Described is a demonstration that provides an introduction to nonequilibrium reaction-diffusion systems and the coupling of hydrodynamics to chemical reactions. Experiments that demonstrate autocatalytic behavior that are effected by gravity and convection are included. (KR)

Presented is a method for demonstrating the use of various fractionating columns to resolve mixtures into individual components and to correlate the resolving powers of column packings to their "hold-up" volumes. Fractions were analyzed using refractive indices. (KR)

Describes a demonstration using a variety of clear solutions in which the instructor asks students whether the solutions appear homogeneous or inadequately mixed. The solutions are then induced to fluoresce with ultraviolet light to provide visible evidence of homogeneity or nonhomogeneity. (PR)

Describes procedures for identifying the protein ribonuclease from plant tissue extracts using mini-gel electrophoresis. (PR)

Describes a yearlong project that involves biology students in monitoring water quality. Includes details of the awareness phase, action phase, and presentation phase. Discusses student reaction to the project. (DDR)

Presents details of how a local stream is studied as part of a ninth-grade science curriculum, the goal of which is to learn about the school's ecosystem. Provides examples of specific group projects related to the stream. (DDR)

Presents an exercise that describes the direct extraction and purification of DNA from a small soil sample. Also discusses the subsequent amplification of a 343-bp Tn7 transposate A gene fragment (tnsA) from a strain of Pseudomonas aureofaciens 3732RNL11. Contains 21 references. (DDR)

Reports on a study that examined the prior use of simulation on frog dissection in improving students' actual dissection performance and learning of frog anatomy and morphology. Finds that students who performed the simulation before dissection performed significantly better than students who performed dissection before using the simulation or…

Presents pencil-and-paper and laboratory activities to be used as part of a high school-level biotechnology unit. (WRM)

Outlines the development of a kinetic study using the enzyme Lactaid to hydrolyze the synthetic substrate of lactose into an undergraduate laboratory experiment. Provides students with experience doing order-of-magnitude estimates. (DDR)

Describes a simple circuit based on an inexpensive quad operational amplifier that permits a direct-reading temperature instrument to be constructed using silicon diodes. Encourages the use of this equipment in introductory thermal experiments. (DDR)

Chromatography is a process by which mixtures can be separated or substances can be purified. Biological and chemical laboratories use many different types of chromatographic processes. For example, the pharmaceutical industry uses chromatographic techniques to purify drugs, medical labs use them to identify blood components such as cholesterol,…

This paper reports on a simple hands-on laboratory procedure for high school students in studying both radiation damage and DNA repair systems in bacteria. The sensitivity to ultra-violet (UV) radiation of both "Escherichia coli" and "Serratia marcescens" is tested by radiating them for varying time periods. Two growth temperatures are used in…

Introductory biology laboratory experiences frequently rely on preserved chordates for anatomical study. Unfortunately, these preserved organisms rarely reflect the appearance of a living creature. Since community colleges are generally prohibited the use of live chordates, this paper describes the autopsy of a "road kill" squirrel to facilitate…

A three-week laboratory project involving synthesis and characterization of a layered manganese oxide provides an excellent vehicle for teaching important concepts of inorganic chemistry and instrumental methods related to non-molecular systems. Na-birnessite is an easily prepared manganese oxide with a 7 A interlayer spacing and Na[superscript +]…