Let’s awaken your curiosity for the chemistry of caffeine. Learn how Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) helps scientists measure the concentration of caffeine in your drinks.
High School
University / College
Lego blocks and caffeine make an interesting combo. In this simulation, you will learn that a couple of scientists actually used lego blocks to build the first version of the Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) machine. You’ll use the technique to measure caffeine levels in various beverages.
Explore the parts of the flow injection machine
Not every real-life lab has a FIA machine, and it’s definitely not everyday that you get to look inside one. So in this simulation, you’ll get to explore the different parts of the FIA machine in detail through a 3D animation that illustrates the main mechanisms of the machine. You’ll soon understand how the machine detects caffeine, and apply this knowledge to your experiments.
Optimize and perform the experiment
Before you carry out an experiment, you will have to optimize the FIA machine for use. You can alter different machine parameters, to help generate the most accurate results. Once you have optimized the machine and prepared samples, you are ready to perform your experiment! Lots of beverages are waiting to be tested.
Compute the caffeine concentration
When you have finished your experiment, you’ll want to present your results in the best way possible. After creating an absorbance graph, you’ll employ your stoichiometry knowledge to determine the caffeine concentration of each beverage.
Maybe coffee is not the best drink for getting up or staying awake after all… maybe it’s hot chocolate! Will you be able to find out which beverages will cure you from sleepiness?
Length:
43
mins
Accessibility mode:
Available
Languages:
English (United States)
Spanish
Course Packages:
At the end of this simulation, you will be able to:
Measure caffeine concentration in different samples using the Flow Injection Analysis (FIA) technique
Describe the importance of the different parts of the FIA machine (e.g. the spectrophotometer, the pump, or the mixing coil)
Describe the advantages of the FIA method
Calculate the velocity at which a sample will be eluted
Prepare sample dilutions and standard curves
Interpret the results from a FIA experiment
Determine the concentration of an unknown caffein sample by using the standard curve
At the end of this simulation, you will be able to:
University
NGSS
IB
AP
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