Demo Photo

Lecture Demonstrations

Welcome to the UMass Amherst Chemistry Lecture Demonstration site.

The demonstrations are sorted into the categories listed on the left. Some demos will be listed in multiple categories.

Selecting a category will direct you to a list of relevant demonstrations, including a photo and a brief description of the demo. Each demonstration is assigned its own number. Clicking on the demonstration title will open another page with a more detailed description of the demonstration including the materials needed, a procedure, and a discussion of the demo.

With the exception of chemicals, sensors/probes, and some other shared items (i.e. stir plate), the materials for the majority of the demonstrations have been gathered together and are stored in individual bins labeled with the corresponding demo number. Within each bin is an index card listing the materials contained in the bin, the supplies and chemicals needed for the demo that are not included, and the location where those additional chemicals and supplies are stored. For those demos that don’t lend themselves well to storage bins or that require advanced preparation, there will be a note on the description page along with the location of the materials needed.

Click the links to see a brief overview of each of the Vernier sensors available as well as a short userguide for the Logger Pro Software. A separate page gives a more complete description of the Spectro-Vis Spectrometer and the optical emission attachment. Click here for information on use of the Go!Link and LabQuest interfaces.

The lecture demo prep room is designed to be a user-friendly, do-it-yourself facility. This means that it will be up to the lecturers to dispose of waste, clean the glassware, and keep the materials together in their assigned bins, replacing them in the designated location when finished.

It is important that waste is disposed of in the appropriate containers, which are located in the hood. For waste disposal information, click here.

Please contact Raina Kittilstved or Lisa Korpiewski for questions, comments or changes to the content of this website. For new demo suggestions, revisions to current demos, or questions regarding demonstrations or the use of the prep room, please contact Raina Kittilstved.

Thank you.