Thermodynamics as a Tool for Laboratory and Chemical Safety in the Undergraduate Chemistry Curriculum

Recent laboratory accidents in academic chemistry laboratories have highlighted the importance of the teaching and implementation of laboratory and chemical safety. Traditionally, the undergraduate chemistry curriculum is centered on the teaching of the core subfields of chemistry: analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, and physical chemistry. Laboratory and chemical safety on the other hand are taught in a cursory fashion, usually in the form of a safety video and/or presentation at the beginning of the laboratory course and never revisited as the focus of the course shifts towards mastering the subject matter. Part of the problem is the lack of pedagogical resources that specifically address laboratory and chemical safety. Another is the devaluation of laboratory and chemical safety by many instructors, since they consider teaching fundamental chemical concepts as higher priority. Laboratory and chemical safety, however, can actually be taught in conjunction with the teaching of fundamental concepts. We demonstrate this with thermodynamics, a fundamental concept covered in general and physical chemistry courses. We illustrate, via examples, how laboratory and chemical safety can be used as practical applications of thermodynamics.