Exploring Everyday Chemistry

This online course is free and covers a variety of topics related to chemistry. It focuses on organic chemistry, which is the study of carbon-containing compounds. You will be able to experiment in the kitchen with hands-on projects that range from extracting plant scents to testing the activity against microbes. Sixth-graders who want to learn independent skills that will help them transition to university will find this course particularly helpful.

Each week, you will be able to see how understanding the structure and shape organic compounds can help explain their properties and reactivity.

We will identify natural and synthetic attractants, understand current theories to explain the chemical structure of smell, and create a molecular model.

We will discuss the mechanism of antibiotic action, understand bacterial resistance, identify promising areas of research that could lead to smarter drugs, and examine pattern recognition in structure-activity relations.

We will describe the process of brewing, identify key flavour compounds in tea, coffee and beer, and explain the role of modern analytical techniques. Finally we will analyse spectroscopic data.

We will explore new innovations, identify modern materials that enhance performance and protect the environment, and model the structure of polymers.

The University of York is a center of excellence in chemical education. It houses Salters' Advanced Chemistry, the Science Education Department, and the A-level magazine Chemistry Review. The University of York also has a remarkable history and track record of outreach, primarily thanks to our CIEC group and The Essential Chemical Industry website.