The Development of Innovative Laboratory Experiments with UV-Visible Spectrophotometer

A brief description of the instrument acquired with National Science Foundation funds precedes highlights of some of the experiments being developed in our laboratory. The experiment on "Heat-Induced Coloration of Tetrakis(pyridine)bis(thiocyanato)nickel(II)" will illustrate the phenomenon of thermochromism (heat-induced color change) in the solid state. "The Effect of Metal Ions on the Solid-State Photoreactivity of b-2-Furyl Acrylic Acid" will demonstrate the phenomenon of photochromism (light-induced color change) in solution and in the solid state. The kinetics and mechanisms of redox reactions in acidic medium will be illustrated by the study of "Metal-Induced Reduction of Bis(phosphonate)viologen Dibromide in Acidic Solution".