Chemistry Virtual Labs
- Column Chromatography: Pack an alumina column, load a leaf pigment extract, and separate carotene from the chlorophylls with a solvent gradient.
- Kjeldahl's Method for Nitrogen Estimation: Digest an organic compound in hot sulfuric acid, distil the ammonia into standard acid, back-titrate the excess, and calculate the percentage of nitrogen.
- Millikan's Oil Drop: Catch a charged oil drop, weigh it by timing its fall, and find the charge of the electron as the smallest step every droplet is a multiple of.
- Paper Chromatography: Separate pigments from spinach leaves and flowers and determine their Rf values.
- Rutherford's α-Particle Scattering: Fire α-particles at a thin gold foil, count where they scatter, and discover the tiny dense nucleus at the centre of the atom.
- The Daniell Cell: Run a real galvanic cell: close the switch, watch zinc dissolve and copper plate out, and find out what happens when the salt bridge is taken away.
- Thin Layer Chromatography: Separate a mixture of amino acids on a silica plate, develop it with ninhydrin, and identify the unknowns from their Rf values.
- Thomson's Cathode Ray Tube Experiment: Deflect a cathode ray with electric and magnetic fields, balance the two forces, and measure the charge-to-mass ratio of the electron.
- Photoelectric Effect: Explore how light frequency, intensity, and voltage affect electron emission from metal surfaces.
Frequently asked questions
What is a chemistry virtual lab?
It is an online simulation of a chemistry practical. Students handle glassware and reagents, take readings and calculate results in a virtual lab, guided step by step, without needing the chemicals or apparatus.
Can chemistry practicals be done online?
Yes. Labinstructor's chemistry labs let students carry out the full procedure of a practical, with the same steps, readings and calculations as at the real bench. Schools use them before or after the bench practical, and for experiments too hazardous or costly to run.
Which chemistry experiments are available?
Every chemistry experiment we offer is listed on this page, and new ones appear here as soon as they are released. If you need an experiment that is not listed, we can build it for your curriculum.
Are the virtual chemistry labs safe for students?
Yes. Students work with concentrated acids, high voltages and radioactive sources only on screen, while Dr Bee explains the safety precautions they would need at a real bench.
Do students need to install anything?
No. The labs run in a modern web browser on school computers or students' own laptops, with no download or plugin.
How can my school get access?
Labinstructor is licensed to schools and universities. Request a free demo and we will show you the labs and set up access for your classes.