness, and degree of sorting. Then they grind up small amounts of each sample and mount them on glass slides for X-ray. Students write all sample descriptions and X-ray analysis results in their lab notebook. Then they identify the minerals in each sample, determine where they are from, and write a report summarizing all results.

(Note: this resource was added to OER Commons as part of a batch upload of over 2,200 records. If you notice an issue with the quality of the metadata, please let us know by using the 'report' button and we will flag it for consideration.)