The World of Chemistry is a television series on introductory chemistry hosted by
Nobel prize-winning
chemistRoald Hoffmann. The series consists of 26 half-hour video programs, along with coordinated books, which explore various topics in chemistry through experiments conducted by
Stevens Point emeritus professor
Don Showalter the "series demonstrator"[1] and interviews with working chemists, it also includes
physics and
earth science related components.[2] The series was produced by the
University of Maryland, College Park and the Educational Film Center[3] and was funded by the
Annenberg/CPB Project (now the
Annenberg Foundation), it was filmed in 1988 and first aired on
PBS in 1990. This series supports science standards recognized nationally by the United States (
NSTA and NCSESA)[4] and is still widely used in high school and college chemistry courses. The entire series was previously available on
learner.org for free in an
online video streaming format, but streaming for this series was discontinued on June 25, 2019.[5]
Awards
The awards won by The World of Chemistry are given below[6]
American Film and Video Festival 1990 Finalist Award for "On the Surface"
Columbus International Film and Video Festival 1991 Honorable Mention Award for "Color"
Houston International Film Festival "Worldfest Houston" 1991 Silver Award for "Color"
National Educational Film and Video Festival 1990 Gold Apple Award for "The Periodic Table"
List of episodes
The World of Chemistry - The relationships of chemistry to the other sciences and to everyday life are presented.
Color - The search for new colors in the mid-19th century boosted the development of modern chemistry.
Measurement: The Foundation of Chemistry - The distinction between
accuracy and precision and its importance in commerce and science are explained.
Modeling the Unseen - Models are used to explain phenomena that are beyond the realm of ordinary perception.
Chemical Bonds - The differences between
ionic and
covalent bonds are explained by the use of scientific models and examples from nature.
Molecular Architecture - The program examines
isomers and how the electronic structure of a molecule's elements and bonds affects its shape and physical properties.
Signals From Within - Chemists' knowledge of the interaction of
radiation and matter is the basis for analytical methods of sensitivity and specificity.
The Mole - Using
Avogadro's law, the mass of a substance can be related to the number of particles contained in that mass.
Water - The special
chemical properties of water are explored, along with the need for its protection and conservation.
^http://www.learner.org/resources/series61.html "It includes physics and Earth science components, and is also valuable for teachers seeking to review the subject matter." - at the last sentence of the 4th section of text (biggest paragraph) in the "Overview"