Using A Spreadsheet To Solve Gas Law Problems

Branch, Arthur                         Tilden H.S.
222 E. 96th st.                        268-2302
Chicago, Ill, 60628
468-6638

Objectives:

To teach students in the Chemistry classes to use a computer 
spreadsheet; to teach the students how to utilize a spreadsheet to 
solve problems using the gas laws and the formulas corresponding. 

Apparatus:

Using the IBM PC computers and the Express Calc program each student 
will load the spreadsheet with the given information for each problem.  
Students will then compute the unknown volume, temp (K) or pressure 
according to the existing conditions. 

Strategy:

With a 30 min. review session of the gas law concepts, formulas, and 
problem solving techniques, students will complete a worksheet.  Upon 
completion of this worksheet students will type in the given 
information on the computer spreadsheet in the appropriate places.    
Utilizing the column and formula duplication functions (replicate), 
student will discover a means of computing many similar calculations 
in a matter of seconds. 

Observations

Most students were very enthusiastic about using the computer in the 
first place.  Students were able to pick right up from the review 
session and convert the gas law formulas to computer spreadsheet 
formulas. Most if not all students continued to work with little 
assistance for twenty to thirty minutes past the end of the scheduled 
class time.  Everyone learned to use the spreadsheet effectively and 
most gathered a better understanding of the gas laws and their 
formulas.