This activity is set in a research group that is developing an antivenom for spider bites. In the opening scene, Nelson Pogline, a talented graduate student, dies unexpectedly at a university reception. As a detective, you must use chemistry concepts to determine if this was murder and if so, solve the case. You can interview suspects using Quicktime movies, investigate the crime scene for clues with Quicktime Virtual Reality images, and analyze the evidence from the crime lab. —Mixed Reception (chemcollective.org)

Haven’t checked this one out yet.

Post was last modified on 16 Jun 2017 12:08 pm

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  • Who killed nelson? Was it sam?
    I believe that Sam killed nelson with the punch. Sam brought both the punch and the peanut pie to nelson. The unknown substance in the punch was compound C, the antivenom. I believe that he put 45 mg of Compound C in the punch, this can be found by subtracting his daily dosage of alagren, the peanut allergy drug, from the 65 mg of Compound C combined with the Peanut allergy drug that was found in his blood.
    Is this correct? Do I need more info to prove him guilty? If not, who and how did they kill him?

  • I took a look for kicks. I figured it out very quickly, despite not taking chemistry since 10th grade. Looking at the files afterward, there seems to be at least three possible endings, with the physical evidence changing for each – which correspond to the three theories that I developed as I went along.

    To solve it formally, though, you have to go to a web link and submit several short answers explaining your verdict, where I’m sure I would have blown the numbers completely, if still gotten the right answer (which gives me some awful HS flashbacks and explains why I went into English).

  • [Spoiler... highlight the space below to reveal. --DGJ]

    ya sam was the murderer, he used the ant-toxin to negate the effects of the peanut allergy pills and then had some pie in his hand to give nelson a small push to eat it.

  • Who killed nelson? Was it sam?
    I believe that Sam killed nelson with the punch. Sam brought both the punch and the peanut pie to nelson. The unknown substance in the punch was compound C, the antivenom. I believe that he put 45 mg of Compound C in the punch, this can be found by subtracting his daily dosage of alagren, the peanut allergy drug, from the 65 mg of Compound C combined with the Peanut allergy drug that was found in his blood.
    Is this correct? Do I need more info to prove him guilty? If not, who and how did they kill him?

  • I took a look for kicks. I figured it out very quickly, despite not taking chemistry since 10th grade. Looking at the files afterward, there seems to be at least three possible endings, with the physical evidence changing for each - which correspond to the three theories that I developed as I went along.

    To solve it formally, though, you have to go to a web link and submit several short answers explaining your verdict, where I'm sure I would have blown the numbers completely, if still gotten the right answer (which gives me some awful HS flashbacks and explains why I went into English).

    Interviewing the suspects appears to be optional and mostly for flavor - the acting is hilariously over the top. You can solve the case on the physical evidence alone, although one or two questions to suspects give very heavy hints as to what may have occurred.

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Published by
Dennis G. Jerz