Metal-Organic Frameworks: the New All-Rounders in Chemistry Research
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Issue 2 | January 2019 | Half-Yearly | Bangalore RNI No. KARENG/2018/76650 Rediscovering School Science Page 8 Metal-organic frameworks: The new all-rounders in chemistry research A publication from Azim Premji University i wonder No. 134, Doddakannelli Next to Wipro Corporate Office Sarjapur Road, Bangalore — 560 035. India Tel: +91 80 6614 9000/01/02 Fax: +91 806614 4903 www.azimpremjifoundation.org Also visit the Azim Premji University website at www.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in A soft copy of this issue can be downloaded from http://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/SitePages/resources-iwonder.aspx i wonder is a science magazine for school teachers. Our aim is to feature writings that engage teachers (as well as parents, researchers and other interested adults) in a gentle, and hopefully reflective, dialogue about the many dimensions of teaching and learning of science in class and outside it. We welcome articles that share critical perspectives on science and science education, provide a broader and deeper understanding of foundational concepts (the hows, whys and what nexts), and engage with examples of practice that encourage the learning of science in more experiential and meaningful ways. i wonder is also a great read for students and science enthusiasts. Editors Ramgopal (RamG) Vallath Chitra Ravi Editorial Committee REDISCOVERING SCHOOL SCIENCE Anand Narayanan Hridaykant Dewan Jayalekshmy Ayyer Navodita Jain Editorial Radha Gopalan As a child growing up in rural Kerala, my chief entertainment was reading: mostly Rajaram Nityananda science, history of science and, also, biographies of scientists. To me, science Richard Fernandes seemed pure and uncluttered by politicking. I thought of scientists as completely Sushil Joshi rational beings, driven only by a desire to uncover the mysteries of the universe. In Yasmin Jayathirtha my mind, they were impartial observers, experimenters and thinkers, untouched by Advisors personal prejudices. Manoj P. But, as I grew up, I came to realise that this was far from the truth. No doubt, the S Giridhar history of science has many examples of cooperation between scientists, often from Chandrika Muralidhar multiple disciplines, working together to uncover the mysteries of nature. But, it is Saurav Shome also peppered with examples of prejudice, power play, factionalism, politics and Falguni Sarangi one-upmanship. One such example is the exciting story of the uncovering of the Julfikar Ali structure of DNA shared in this issue’s ‘Discovering the Helical Staircase’. Every time I dwell on this path-breaking discovery, I am left with deep sadness at how one of Publication Coordinator the scientists who contributed significantly to this achievement — Rosalind Franklin Sneha Kumari — received hardly any credit for it. This is a reflection of how women scientists were systematically relegated to the background in those days. The men who dominated Illustrations science wanted to keep it that way — dominated by men. How much more would Vidya Kamalesh science have progressed if women had been given their rightful say and Magazine Design encouragement? Zinc & Broccoli An equally heart-breaking story, for me, is that of Subrahmanian Chandrasekhar. [email protected] As a young man of twenty five, he was given an opportunity to present his Image Credits path-breaking theory on the evolution of massive stars to the august gathering of Front cover: A surface modification of an MOF to members of the Royal Astronomical Society in London. I can well imagine how apprehensive and, at the same time, excited Chandrasekhar must have been on improve its ability to extract CO2 shown at 20,000 times magnification using a focused ion beam this occasion. To his shock and dismay, his presentation was ripped apart by none scanning electron microscope. US Department of other than his mentor and friend — Arthur Eddington. A colossus in the field of Energy. URL: http://www.publicdomainfiles.com/ astrophysics in those days, it was Eddington who had, in fact, encouraged show_file.php?id=14018739628538. License: Chandrasekhar to make the presentation in the first place. But, he chose to Public Domain. ridicule Chandrasekhar’s ideas rather than counter it scientifically. Eddington’s Back cover: Staphylococcus epidermidis. NIH- stature ensured that Chandrasekhar’s theory, which had to wait for almost half a National Institute of Allergy and Infectious century for a Nobel Prize, wasn’t taken seriously by his peers for decades. Even if Diseases. URL: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ some of them did see merit in it, they lacked the courage to express it. Imagine niaid/5613984108/in/photostream/. License: CC-BY. how much more astrophysics would have progressed if it was not set back by Printers several decades due to this incident. And, how much more Chandrasekhar himself may have contributed to his chosen field if he had not left it in frustration. How SCPL Bangalore - 560062 many young