Online Data Generation in Quantitative Analysis: Excel Spreadsheets and an Online HPLC Simulator Using a Jupyter Notebook on the Chem Compute Web site

Students used an Excel spreadsheet and a Jupyter notebook located at https://chemcompute.org/jupyterhub/ to generate data in lieu of face-to-face laboratory instruction during COVID-19. This communication discusses strengths and weaknesses of both exercises. First, students generated absorbance data using an Excel spreadsheet, but they were overwhelmingly put off by simulated noise in their absorbance values. Second, students simulated running an HPLC using a Jupyter notebook and designed a method to separate three components of Excedrin. Students reported that the simulation helped them to understand HPLC and suggested that the online activity be used as a supplement when face-to-face laboratory instruction resumes. The main weakness of the online activities was that students did not perform any sample preparation. Therefore, they did not experience the extractions and dilutions required to prepare the analytical sample and had a difficult time working backward to calculate starting amounts from simulated sample concentrations. Concerns that students would extract answers from the equations used in the spreadsheet and Jupyter notebook were not realized.