A new lab esterification reaction based on biodiesel preparation and viscosity, which provides a model experience of industrial process to understand oxidation of vicinal alcohols by periodic acid, is presented. This new desertification experiment and periodate analysis of glycerol for the introductory organic chemistry laboratory provides an…

Variations in science lab design can differentially impact student learning. Quantification of these differential impacts can be used in modeling--an approach we term "optimal lab design." In this study we estimated relative influences of six characteristics of lab design on students' attitudes toward science labs in three different…

This booklet provides parents of children ages 3 through 10 with information, tools, and activities they can use in the home and community to help their child develop an interest in the sciences and learn about the world around them. This brochure was drawn from the larger booklet in the "Helping Your Child" series, "Helping Your Child Learn…

This textbook integrates chemistry and art with hands-on activities and fascinating demonstrations that enable students to see and understand how the science of chemistry is involved in the creation of art. It investigates such topics as color integrated with electromagnetic radiation, atoms, and ions; paints integrated with classes of matter,…

More than 90% of vascular plants in terrestrial ecosystems form symbiotic root-fungal associations known as mycorrhiza; in Mediterranean biomes all known mycorrhizal types co-exist. However, the understanding of mycorrhizal diversity and structure and their ecophysiological impact in soil productivity and conservation has been shown to be very…

This study compared inquiry and non-inquiry laboratory teaching in terms of students' perceptions of the classroom learning environment, attitudes toward science, and achievement among middle-school physical science students. Learning environment and attitude scales were found to be valid and related to each other for a sample of 1,434 students in…

Beer's law is an ideal technique that works only in certain situations. A method for dealing with more complex conditions needs to be integrated into the analytical chemistry curriculum. For that reason, the capabilities and limitations of two common chemometric algorithms, classical least squares (CLS) and principal component regression (PCR),…

Seven p-nitrophenyl benzoate esters (p-nitrophenyl benzoate, p-nitrophenyl m-anisate, p-nitrophenyl p-anisate, p-nitrophenyl m-chlorobenzoate, p-nitrophenyl p-chlorobenzoate, p-nitrophenyl m-toluate, p-nitrophenyl p-toluate) were synthesized and characterized by students in a second-semester organic laboratory course. In a subsequent laboratory…

This study aimed to investigate the comparative value of experimenting with physical manipulatives (PM) in a sequential combination with virtual manipulatives (VM), with the use of PM preceding the use of VM, and of experimenting with PM alone, with respect to changes in students' conceptual understanding in the domain of heat and temperature. A…

This study examines cognitive and social processes in group interactions that shape collaborative learning in science classrooms. Three small groups of students were observed while working collaboratively on explaining the burning of a candle under a jar. The learning environment served as a context for examination of conceptual convergence, a…

This book is a collection of 28 experiments that are not meant to have any practical purpose. Each experiment, however, illustrates a scientific principle and enables students to discover how scientific facts and theories apply to seemingly useless experiments. Each experiment includes a list of materials, a series of steps, an explanation of the…

Beginning teachers of scientific technical writing often have little background knowledge in the sciences; thus, they may encounter difficulty in dealing with technical reports. To achieve clear explanations of the effects of scientific experiments, scientific writers need to know the following general principles: (1) the function of all the…

The concentration of the primary brain metabolite of norepinephrine is diminished in the lumbar spinal fluid of patients with Korsakoff's syndrome. The extent of its reduction is correlated with measures of memory impairment. (BB)

Describes the chemistry exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry. Aimed at teaching the public the basic principles of chemistry, the museum features numerous video displays as well as several do-it-yourself experiments. (JN)