scientists across the world may be afraid to come up with original [email protected] theories because of some version of Eddington in their own lives? How much Acknowledgements more, and faster, can science progress if every mentor, every senior scientist, is Special thanks are due to Satyajit Mayor and nurturing and encouraging as opposed to being dismissive? Smita Jain of IndiaBioscience, National Centre for As science educators, it is essential that we keep in mind that inculcating wonder Biological Sciences, Bangalore, for their support in bringing out this issue. and curiosity in young minds is only one part of igniting their scientific temperament. We must also inculcate respect for License individuals, fairness of mind, courage to break out of All articles in this magazine are licensed under stereotypes, a collaborative mind-set, and even a Creative Commons-Attribution-Non Commercial kindness. Science, like any other aspect of life, can 4.0 International License progress best when people respect each other’s abilities and differences, and support and nurture each other unstintingly. Please note: All views and opinions expressed in this issue are that of the Authors, and Azim Premji RamG Vallath University or Azim Premji Foundation bear no Editor responsibility for the same. CONTENTS EMERGING TRENDS IN CHEMISTRY WHY SYNTHESIZE 4 NEW ELEMENTS SUSHIL JOSHI METAL-ORGANIC FRAMEWORKS: THE NEW 8 ALL-ROUNDERS IN CHEMISTRY RESEARCH JOEL CORNELIO FLUORESCENT TAGS: 13 INDISPENSABLE TOOLS IN MEDICINE NEERAJA DASHAPUTRE I AM A SCIENTIST 18 INTERVIEW VENA KAPOOR ACTIVITY SHEET EARLY BIRD NATURE DETECTIVES BINGO NATURE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION RESEARCH TO PRACTICE STUDENTS AS TEACHERS: HOW SCIENCE 24 TEACHERS CAN COLLABORATE WITH THEIR STUDENTS USING PEER INSTRUCTION KEVIN CLOSE, NICOLE BOWERS, ROHIT MEHTA, PUNYA MISHRA & J. BRYAN HENDERSON THE SCIENCE LAB DETERMINATION OF THE MOLAR MASS 29 OF STUDENTS IN A CHEMISTRY CLASS SANGEETHA BALAKRISHNAN ACTIVITY SHEETS • LUNG CAPACITY 32 DISCOVERING SCIENCE • DRINKING WITH STRAWS G S RAUTELA • DEFLATING BALOONS I • DEFLATING BALOONS II G S RAUTELA SERENDIPITY 34 WHY IS THE FISH BLUE? NAVODITA JAIN & SWAGATHA GHOSH BIG QUESTIONS THE MYSTERY 38 OF DARK ENERGY DISCOVER AMITABHA MUKHERJEE POSTER – DOPPLER EFFECT RAMGOPAL (RAMG) VALLATH TEACHING AS IF THE EARTH MATTERS POWERING (HUMAN) 45 LIFE ON EARTH RADHA GOPALAN 53 CLEAN ENERGY A. Q. CONTRACTOR ANNALS OF HISTORY DISCOVERING 60 THE HELICAL STAIRCASE ROHINI CHINTHA LIFE IN YOUR BACKYARD 68 THE SCENT ORCHESTRA OF FLOWERS POSTER – SOME INTERESTING V. S. PRAGADHEESH & SHANNON OLSSON SCENTS OF FLOWERS V. S. PRAGADHEESH & SHANNON OLSSON EXPLORE 75 THE CHEMISTRY OF LIFE ANAGH PURANDARE & ANIRUDDH SASTRY EMERGING TRENDS IN CHEMISTRY EMERGING WHY SYNTHESIZE NEW ELEMENTSSUSHIL JOSHI We are in a race n September 2009, a team of scientists The effect of proton to synthesize new from the U.S. Department of Energy’s number elements — each ILawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Every element is identified by its atomic with more protons confirmed a claim made by a team of Russian scientists at the Joint Institute for number, which is the number of protons and neutrons than in its nucleus. For example, flevorium has Nuclear Research in Dubna in 1998 — it ever before. Unlike an atomic number of 114 — the number was possible to create element 114. The of protons in its nucleus. For each atom naturally occurring Russian team (led by Yuri Oganessian) elements, these newly of this element to be electrically neutral, had described element 114, now called it would require the same number created elements seem flevorium, as being “very stable”. Today, ephemeral — ceasing of electrons. Another property of an however, this element does not exist. element is its atomic weight, defined as to exist almost as soon the sum total of protons and neutrons as they are created. The short-lived element 114 is not an exception. A number of super-heavy in its nucleus. Irrespective of where What makes them so elements invented or created (refer Box 1) the element is found, its atoms carry unstable? Why do we the same number of protons, but may in the last couple of decades don’t seem have a variable number of neutrons. For synthesize them? What to be very stable. In contrast, 92 elements, example, the element hydrogen has just does their creation the heaviest of which (uranium) has 92 one proton in its nucleus. Atoms of its reveal to us? protons, occur naturally. This has led to most abundant form have no neutrons, the hypothesis that elements with more making their atomic number and atomic than 92 protons may not be stable in weight equal. However, some hydrogen nature. What is it that makes one element atoms have one or two neutrons, with stable, and another unstable? And why atomic weights of 2 (deuterium) or 3 invest effort in creating new elements, (tritium) respectively, although their if they are literally kshan-bhangur atomic number remains the same (refer (transient)? Fig. 1). Atoms with the same atomic 4 - REDISCOVERING SCHOOL SCIENCE Jan 2019 number but differing atomic Box 1.