Discusses ways to cut rising energy costs within university laboratories by using heat recovery systems and variable volume exhaust hood systems. Explores the implementation of broad-based, sustainable laboratory classroom design concepts. (GR)

Throughout the study described in this article, the author aims to foster in students an attitude shift--not just an ability to memorize or label a picture of a microscope but an understanding of what scientists do and how scientists build on previous discoveries. Great scientists were ordinary people--like themselves--who did extraordinary…

Electrochemical studies using nanometer-scaled electrodes are leading to better insights into electrochemical kinetics, interfacial structure, and chemical analysis. Various methods of preparing electrodes of nanometer dimensions are discussed and a few examples of their behavior and applications in relatively simple electrochemical experiments…

The difference between solution and surface properties such as pK(sub a) is illustrated enabling students to understand the differences between nanoscale and macroscopic systems. Details regarding the usage of electrochemical instrumentation, such as a potentiostat, and of the technique such as cyclic voltammetry are given.

A deionizer (Barnstead) attached to a dedicated faucet is used to produce the deionized water used in the teaching laboratories and research. The experiment timer switch was a 60-min spring-wound timer, Intermatic, available at home improvement centers.

The applications of a Pasco CI-6532 pressure sensor used in conjunction with a datalogger to monitor the liberation of carbon dioxide in the reaction CaCO3(s) + 2H(super +)(aq) --> Ca(super 2+)(aq) + CO2 (g) + H2O(I) are described. The method serves for the determination of the chemical kinetics of the reaction and also can be extended to…

The construction of a simple and inexpensive water-jacketed cuvette for the Spectronic 20 is described. This cuvette is utilized to determine the activation energy of the reaction between crystal violet and hydroxide ion spectrophotomerically.

The creation of a simple, low-cost lock-in amplifier (LIA) suitable for use in the chemistry teaching laboratory is described. The use of integrated circuits and few components are necessary to adequately accomplish lock-in amplification limited the total cost of construction to under US$100.

This investigation was part of a multi-lesson unit that gave students direct experience using increasingly sophisticated tools to make more detailed observations and measurements of light. Through these lessons, students experienced a key aspect of the nature of science (McComas 2004), namely how scientists constantly refine and modify theories as…

In this article, a practical demonstration suitable for any biology college classroom is presented. With the examples of a complex biological specimen (slug's radula) and a simple reference specimen (electron microscopical grid imprint in gelatin), both of which can be easily prepared, the capabilities of two imaging modes commonly used in optical…

We suggest that different string pendulums are positioned at different locations on Earth and measure at each place the gravitational acceleration (accuracy [delta]g is approximately equal to 0.01 m s[superscript -2]). Each pendulum can be remotely controlled via the internet by a computer located somewhere on Earth. The theoretical part describes…

The ice cream laboratory experiment is designed to illustrate and promote discussion of several engineering and science topics including material and energy balances, heat transfer, freezing, mass transfer, mixing, viscosity, and freezing point depression in a sophomore level engineering class. A pre-lab assignment requires the students to develop…

The use of harmful organic solvents in classrooms has become a critical issue of concern in the field of chemistry education. This article describes a classroom activity at a high school in which an acrylic fabric was used as the extraction medium in the analysis of the detergent concentration in water instead of organic solvents. Dyes were used…