San Antonio College Library

What do fireworks, a fried egg, and a rusting truck have in common? They all involve chemical reactions. This program illustrates the mechanics of chemical reactions in five sections: Chemical Reactions (reactants and products, state changes, diatomic elements and molecules, Law of Conservation of Mass); Chemical Bonding (Octet Rule, ionic and covalent bonds); Types of Chemical Reactions (synthesis and decomposition reactions, single and double displacement...

Carbon is a commonly found element on our planet. It is also one of the most essential elements for life on Earth. Its most important characteristic is its extraordinary capacity for combination, making it present in everything from rocks, to living beings, to the atmosphere. Learn all about the Carbon Cycle, nucleic acids, protein synthesis, coal, diamonds and petroleum. You'll come to realize that carbon is everywhere around you!

"Until the 17th century, the building blocks of the natural world were a mystery. Of elements there were believed to be four--air, earth, fire, and water--and the science of chemistry had yet to be born. This program identifies some of the first chemical elements to be discovered by spotlighting the work of Hennig Brandt, Robert Boyle, Henry Cavendish, Joseph Priestly, Antoine Lavoisier, and Humphry Davy. Experiments re-created in the video include...

So what's the science behind beer? A science journalist with a taste for beer, and some artistic talent, breaks down the brewing process in a few simple steps.

Bonding happens more than just among your friends; it is an essential part of keeping matter together. Learn how the ideas of sharing charges and building strength in numbers are essential parts of chemistry. The VSEPR theory will describe the shapes and geometric make-up of the friendly molecule. Topics include: Sharing Electrons, Bonding and Molecules, Bonding Tendencies, Isomers, VSEPR Theory, and Molecular Geometry.

This useful metal was once considered more valuable than gold. Watch as aluminum is stretched, pounded, melted and turned into foam. Did you know that aluminum is made out of a powder?

Metals have had such an impact on civilization that we name some eras for the discovery of specific metals: the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. In this program, learn about the characteristic and properties of metals, as well as the appearance of metals throughout history. We’ll explore prehistory; metals and tools; the first metals to be discovered; advantages of metal as compared to stone, wood, and bone; pure metals; alloys; heavy metals; iron;...

This series uses demonstrations and animations to take students on a journey of discovery to explain what we know about atoms-and how we know what we know about atoms. This fourth episode examines the discovery of atoms and the development of the periodic table. By explaining the basics of atoms, students can better understand the chemical reactions which led to their discovery. It also looks at the Mendeleev's predictions of atoms that were later...

The millions of different substances that make up the world can be reduced to a comparatively small number of chemical elements. These, arranged in order of their atomic number, form the Periodic Table. This program from the BBC archives provides a comprehensive overview of the development of the table. It discusses the work of John Dalton, Johann Dobereiner, and John Newland, and the creation of the first table by Dmitri Mendeleyev in the late 19th...

Everything is made up of atoms, but what are atoms made of? This program summarizes modern atomic theory and the chemistry of atoms. First, modern atomic theory is explained with emphasis on some of the major breakthroughs by Ernest Rutherford, who experimented with alpha particles; Niels Bohr, who observed the valency of elements; and Dmitri Mendeleev, who designed the periodic table of elements. Next, the structure of the periodic table is examined,...