Computer simulation of electronic circuits used in chemical instrumentation

Computer simulation is used to illustrate the fundamentals of electronics and electrical circuits as related to under-graduate chemistry laboratories. Results are correlated with experimental data obtained from breadboard experiments. The basic components of electrical circuits, including resistors, capacitors, inductors, potentiometers, and oscilloscopes are introduced. Analog circuits are designed and analyzed and results are compared with laboratory-generated measurements. Simulation reinforces the underlying principles of electronics as used in chemical instrumentation. The experiments can easily be modified for the design and analysis of other chemical instrumentation, including construction of a portable potentiostat/ galvanostat and building of a sensor-switching device. The experiments provide a good introduction and effective exercises for undergraduate chemistry students by applying electronic theories to the operation of chemical instrumentation.