The study of energy metabolism is fundamental in multiple disciplines, such as biochemistry, bioengineering, biomedicine, etc. Traditionally, in high school and college level courses, students are taught energy metabolism (glycolysis, Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation) through diagrams of metabolic pathways that depict the transformation…

Quantum dots (QDs) are useful for demonstrating the particle-in-a-box (PIB) model utilized in quantum chemistry, and can readily be applied to a discussion of both thermodynamics and kinetics in an undergraduate laboratory setting. Modifications of existing synthetic procedures were used to create QDs of different sizes and compositions (CdS…

As the need for alternative energy becomes increasingly important, energy research and related industries are rapidly expanding. This lab incorporates current energy-storage research into a second-year lab that instills real-world, industry-relevant knowledge and skills while teaching and reinforcing physical-chemistry concepts. A manganese oxide…

The present study describes the design of a simple teaching module for each student to fabricate a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) that could power a small fan motor. The significance of this laboratory exercise is to stimulate students' motivation by visualizing the light being converted into electricity, which is then switched over to kinetic…

The gyroscope in a smartphone was employed in a physics laboratory setting to verify the conservation of angular momentum and the nonconservation of rotational kinetic energy. As is well-known, smartphones are ubiquitous on college campuses. These devices have a panoply of built-in sensors. This creates a unique opportunity for a new paradigm in…

Photochemical upconversion is a regenerative process that transforms lower-energy photons into higher-energy light through two sequential bimolecular reactions, triplet sensitization of an appropriate acceptor followed by singlet fluorescence producing triplet-triplet annihilation derived from two energized acceptors. This laboratory directly…

This article describes a simple and inexpensive undergraduate-level kinetics experiment that uses magnetic levitation to monitor the progress and determine the activation energy of a condensation reaction on a polymeric solid support. The method employs a cuvette filled with a paramagnetic solution positioned between two strong magnets. The…

This experiment and analysis offer an economic yet challenging semi-batch reactor experience. Household bleach is pumped at a controlled rate into a batch reactor containing pharmaceutical hydrogen peroxide solution. Batch temperature, product molecular oxygen, and the overall change in solution conductivity are metered. The reactor simulation…

A pair of objects on an inclined plane are connected together by a string. The upper object is then connected to a fixed post via a spring. The situation is first analysed as a classroom exercise in using free-body diagrams to solve Newton's second law for a system of objects upon which many different kinds of force are acting (string tension,…

Lasers have transformed chemistry and the everyday world. Therefore, it is not surprising that undergraduate chemistry students are frequently exposed to fairly advanced laser techniques. The usual topics studied with lasers are molecular spectroscopy and chemical kinetics. Static and dynamic fluorescence experiments seem to be particularly…

This book is designed to be a quick and easy resource for anyone teaching physics for the first time. Written after extensive research, this book is filled with reliable labs, demos and activities that work well in the classroom. Also included are lesson plans, diagrams, and teacher notes for every activity. The book is not the end--it is just a…