College of Science Library

List of Titles with Annotations

Secrets of Science

Description: A thirteen (13) video encyclopedia of science travel from the outer edges of our solar system to the darkest depths of our planet’s oceans. Or watch as the earth is born and life begins. This Discover Magazine series is a fascinating and informative way to unlock the mysteries of the world around us. The series provides a clear, concise introduction to more than 50 key science subjects. It makes learning about science and the natural world easy and fun. Each program is filled with up-to-date information and illustrated with great visuals and computer graphics. Beautifully packaged, this wonderful resource contains over 10 hours of programming on 13 videos.

Subject coverage: life sciences, earth & space science, and physical science

Video 1 From the Beginning
How life began, the evolution of man, the origin of species and a human being is born.

Video 2 Life’s Building Blocks
Blood and our bodies, DNA and diversity, the complex cell, and understanding viruses.

Video 3 Brain Power
The sense of sight, the human brain, civilization’s progress, and the written word.

Video 4 The Life Around Us
The animal kingdom, the world of insects, the busy bees, and a planet of plants.

Video 5 Planet Earth, Our Home
There’s no place like home, polluting our atmosphere, wasting our planet, and when the ground quakes.

Video 6 Earth’s Extremes
When lava flows, glaciers, the antarctic, and the torrid tropics.

Video 7 Our Sea and Sky
An ocean overview, life beneath the waves, creating our climate, and
comets.

Video 8 Into Outer Space
Space travel, landing on the moon, exploratory space probes, and star
bright.

Video 9 Our Sun and Solar System
The four fundamental forces, our solar system, the sun, and what is light

Video 10 The Mysteries of Motion & Power
Considering kinematics, Newton’s laws, electricity, and the physics of force.

Video 11 Exploring energy
Elementary energy, nuclear energy, the combustion energy, and power from petroleum.

Video 12 Of Wheels and Wings
Rolling on land, sailing on water, frying through the air and the magic of flight.

Video 13 Through the Looking Glass
About telescopes, focus on photography, looking into deep space, on television, and surrounded by satellites.

Air Pollution : Indoors

Description: Indoor air pollution is in many ways a self-induced problem which makes it no easier to solve. Painting and other home improvements have introduced pollutants, thermal insulation and other energy-saving and water proofing devices have trapped the pollutants inside. The result is that air pollution inside a modern home can be worse than inside a chemical plant.

The Atomic Molecular Theory of Matter

Description: The basic premise of the atomic molecular theory is that all matter is composed of tiny, fast-moving particles called atoms and molecules. This film offers a number of simple experiments. A time lapse observation of crystal growth, a demonstration of the electrolysis of water, chemical reactions in various solids, liquids, and gases - to provide indirect evidence in support of the various parts that make up the theory. The film also suggests the importance of theories and models in helping us understand our complex physical environment.

Biodiversity : The Variety of Life

Description: Grade 10-adult audiences environmental issues involve more than just a single species, such as the spotted owl, or a single wilderness area, such as yellowstone national park. A new video workshop, biodiversity: the variety of life, offers a clear and understandable explanation of the complex factors involved in conversation biology. Conventional approaches to species and habitat protection are failing to sustain the diversity of animal and plant life in our wilderness areas. Biodiversity introduces several new terms and concepts, including “Fragmentation”, “Linkage”, and “Viable Population”, which offer important insight into preserving the balance of dynamic ecosystems.

While focusing on the greater Northern Cascades Ecosystem of Washington and British Columbia, the video presents concepts which apply everywhere. School, colleges, public libraries and community organizations will all find educational merit in the up-to-date information provided in this program.

The Chemistry of Proteins

Description: This film covers the function and structure of proteins, amino acids and their influence on protein structures, and peptide bonds.

Decontamination Procedures: Hazardous Materials

Description : This video is the fourth program of the Hazardous Materials First Responder - Operation Training Series which teaches information and skill needed for safe basic level response operations of a hazardous materials incident. This program is designed to instruct first responders how to perform proper decontamination procedures, termination procedures, and record-keeping during a hazardous materials incident.

Experiment: Chemistry: Bomb Calorimetry

Description: This experiment demonstrates one of the most common thermodynamic measurements, the determination of the heat of combustion of a compound. Measuring the values for a series of primary straight chain alcohol shows that a standard grouping of atoms such as the CH2 group may have a fixed heat of combustion, but extending this concept to an unsaturated ring system leads to surprising results.

Compliance Auditing

Description: This four (4) part video and accompanying study guide, complete with a preparatory checklist and self-quiz, is an excellent tool to train environmental or health and safety auditors.

