Virtual labs
93 experimentsRun chemistry experiments in 3D: change the conditions, watch what happens, and read the numbers behind it.
Inorganic chemistry (4)
Why copper(II) complexes change colourSwitch between $\ce{[Cu(H2O)6]^{2+}}$, $\ce{[Cu(NH3)4]^{2+}}$ and $\ce{[CuCl4]^{2-}}$ and link each colour to the ligand-field splitting $\Delta$.Building crystals: unit cells and packingRotate six crystal structures, count atoms per cell and compare how tightly they pack.Crystal structures explorer: metals and saltsRotate SC, BCC, FCC, NaCl, CsCl and diamond-type cells, count atoms and compare packing of real materials.Precipitation and the solubility productMix lead(II) nitrate and potassium iodide solutions to observe yellow lead(II) iodide and relate precipitation to Q versus Ksp.
Organic chemistry (2)
Hybrid orbitals and delocalizationRender sp, sp² and sp³ lobes in 3D, then connect each hybridization to geometry, resonance and the CIP stakes of stereoisomerism.SN1 versus SN2: timing is everythingStep through the concerted SN2 path and the two-step SN1 path, then predict which mechanism each alkyl halide prefers.
Analytical chemistry (5)
Column chromatography on silicaPack a silica column and elute a mixture of ferrocene, acetylferrocene and a polar impurity: the bands separate because each compound partitions differently between silica and the mobile phase.Gravimetric determination of sulfate as BaSO₄Precipitate sulfate quantitatively with barium chloride, then filter, ignite and weigh the BaSO₄: the mass of a pure, stoichiometric solid reveals how much sulfate the sample contained.Reading isotope patterns in mass spectraCompare the M/M+2 signatures of chlorinated and brominated compounds and deduce which halogen — and how many — a molecule contains.Identify an unknown liquid from its IR spectrumFive unlabelled spectra of common solvents: find the diagnostic bands, deduce the functional group, and name the compound.Beer–Lambert law: calibrating UV-Vis absorbanceMeasure how the absorbance of a KMnO₄ solution grows linearly with concentration and path length, then read an unknown concentration straight from the calibration line.
Physical chemistry (2)
Activation energy and the Arrhenius lawVary temperature, activation energy, catalyst and concentration in a collision model and extract the exponential sensitivity of rate to temperature.Reaction rate and collision theoryWatch A + B → 2C happen only when colliding particles carry enough energy; change temperature, Ea and catalyst.
Theoretical and computational chemistry (4)
Mixing s and p orbitals: sp, sp² and sp³ hybridsMorph the hybridisation type and watch how one s orbital plus p orbitals reorganise into equivalent lobes pointing along a line, a triangle or a tetrahedron.An ideal gas as a molecular-dynamics boxWatch Newton’s laws act on individual particles and see pressure emerge from their collisions with the piston.Bonding and antibonding orbitals of H₂Build the molecular orbitals of the simplest molecule from two 1s atomic orbitals, then stretch and compress the bond to see how the bonding advantage disappears.Seeing what quantum numbers do to an orbitalDial the quantum numbers n, l and m of a hydrogen-like orbital and watch its electron cloud change shape, lobes and nodes.
Biochemistry and biomedical chemistry (5)
Verifying a CRISPR–Cas9 cut on a DNA gelRun uncut plasmid and Cas9-digested DNA through an agarose gel: one band becomes two after cleavage.Enzyme catalysis: the Michaelis–Menten curvePlot the initial rate v of an enzyme reaction against substrate concentration and see why the curve saturates at Vmax.Michaelis–Menten assay: spotting the inhibitor typeRun virtual rate measurements at eight substrate concentrations, then classify an unknown inhibitor by how Km and Vmax respond — the core skill of enzyme kinetics.Paper electrophoresis: separating proteins by chargeSpot three model proteins on a buffer-soaked strip, switch on the field, and watch them part — or reverse direction — as the pH changes.Protein folding: hydrophobic collapseDrive a model polypeptide from an open coil toward a compact fold by adding long-range contacts, and connect the picture to Anfinsen’s principle and modern structure prediction.
Materials chemistry (4)
Inside a lithium-ion cell: the Li⁺ shuttleTrace the path of Li⁺ through anode, electrolyte and cathode during discharge, vary the rate, and connect the shuttle picture to capacity fade and fast-charge limits.Why gold sols are red: the plasmon bandCompare UV–Vis absorbance curves of gold nanoparticles from 5 nm to aggregated 100 nm and connect λmax to particle size — the basis of colourimetric nano-assays.Graphene: one atom thick, one bond wideRotate an extended honeycomb of sp² carbons, trace the hexagonal rings and connect the flat π sheet to graphene’s record conductivity and strength.X-ray diffraction: measuring the spacing between planesA powder pattern is a fingerprint of interplanar spacings. Move the Bragg peaks by changing the wavelength or the d-spacing and read 2θ off the diffractogram.
Polymer chemistry (1)
Nuclear and radiochemistry (2)
Criticality: how a fission chain grows or diesTrack the neutron population generation by generation for three values of the multiplication factor k and discover what “critical” really means.PET imaging: timing a positron tracerCompare the decay curves of ¹⁸F, ¹¹C, ⁶⁸Ga and ¹⁵O, see why hospitals pair a cyclotron with a radiochemistry lab, and follow the positron annihilation that lights up the scan.
Environmental, green and energy chemistry (1)
Industrial and applied chemistry (4)
The contact process: making sulfuric acidFollow the industrial chain S → SO₂ → SO₃ → oleum → H₂SO₄ and understand why each unit is needed.Industrial fermentation: from sugar to productRun a virtual fermenter train — sterilise, inoculate, ferment, separate — and see how microbes manufacture chemicals.The Haber–Bosch process: ammonia from airCompress $\ce{N2}$ and $\ce{H2}$ over an iron catalyst, condense the ammonia and recycle the unreacted gas.The Solvay process: soda ash from brineFollow the five stages of the ammonia-soda cycle: brine purification, ammoniation, carbonation, filtration of NaHCO₃ and calcination to Na₂CO₃ — with ammonia recycled.
Virtual experiment: a simplified model to build intuition. It does not replace real lab work or safety training; never repeat chemistry at home without supervision.