Big Picture Podcast

John and Tracy sit down with Conceptual Physics author Paul Hewitt as he discusses the concepts and applications of satellite motion. Duration: 18:57.

Co-hosts John and Tracy Suchocki interview professor Raj Rajeshwar, one of the leading researchers in the exciting area of solar fuels, which are fuels generated directly from sunlight. We explore the chemistry behind the many challenges still faced in the development of solar fuels. We talk about the prospects. About the possibilities. This is perhaps one of our more technical episodes. It assumes the listener has a basic understanding of chemical reactions, particularly oxidations and reductions. But for all listeners, much value and insight is provided. Duration: 47:39.

Co-hosts John and Tracy Suchocki interview Peter and Linda Jeschofnig, founders of Hands-on Lab, a company that grew from an environment friendly micro-scale chemistry kit the two of them developed for Peter’s chemistry course back in the early 1990s. Peter and Linda describe their success story of creating a multi-million dollar business that started with creating and assembling lab kits in their garage. Topics include: experiential learning, the value of doing science to learn science, business building tips, and critical thinking skills. Duration: 48:25.

While on the road, host John Suchocki interviews Stephanie Kellar, a senior engineer of the City of Encinitas, California. Stephanie describes how college helped prepare her for a career where she was surprised to find communication skills to be far more critical than technical skills. She describes her experience with the Beacon's Beach staircase project, proposed as a remedy to a landslide prone path down a sea bluff but met with much resistance from the community. Duration: 25:37.

Co-hosts John Suchocki and Marjorie Suchocki review the second half of the Conceptual Chemistry chapter on the properties of water. Topics include evaporation, boiling, pressure cookers, hurricanes, specific heat, global warming, and the heat of vaporization. We review all these topics from the molecular point of view. Duration: 42:57.

Co-hosts John Suchocki and Marjorie Suchocki review the first half of the Conceptual Chemistry chapter on the properties of water. Topics include the open crystalline structure of ice, why ponds freeze from the top down, how salt melts ice, and the properties of liquid water at its surface involving surface tension and capillary action. We review all these topics from the molecular point of view. Duration: 44:09.

Co-hosts John Suchocki, John Wright and Carolyn Wright interview Anoop Sondhi, D.D.S., inventor of the Sondhi Rapid-Set Indirect Bonding System, which has revolutionized the practice of orthodontics. If you’ve worn braces recently, then you’ve likely benefited from Dr. Sondhi’s efforts. We begin with an overview of the chemistry behind his indirect bonding system. This is followed by a discussion of the challenges of developing and then promoting his invention. Duration: 19:47.

In this “Do-The-Review” episode, co-hosts John and Tracy Suchocki review the four main types of molecular interactions. This includes the dipole-dipole interaction as well as the ion-dipole, dipole-induced dipole, and induced dipole-induced dipole interactions. This is followed by a discussion of the many terms associated with solutions, such as solute, solvent, solubility, concentration, and the mole. The episode concludes with a discussion of reverse osmosis. Duration: 1:01.

Co-hosts Stephanie Blake and John Suchocki interview online learning experts Amy Schneider and Jacque Harris of Ozarks Technical College. Many tips for succeeding in an online course are presented. But we first delve into the many challenges specific to this format. These are challenges that instructors and students should understand before launching into this still developing method of teaching and learning. Duration: 34:16.

A detailed review of the covalent bond, one-on-one with your textbook author featuring you as our special co-host. Topics include: covalent bond formation, molecules, multiple bonds, VSEPR, substituents, molecular shape, polar bonds, and molecular polarity. The duration is relatively long because the pace is slow but methodical and guaranteed to improve your understanding and appreciation of this foundational chemistry. Duration: 1:08:13.

For this "Do the Review" episode, we explore the nature of the ionic bond, which is what forms when an atom that easily loses electrons is placed beside an atom that likes to gain electrons. Topics include the shell model, electron-dot structures, and effective nuclear charge. We also spend a bit of time answering off-topic questions from guest co-host JW. With this foundation, the discussion is extended to include the nature of the metallic bond. Duration: 49:47.

For this backstory episode, we interview Mike Lucas, rocket engineer, on the nature of his work environment while also collecting his expert study tips for the aspiring college student. Through our conversations, we stumble upon "Step 3 Learning", which involves synthesizing new information and solutions based upon a foundation of understanding laid down by Step 1 Learning (input) and Step 2 Learning (output) presented in earlier episodes. We explore how the college experience tends to focus on these first two steps. This can be grueling, but it sets the stage for a much more enjoyable career where Step 3 is the primary focus. Duration:30:19.

For this "Do the Review" episode we review the second half of the nuclear chapter from your textbook and Conceptual Academy. This includes a focus on the concepts of nuclear fission and fusion. See our show notes for an image of the "most important graph in the universe", which we describe starting at minute 32. Total duration: Duration: 47:50.

For this "Do the Review" episode we review the first half of the nuclear chapter from your textbook and Conceptual Academy. Topics include the nature of radioactivity, the behavior of the atomic nucleus, transmutation, radioactive half-life, and radioactive dating. Duration: 37:45.

For this "Back Story" segment for our nuclear chapter, we visit the site of the former Rocky Flats plutonium facility where from 1952 to 1989 plutonium triggers were produced for the hydrogen bombs in the USA nuclear arsenal. Major anti-nuclear protests were held at this site in the 1980s leading, in part, to its closure. Through decades of operation, much plutonium and other toxic chemicals were released into the local area, which is now a dedicated wild life refuge. Duration: 27:15.

This episode features a review of the second half of Chapter 4 of Conceptual Chemistry. It begins with the nature of light followed by the idea that energy itself is quantized, which means it occurs in packets. We then explore the wave nature of electrons and how this explains an element's spectral fingerprint as well as the organization of the periodic table. Duration: 42:25.

Here in episode 5 we review the first half of chapter 4 of Conceptual Chemistry. We start by reviewing the conceptual model, which describes how a system behaves. We then explore some of the history behind the discovery of subatomic particles. This episode concludes with a review of the vocabulary associated with subatomic particles, including atomic number and atomic mass number. Duration: 30:55.

We are now publishing the "Back Story" and "Do the Review" segments of each episode as separate podcasts. For this fourth backstory episode we interview Stephanie Blake, a science professor from Ozarks Technical College in Springfield, Missouri. The subject matter: Academic Endurance. Learn from Professor Blake how best to strengthen your academic endurance. It has everything to do with working within a community and enjoying the journey. Duration: 30 min 54 sec.

From the authors of the “conceptual” line of science textbooks, in this third episode we interview Brian Pritchard an expert in the area of team based activities and human performance. Attention is given to the value of team-based learning in the classroom and beyond. This is followed by a review of Conceptual Chemistry’s foundational Chapter 3, Elements of Chemistry. Topics include physical and chemical changes, the periodic table, elements and compounds, mixtures, and nanotechnology.

From the authors of the “conceptual” line of science textbooks, in this second episode we discuss how cognitive “frames” color our worldview. Recognizing these frames can help us to remain open to new ideas. The yet to be recognized term “collective causation” is used as an example of hypocognition. This is followed by a review of Chapter 2 of Conceptual Chemistry relating to the particulate nature of matter.

Chem 101: The Big Picture Podcast Episode 01 Your hosts: John and Tracy Suchocki Outline 1. Introduction Who is the podcast for? What are our goals? 2. The Back Story How to Study Effectively Step 1 / Step 2 Learning Delayed retrieval Interleaving 3: Do the Review (Chapter 01) About Science About Chemistry Unit Conversions