Big Picture Podcast

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 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.

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 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.

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.

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