Computer-based Spectrometers for an Accelerated Introductory Chemistry Laboratory

1994年，佛罗里达大学化学系建立了一个新的加速本科课程序列，称为Chemtrak，为30-50名高素质的新生提供增强课程。这些学生通常有两年或两年以上的高中化学课程，学习动机很高，并为更高级的材料做好了准备。由于主要强调仪器，Chemtrak的教学大纲已经演变成一系列涉及原子和分子的发射、吸收和荧光的光谱测量。主要仪器包括部门提供的各种单色仪、光谱仪、激光器、燃烧器组件和光学部件。该项目致力于将基于计算机的光谱仪集成到Chemtrak实验室。这个实验室的设计改编自维克森林大学(美国国家科学基金会-DUE 9251294)的工作，在那里，在本科课程中使用基于计算机的光谱分析的模块方法已被证明成功地向本科生介绍了光谱实践和理论。在我们这项工作的改编中，五台带有电荷耦合器件(CCD)探测器的紧凑型计算机光谱仪和笔记本电脑被集成到Chemtrak实验课程中。学生可以在350-1000纳米范围内观察整个光谱区域，并获取大量数据，以便在家庭计算机上进行后续评估。这些小型光谱仪增加了多功能性，可以完成更多的实验，并进行更详细和更复杂的测量。这将极大地提高本课程的教育效果。

In 1994 the University of Florida Department of Chemistry established a new accelerated undergraduate course sequence, called Chemtrak, to provide an enhanced curriculum for 30-50 high caliber entering freshmen students. These students typically enter with two or more years of high school chemistry and are highly motivated and prepared for more advanced material. With a major instrumental emphasis, the syllabus of Chemtrak has evolved into a series of spectroscopic measurements involving emission, absorption and fluorescence of atoms and molecules. Major instrumentation includes a variety of monochromators, spectrometers, lasers, burner assemblies, and optical components available in the department.This project addresses the integration of computer-based spectrometers into the Chemtrak laboratory. The design of this laboratory is adapted from the work at Wake Forest University (NSF-DUE 9251294) where the modular approach of using computer-based spectrometry in the undergraduate curriculum has been proven successful in introducing spectrometric practice and theory to undergraduate students. In our adaptation of this work, five compact computer-based spectrometers with charge coupled device (CCD) detectors and laptop computers are integrated into the Chemtrak experimental curriculum. Students can observe the entire spectral region from 350-1000 nm and acquire large amounts of data for subsequent evaluation on their home computers. The added versatility of these small spectrometers permits more experiments to be completed, and more detailed and sophisticated measurements to be performed. This is found to greatly enhance the educational impact of this course.