Video 1 The pre-audit phase
The program emphasizes the steps necessary in preparing to conduct a compliance audit using dramatizations, the video illusrates four essential pre-audit steps:
* The pre-visit questionnaire
* Understanding access issues
* Conducting regulatory research
* Gathering “The tools of the Trade”

Video 2 On-site activities
The program emphasizes the investigative and interviewing skills to conduct a comprehensive and detailed audit. Using dramatizations, the video illustrates five essentials auditing techniques:
* Evaluating management systems
* Maintaining working papers
* Reviewing documents
* Interviewing
* Physically inspecting the facility

Video 3 The exit interviews and audit report
The program emphasizes important reporting and follow-up activities necessary for a thorough compliance audit using dramatizations, the video illustrates four essential post-audit steps:
* Evaluating audit systems
* Conducting the exit interview
* Writing the audit report
* Developing the action plan

Video 4 The plant manager’s role
The program complete with a written audit preparation checklist and self-quiz, outlines steps to ensure that your facility audit proceeds smoothly.

Techniques in genetic engineering video library

Description: This series attempts to take the viewer through several key aspects of gene technology, and in so doing illustrates both the techniques in some detail and also the underlying principles and applications.

The series was designed for students in the widest possible sense. Therefore, the zoologist, chemist and medical student will find the material of as much interest as the biothechnologist and molecular biologist. Those who have trained some years ago - ‘mature entrants - before this technology was developed, and now wish to update their knowledge of this field in a practical as well as a theoretical sense was also considered in the making of these video. For all of these groups, the series have attempted (apart from the general introduction) firmly based on applications as well as theory.

TGE 1 Nucleic acids techniques - an overview
Stephen D. M. Brown
This first video takes an imaginative, broad look at the nature of DNA and the basic techniques of genetic engineering. The action of restriction enzymes and the principles of litigation and recombinant DNA are carefully explained; brief reviews of some of the key techniques follow, including sizing DNA by agarose gel electrohoresis, DNA cloning library screening and southern blotting.
The techniques are explained using environmental examples and the whole resembles a coherent scientific investigation in molecular genetics. In this way, the viewer understands how the different techniques relate to each other and how they can be used together to achieve a defined scientific objective. At the same time, the current uses of genetic engineering are discussed and the potential applications in medicine, industry and agriculture are explored.
This video is a stimulating and comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of genetic engineering and a useful primer to the more detailed ‘learning tapes; in the rest of the series.

TGE 2 Gene analysis and southern blotting
R. Williamson
This video describes the action of restriction enzymes, the separation of DNA fragments by agarose gel electrophoresis, the retrieval of DNA from the agarose gel by blotting, and the use of gene probes to identify DNA or RNA containing sequences of interest. How these techniques are used, particularly for clinical and diagnostic purposes, is discussed and an example provided of how Southern blotting is used in the diagnosis of inherited genetic diseases.

TGE 4 Gene libraries
K. E. Davies
This video describes in detail the construction of DNA libraries in vectors, their subsequent introduction into bacteria, and the screening methods to extract the DNA fragments of interest.

TGE 5 Expression of cloned genes
T. J. R. Harris
This video describes current transcription and translation models and reflects on the problems of expressing prokaryotic and eukaryotic genes. The actual production of human insulin is used as an example. The problems faced by industry in scaling up for mass production are discussed.

TGE 7 In vitro mutagenesis
A. J. Wilkinson
This videdo describes the main types of mutation : insertion, deletion and substitution of DNA sections or sequences. The techniques are illustrated with examples throughout.

TGE 8 Microdissection and microcloning
S. D. M. Brown
This video deals with a dramatic new technique in which the DNA of interest is physically isolated by mechanical methods before cloning. Microdissection has been developed as a means of selecting DNA from a small region of the genome as possible. The process involves the isolation by dissection of small chromosomal fragments from unstained, fixed chromosomal material, from which DNA can be isolated and microcloned into a suitable vector. All the procedures are on a very small scale and such require not just specifically designed methods, but also specially made equipment.
As the techniques are relatively new,, considerable detail is given on the preparation of the microinstruments used and the techniques of manipulation. All the details pertaining to the dissection, DNA extraction, enzyme digestion, ligation, vectors, and packaging are outlined.

Introduction to the cathode-ray oscilloscope

Description: Just as a microscope might symbolize science in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the cathode-ray oscilloscope could well become a symbol of science in our time. This versatile instrument is proving to be an indispensable tool for measurement, display, and analysis in all branches of science and technology.

