Teaching-mechanic library

atom_conservation · chemistry · balance.chem_equation

Concept: Balancing equations

Player does: Set coefficients until every atom token balances and the reactor starts

Breaks: Change subscripts to balance

Balancing an equation means adjusting coefficients, since changing a subscript would change the substance itself.

reaction_factory · chemistry · balance.ratio

Concept: Stoichiometry

Player does: Feed reactants in the required ratio; leftovers pile up

Breaks: Reactants combine 1:1 by mass

Reactants combine in the mole ratios set by the balanced equation, not in equal masses.

production_bottleneck · chemistry · balance.ratio

Concept: Limiting reagent

Player does: Predict which feed runs out first and how much product ships

Breaks: The reactant with less mass is limiting

The limiting reagent is decided by mole ratio needed, not by which reactant has the smaller mass.

particle_crates · chemistry · tuner.formula

Concept: The mole

Player does: Pack particles into standard crates; convert grams to crates

Breaks: A mole of anything weighs the same

A mole is a fixed count of particles, so its mass depends on the substance's molar mass, not a fixed weight.

dynamic_reaction_arena · chemistry · simulator.predict

Concept: Dynamic equilibrium

Player does: Watch forward and reverse reactions; predict when counts stop changing

Breaks: At equilibrium the reaction stops

At equilibrium, the forward and reverse reactions still run, just at equal rates, so concentrations stop changing but the reaction never stops.

disturb_the_reactor · chemistry · truth_finder.predict_reveal

Concept: Le Châtelier

Player does: Predict the shift, then add reactant or change pressure

Breaks: Adding product speeds the forward reaction

Adding product shifts the equilibrium backward, favoring the reverse reaction, not the forward one.

energy_barrier · chemistry · simulator.reach_state

Concept: Activation energy

Player does: Heat until enough molecules clear the barrier

Breaks: Exothermic reactions need no energy to start

Even an exothermic reaction needs activation energy to get started, before it releases net energy overall.

alternate_route · chemistry · truth_finder.predict_reveal

Concept: Catalysts

Player does: Unlock the tunnel; predict what changes and what doesn't

Breaks: Catalysts change how much energy is released

A catalyst lowers the activation energy path but does not change the overall energy released by the reaction.

proton_transfer · chemistry · linker.pairs

Concept: Brønsted acids & bases

Player does: Link each acid to its conjugate base by passing proton tokens

Breaks: Strong acid means concentrated acid

Acid strength is about how completely it donates protons, which is independent of its concentration.

ph_meter · chemistry · mapper.number_line

Concept: pH scale

Player does: Place solutions on the pH line; 10× concentration is one step

Breaks: pH 4 is twice as acidic as pH 5

pH is logarithmic, so each whole step is a tenfold change in acidity, meaning pH 4 is ten times more acidic than pH 5.

orbital_filling · chemistry · builder.electron_config

Concept: Electron configuration

Player does: Fill orbital slots obeying Aufbau, Hund, and Pauli

Breaks: Orbitals fill in number order (3d before 4s)

The Aufbau principle fills orbitals by increasing energy, which puts 4s below 3d in energy despite the smaller number.

periodic_landscape · chemistry · sequencer.rank

Concept: Periodic trends

Player does: Rank elements by atomic radius or electronegativity

Breaks: Atoms get bigger left to right

Atomic radius shrinks left to right across a period as nuclear charge pulls electrons in tighter.

escape_energy · chemistry · sequencer.rank

Concept: Intermolecular forces

Player does: Rank substances by boiling point from their attractions

Breaks: Boiling breaks covalent bonds

Boiling overcomes the intermolecular forces between molecules; the covalent bonds within each molecule stay intact.

molecule_builder · chemistry · builder.molecule

Concept: Bonding & valence

Player does: Assemble the requested molecule within valence rules

Breaks: Atoms can form any number of bonds

Each element's valence sets a limit on how many bonds it can typically form.

titration_drip · chemistry · tuner.formula

Concept: Titration

Player does: Stop the burette at the equivalence point

Breaks: The equivalence point is always pH 7

The equivalence point's pH depends on the acid and base strengths involved, and is only 7 for a strong acid–strong base pair.

reaction_type_sorter · chemistry · sorter.bins

Concept: Reaction types

Player does: Sort reactions into synthesis, decomposition, single/double replacement, combustion

Breaks: Any reaction with O₂ is combustion

Combustion specifically requires a fuel reacting rapidly with oxygen to release heat and light, not just any reaction involving O2.

polarity_sorter · chemistry · sorter.bins

Concept: Molecular polarity

Player does: Sort molecules polar vs nonpolar from their shape

Breaks: Polar bonds always make a polar molecule

A molecule's overall polarity depends on its geometry too, since symmetric arrangements of polar bonds can cancel out.

redox_tracker · chemistry · linker.pairs

Concept: Oxidation & reduction

Player does: Link each species to whether it's oxidized or reduced

Breaks: Oxidation always involves oxygen

Oxidation is the loss of electrons, a definition that applies even in reactions with no oxygen present.