There is a disconnect between the cutting-edge research done in academic laboratories, such as nanotechnology, and what is taught in undergraduate laboratories. In the current undergraduate curriculum, very few students get a chance to do hands-on experiments in nanotechnology-related fields, most of which are through selective undergraduate…

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has become a cornerstone tool for studying a variety of molecular features in advanced chemistry laboratories. In this experiment, students prepare a pyrrole-[beta]-amide via a one-pot, three-step synthesis and use NMR spectroscopy to confirm its molecular structure. In addition, variable temperature…

Green chemistry metrics and life-cycle analysis (LCA) were used to assess inefficiencies in two current organic chemistry experiments conducted in third-year organic chemistry to synthesize ("E")-stilbene from benzaldehyde. An alternative Wittig-based, greener, one-pot experiment using the same starting material was selected as a vehicle…

A research-style laboratory experiment for advanced undergraduate students is described, which includes the synthesis, characterization, and properties (porosity, stability, amphipathy) testing of the composite [Cu[subscript 2](BTC)[subscript 4/3](H[subscript 2]O)[subscript 2][subscript 6][HPW[subscript 12]O[subscript 40]·(C[subscript…

This work reports the first use of rubber latex waste as the hydrophobic reagent for a low-cost, simple, and rapid fabrication of a paper towel-based experimental device (PTED) with a circular design of 5 mm to demonstrate the factors affecting chemical equilibrium; this serves as a user-friendly means for a laboratory experiment. The illustration…

Error analysis consumes much of the focus in introductory physics labs. Catastrophic cancellation is a spike in error that occurs when subtracting two measurements of roughly equal magnitude. Often termed "loss of significance" or "subtractive cancellation," this effect can easily relegate experimental results to utter…

Purpose: The contextual variability of stuttering events makes it difficult to reliably elicit stuttered speech in laboratory settings. As a result, studies that compare stuttered versus fluent speech are difficult to conduct and, thus, are limited in the literature. The purpose of the current study is to describe a novel approach to elicit…

Fast, reliable, well-resolved latent fingerprints can be planted by applying a thin coating of a 50:50 mixture of hand lotion and food-grade protein powder. Fingerprints can be revealed with iodine fuming or ninhydrin staining. This low-cost alternative to commercial latent print pads can be used in a variety of classroom or public settings where…

Introducing chemical equilibrium concepts in undergraduate general chemistry promotes improved understanding of chemical reactions. We have developed an engaging laboratory experiment exploring the equilibrium of cobalt complexation in alcohols using UV-vis spectroscopy and successfully implemented in a large general chemistry class of 378…

A contemporary undergraduate laboratory experiment incorporating parallel microscale experimentation was developed for the well-defined palladium catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura cross coupling of 4-fluorophenylboronic acid with both 4-chloro- and 4-bromoanisole using 11 diverse phosphine ligands and one ligandless control. This laboratory introduces…

In the undergraduate student laboratory teaching, one of the most common goals is developing improved conceptual understanding linking theory and practice. This study presents a phenomenographic analysis of pharmacy students' conceptions of the theory--practice relation in the laboratory. Through semi-structured interviews with pharmacy students…

The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of blended physics laboratory experimentation on pre-service physics teachers' (PSPTs') understanding of the nature of science (NOS) during an electricity and magnetism laboratory course. The study used a non-equivalent comparison group using a pre-test-post-test quasi-experimental…

The COVID-19 pandemic forced universities to suspend face-to-face instruction, prompting a rapid transition to online education. As many lab courses transitioned online, this provided a rare window of opportunity to learn about the challenges and affordances that the online lab experiences created for students and instructors. We present results…

Laboratory tasks often focus on mechanical procedures leaving limited time and opportunities for students to build conceptual knowledge. We investigate to what extent introducing simulation tasks to preparation work can enable students to build their conceptual knowledge. We surveyed two cohorts of students taking an electronics module. Laboratory…

This study contributes to the literature on the role of communities of learners in the professional development of physics teachers. It offers insights from the "Collabora--A Community of Learners on Laboratory Work" program, designed to enhance the use of laboratories in secondary school physics teaching. The program's foundation rested…