Acid–base chemistry tends to be one of the more challenging concepts for students to master in the high school and undergraduate chemistry curriculum. Mastery of acid–base chemistry requires a concrete understanding of acid–base theories, chemical equilibrium, electronegativity, periodic trends, and the ability to conceptualize intricate processes at a molecular level. Because of the complex nature of the topic, a combination of effective teaching methods should be used. This paper presents an intriguing acid–base demonstration coupled with a detective story that was designed to aid instructors in engaging students while promoting a conceptual understanding of acids and bases. The selected compounds, X and Y, bring additional value and mystery to the demonstration. X and Y are types of faujasite zeolites, three-dimensional crystalline compounds with various useful chemical properties. Although zeolites are used widely in technology and in everyday products such as laundry detergents, their use in the general chemistry curriculum is surprisingly low. This demonstration provides instructors with the opportunity to cover this important group of compounds and elaborate on the behavior of solid state acids and bases at the same time. As a bonus, this demonstration can also be used to revisit Le Châtelier’s principle of chemical equilibrium in a novel context.

中文翻译：

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探索X和Y的神秘物质：挑战学生对酸碱化学和化学平衡的思考

酸碱化学往往是高中和本科化学课程中学生要掌握的更具挑战性的概念之一。对酸碱化学的掌握要求对酸碱理论，化学平衡，电负性，周期性趋势以及在分子水平上概念化复杂过程的能力有具体的了解。由于该主题的复杂性，应结合使用有效的教学方法。本文介绍了一个有趣的酸碱演示，以及一个侦探故事，该故事旨在帮助讲师吸引学生，同时促进对酸和碱的概念性理解。所选的化合物X和Y为演示带来了额外的价值和奥秘。X和Y是八面沸石的类型，具有各种有用化学性质的三维晶体化合物。尽管沸石广泛用于技术和日常产品（如洗衣粉）中，但它们在一般化学课程中的使用却令人惊讶地低。该演示为讲师提供了覆盖这组重要化合物并同时详细说明固态酸和碱行为的机会。此外，该演示还可以用于在新颖的背景下重新审视LeChâtelier的化学平衡原理。该演示为讲师提供了覆盖这组重要化合物并同时详细说明固态酸和碱行为的机会。此外，该演示还可以用于在新颖的背景下重新审视LeChâtelier的化学平衡原理。该演示为讲师提供了覆盖这组重要化合物并同时详细说明固态酸和碱行为的机会。此外，该演示还可以用于在新颖的背景下重新审视LeChâtelier的化学平衡原理。