NMR Tutorial

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) is a powerful chemical analysis tool and is related to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) by is basis in the same fundemental physical phenomena. I recently came across an intersting tutorial site on the web for NMR. Check it out here

Fluorescence, Phosphorence and Photoluminescence

Fluorescence and phosphorence are types of photoluminescence. When the bonds of the luminescent molecules absorb some of the energy to which they are exposed, part of it can be released as visible light. These processes are important to analytical chemists. To learn a bit about them, check out this site on About.com: Click Here.

Mathamatical Details on the Savitzky-Golay Filter

The Savitzky-Golay Filter is an often occurring data processing step in instrumental analytical chemistry. The following link presents a pretty straightforward explanation on the mathematical background involved. You will need knowledge of linear algebra...

http://www.vias.org/tmdatanaleng/cc_filter_savgol_math.html

A more detailed explanation with some sample code and spectral results are on this link:
http://www.ma.utexas.edu/documentation/nr/bookcpdf/c14-8.pdf

How to Make Red Cabbage pH Indicator: Acid-Base Chemistry

For those of you who want to help the public understand some basics around analytical chemistry, I came across an interesting page in About.com. Below is an abstract to peak your interest. The link includes a lab you might want to give to the experimentalists you know as an acid test (every pun intended).

Red cabbage contains a pigment molecule called flavin. Very acidic solutions will turn it a red color. Basic solutions appear in greenish-yellow. Intermediate, neutral solutions result in a purplish color. It is possible to determine the pH of a solution based on the color it turns the pigments in red cabbage juice, because the color of the juice changes in response to changes in its hydrogen ion concentration. pH is the -log[H+]. Acids will donate hydrogen ions in an aqueous (water) solution and have a low pH (pH <> 7). This concentration change, in turn, affects the structure of the pigment resulting in a different absorption spectrum (i.e., different color).

Find out more at this link.

Some links to Fireworks and the Chemistry of their Colors

1. The periodic table of firework elements
2. The chemistry of fireworks
3. Black Powder facts and history
4. How do sparklers work?
5. Fireworks and Pyrotechnics Index

Mass Spectrometrist Wanna Be's!

Mass Spectrometry Virtual Laboratory presents a virtual lab where you must virtually prepare samples and set up data aquisition parameters. It gives you an interesting "feel" for the world of a mass spectroscopist. Instruments simulated include GC/MS, magnetic sector, and MALDI-TOF.