Finding Property Data

In lab you will occasionally need to locate property data about chemicals (e.g., melting point, boiling point, density, solubility, etc.). The following is a list of core chemistry reference sources to consult. If you cannot find the data you need, please contact Chemistry Librarian Ariel Andrea (ariel.andrea@wisc.edu). These resources, as well as links to other databases and the Library Catalog, are available on the Library Website: https://www.library.wisc.edu.

Online Books and Databases

• CRC Handbook of Chemistry & Physics: https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.web/hbcpnetbase
• Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology: https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.web/kirk-othmer-ect
• NIST Chemistry WebBook: https://webbook.nist.gov/chemistry/
• SpringerMaterials: https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.web/springermaterials

Online Guides from the Library

Physical and Chemical Properties Guide: https://researchguides.library.wisc.edu/propertiesguide

Spectral Data Guide: https://researchguides.library.wisc.edu/spectra

These guides include links to online resources as well as links to our library catalog showing where print resources are located. If a book says it is only available in the Chemistry Information Commons, please email Ariel Andrea (ariel.andrea@wisc.edu) to schedule a time to access it. Books in the Chemistry Information Commons are only available upon request.

Things to Remember When Searching for Property Data

• Convert structures into molecular formulas to search more easily.
• Know how molecular formulas are alphabetized. e.g., CHNO or HOCN (Hill Order).
• In online databases, search for substance by CAS registry number, chemical name, or molecular formula. Not all databases index CAS registry number.
• Determine the symbol for the property before searching. (This will greatly simplify your search process and save you time!) See CRC Handbook “Symbols and Terminology for Physical and Chemical Quantities”, 2-1.
• Search under all synonyms for the property when using a database or handbook! e.g. dissociation constant or pK_a or equilibrium constant
• It can be helpful to search under the subject area as well as the property name.
• In print versions, search by using one or more of the indexes. For example, the CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics is indexed alphabetically by property.
• You can always contact Ariel Andrea, your Chemistry Librarian! (ariel.andrea@wisc.edu)

What’s Useful about The CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics?

• The CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics has been a primary reference book for chemists since 1922. It contains information obtained and cited from high quality sources.
• It is available in print at Steenbock Library, in Ariel’s office in the Chemistry Information Commons, and online.
• It is indexed by property, process, or concept.
• It provides information on over 12,000 properties.
• The online version allows you to pull up a table row specifically for the property you’re looking for without having to pick it out of a lengthy table.
• The print version is just as useful as the electronic version and is well indexed.

From the print version of CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 87th edition, Atomic Masses and Abundances I-10.

From the electronic version of CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 88.

About the Chemistry Information Commons

The Chemistry Information Commons is located on the second floor of the new Chemistry Building, Room 2430. Librarian Ariel Andrea’s office is in the Commons. The space is open for all students from 8am-6pm Monday-Friday. The Commons does not have any circulating collections – if you need to borrow a textbook or check out a laptop, Steenbock Library and College Library will likely have what you need. More information about the Commons is available here: https://www.library.wisc.edu/chemistry/.