LibGuides: Chemistry: Web Resources

Evaluating Websites

The quality of the information you find on the Web varies tremendously so it is always a good idea to check the information against another source. As with all information resources, whether in print or on the Internet, you evaluate its quality based on the following criteria:

Accuracy (Is it free from mistakes and errors?)
Authority (What are the qualifications of the author?)
Objectivity (Is there any strong bias?)
Currency (Is the information up to date?)
Coverage (To what extent is the topic explored?)

That's just the basics. Learn more!

Tutorials on Evaluation Criteria

Chemistry Resources on the Web

MEDLINE Plus Drug Information
Information on thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications.
American Chemical Society
Information for chemistry professionals, educators, students at all levels, policy makers; access to print publications of the American Chemical Society, chemistry news, job listings, lesson plans, the "Molecule of the Week"; and an interactive periodic table.
ChemSpider
"A free chemical structure database providing fast access to over 67 million structures, properties, and associated information."
Atomic Spectra Database
"Contains critically evaluated NIST (National Institute for Standards and Technology) data for radiative transitions and energy levels in atoms and atomic ions. Data are included for observed transitions of 99 elements and energy levels of 52 elements."
Best of the Web Chemistry Links
"Resources for researching chemistry on the Internet."
Chemguide: Helping You to Understand Chemistry
Designed for students in Great Britain but "should be useful if you are at the beginning of any similar advanced Chemistry course."
Chemistry-Based Animations
"These animations support the teaching of concepts in chemistry in freshman through graduate level courses."
Classic Chemistry
Covers topics in history of chemistry, history of science, and scientific biography.
The Periodic Table of Comic Books
Features comic books in which an element is mentioned - right or wrong.
Common Molecules
"Molecules are the smallest collection of atoms of a compound which retains the properties of that material." From the Molecular Structure Database, University of Indiana.
DNATUBE
Non-profit scientific video and animation site providing video-based studies, lecturers and seminars on various science topics.
Dynamic Periodic Table
Includes interactive visualizations, properties, orbitals, isotopes, and compound mixing.
Environmentalchemistry.com
Provides environmental, chemistry and hazardous materials news, information & resources including in depth articles, a detailed periodic table of elements, chemical substance database, hazmat emergency response guides, hazmat placarding information, and more.
A Heat Transfer Textbook, 5th ed.,
Full text of the 2000 introductory text about heat and mass transfer. PDF file.
Internet Chemistry: Oxidation/Reduction
Explains how elements react with oxygen to form compounds called oxides.
National Institutes of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS): Science Education
Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology pages covers Enzymes, Molecular Probes, Metabolic Engineering, Natural Products, Chemical Reactions, Biochemical Actions of Drugs in the Body, Pharmacogenomics, Drug Design, Anesthesiology, Toxicology.
NIST Chemical WebBook, SRD 69
Provides thermochemical, thermophysical, and ion energetics data. Compiled by NIST under the Standard Reference Data Program.
Periodic Table
Interactive periodic table features history, alchemy, podcasts, videos, and data trends across the periodic table. From the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Periodic Table of Elements
Includes atomic number, symbol, weight, and electron configuration; a brief history of the element and its sources, isotopes, uses, and properties through element 112. From the Los Alamos National Laboratory.
Tox Town
Provides "consumer-level information on everyday locations and situations where you might be exposed to toxic chemicals. This site will help you better understand risks of exposure, potential health effects, and how to protect yourself." From the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
United States Patents and Trademark Office
Basic role of the PTO is "to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries."
What's That Stuff?
Chemical composition of 20+ every-day items such as self tanners, lipstick, fireworks, cheese whiz, new car smell, and toothpaste. From Chemical & Engineering News, American Chemical Society.

LPC Chemistry Dept.

LPC Chemistry Department - " ... provide(s) information about the Chemistry program at Las Positas College including its faculty and staff, to answer questions you might have about Chemistry, and to provide links to interesting Chemistry web sites.

Rob Schmidt's Chemistry Website

Search Engines

Google Advanced Search - Information on educational and governmental websites tend to have more reliable information. In the advance search, along with your search terms, enter .edu or .gov in the box labeled "Search within a site or domain."