Web-Based Simulation (Class #6)

Web-Based Chemistry Simulations

This is one of the websites that I came across while reading in our text book.  Developed by the National Science Foundation as a way to assist high-school educators in the chemistry classroom, the website features multiple simulations with animations and feedback. 
The simulations can be found in list format by topic or they can be found aligned to the National Science Education Standards.  The simuations listed on the website can serve as the basis of a lesson (the ones on catalysts or kinetics allow the students to interact with the vaiables) or the launching point of a research/synthesis/presentaiton project (nuclear decay or periodic table).
This can be especially useful in the chemistry classroom for several reasons: using this website to run 'experiments' would eliminate the cost of the chemical reactants and the equipment needed to run various reactions; using the website to run 'experiments' removes many dangers from of the chemistry classroom (open flames, glassware, hazardous chemicals, etc); the students could log into the simulations to review the material or to work on a topic they found difficult.  Additionally, being able to visualize the chemical phenomena being studied can increase student understanding of the material.