Introductory concepts in Physics
Subject Coverage: electricity, dynamics, pressure, waves, light, magnetism

Video 1 Diffraction of light
Place an object in the path of a beam of light traveling in a straight line, and some of the light changes direction. This phenomenon is called diffraction. When the shadow of an object is cast on a screen, rays of diffracted light interfere with each other and stripes appear around the periphery of the shadow.

Video 2 Convex and concave lenses
When light passes through a rectangular tank filled with water, the light does not curve, when the tank is divided into sections with convex and concave plates, the light beams striking the faces curve, the direction of the curve depends on the curve of the plate experiments demonstrate. The functional differences between convex and concave lenses. Also described are the differences in the images produced by various arrangements and combinations of convex and concave lenses.

Kilowatts from cowpies: the methane option

Description: An overview of methane (biogas) as an energy resource. Biogas is a product of the bacterial decay of organic matter in an anaerobic environment can be used to produce it. One of the most promising applications is the use of cow manure to provide heat and electricity on dairy farms. The remaining solids make excellent fertilizer or feed, and the liquids can be used for aquaculture.

Lovins on the soft path: an energy future with a future

Description: Hunter and Amory Lovins are the foremost proponents of an energy policy that concentrates on efficiency and the appropriate use of renewable energy sources such as the sun, wind, and water. The Lovinses call this the “soft path” and argue for its practicality as opposed to the “hard path” which favors increased energy production and the use of coal and nuclear power with 33 page study guide by the Lovins’ rocky mountain institute.

Physics in Action: The Laws of Motion

Description: This program provides demonstrations of Newton’s First Law of Motion, that if no forces act upon a moving body, it will continue to move in a straight line at the same speed; Newton’s Second Law of Motion, that if a force acts upon a body, it causes an acceleration which is proportional to the force (the law is both tested and seen in ordinary experience in the breaking distance of a car); and Newton’s Third Law of Motion, which states that action and reaction are equal and opposite an automobile seat-belt rig is used to demonstrate the conservation of momentum.

The world of extremes: Ultra-Low temperatures

Description: This program explains the Kelvin scale and demonstrates the properties of liquid helium to illustrate the phenomenon of super-fluidity. It also explains the principle of superconductivity and the related research and developments in low-temperature technology.

Experiment : Chemistry

Video 1 Bomb Calorimetry
Description: This experiment demonstrates one of the most common thermodynamic measurements, the determination of the heat of combustion of a compound. Measuring the values for a series of primary straight chain alcohols shows that a standard grouping of atoms such as the CH2 group may have a fixed heat of combustion, but extending this concept to an unsaturated ring system leads to surprising results.

Students record the temperature rise in the bomb calorimeter when a sample of each compound is combusted. The sum of the experimentally measured change in internal energy and the change in number of moles of gases in the calorimeter, which students calculate from the stoichometric reaction equation of combustion, is the heat of combustion. Trends in the measured value of the heat of combustion can then be related to the exact chemical structure of each of the compounds.

Video 2 Mass Spectrometry
Description: In this experiment, a mass spectrometer is used to investigate two aspects of electron bombardment of gas phase atoms and molecules. The program first shows how much energy is required to produce ions, and then examines what happens when this energy is exceeded.

Experiment : Physics (Level 1)

Video 1 Center of Mass Motion
Description: This program uses a frictionless air table apparatus to demonstrate several aspects of the motion of the center of mass complex systems. Resolving the motion of a body into translation of and rotation about its center of mass fundamental to an understanding of mechanics. Beginning with examples of translation and rotation, this program introduces the center of mass concept. Slow-motion and stop-action photography simplify the analysis of bodies moving in two dimensions. Data id presented for rigid body rotation, coupled particles and particle collisions. Students extract data for analysis for a two body elastic scattering configuration.

Video 2 Temperature and Kinetic Theory
Description: Concepts such as absolute temperature, ideal gas laws, and the molecular theory of gases are introduced in this program. Using demonstrations and a detailed experiment for in-class analysis, students are able to see how gases, liquids, and solids behave under several variable conditions (reduced pressure and various temperatures). Concepts explored include the gas laws, phase changes, and triple point. Students make measurements on the boiling point of water as a function of pressure and then relate these findings to air pressure at various altitudes.

Video 3 Magnetic Fields
Description: The phenomenon associated with magnetic fields are familiar, and a number of interesting physics effects are easily observed in large volume, high-intensity magnetic fields. This program demonstrates some of these effects, including induction, the hall effect, and eddy currents. Students analyze data gathered from observing experiments on magnetic induction, and the force on magnetic and non-magnetic materials.