A modification of the mixed-aldol synthesis of dibenzylideneacetone, prepared from acetone and benzaldehyde, is described wherein acetone is replaced with a series of cyclic ketones with ring sizes of 5-7 carbons. The structural variations in the resulting conjugated ketones produce regular variations in the UV-vis absorption spectra. The choice…

Chemistry students are often introduced to the concept of reaction rates through demonstrations or laboratory activities involving the well-known iodine clock reaction. For example, a laboratory experiment involving thiosulfate as an iodine scavenger is part of the first-year general chemistry laboratory curriculum at Dalhousie University. With…

This pedagogical activity is aimed at students using a computer-learning environment with advanced tools for data analysis. It investigates the relationship between the coefficient of restitution and the way the heights of different bouncing balls decrease in a number of bounces with time. The time between successive ball bounces, or…

Here, we present a six-session laboratory exercise designed to introduce students to standard biochemical techniques in the context of investigating a high impact research topic, acquired resistance to the cancer drug Gleevec. Students express a Gleevec-resistant mutant of the Abelson tyrosine kinase domain, the active domain of an oncogenic…

The preponderance of the evidence from the engineering education literature demonstrates that inductive teaching methods are more effective than deductive approaches. When students are already familiar with the fundamentals of a topic, however, deductive approaches may make more sense. This paper discusses the implementation of a combination of…

The purpose of this study was to examine whether there is a difference in high school students' achievement and retention on standardized tests between students who participate in inquiry-based laboratory activities and those that participate in traditional style laboratory activities. Additionally, student and teacher opinions of…

A simple undergraduate experiment designed to study cooling purely by radiation and cooling by a combination of convection and radiation is described. Results indicate that the contribution from radiative cooling in normal laboratory experiments is more significant than students often realize, even in the case of forced cooling. (Contains 1…

The present study aimed to evaluate whether a chemistry laboratory course called "Laboratory Experiments in Science Education" based on constructivist instruction accompanied with concept mapping enhanced pre-service chemistry teachers' conceptual understanding. Data were collected from five pre-service chemistry teachers at a university…

This paper reports on a simple experiment which enables splitting incident light into two different modes, each having a colour exactly complementary to the other. A brief historical development of colour theories and differences in a physicist's point of view with respect to an artist's one is discussed. An experimental system for producing…

The remediation of acid rain by SO[subscript 2] scrubbing is integrated into a laboratory project appropriate for first-year chemistry students. By burning a small amount of sulfur and bubbling the gas produced through distilled water, the student first observes one of the reactions that produces acid rain. The student then tests four different…

A seven-week "gene to protein" laboratory sequence is described for an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course. Student pairs were given the task of introducing a point mutation of their choosing into the well studied protein, enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). After conducting literature searches, each student group chose the…

A reference electrode is one of the prerequisites of electrochemical investigations. Many electrodes are commercially available but are expensive and prone to accidental breakage by students. Here we report a simple, easy-to-fabricate, inexpensive, reliable, unbreakable, and reproducible Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The empty barrel of a…

A sequence of exercises for the isolation and characterization of invertase (E.C. 3.1.2.26) from baker's yeast obtained from a local grocery store is outlined. Because the enzyme is colorless, the use of colored markers and the sequence of purification steps are designed to "visualize" the process by which a colorless protein is selectively…

Fluorescence spectroscopy is used to determine the quantity of dextromethorphan hydrobromide (DM) in over-the-counter (OTC) cough drops and syrups. This experiment is appropriate for an undergraduate medicinal chemistry laboratory course when studying OTC medicines and active ingredients. Students prepare the cough drops and syrups for analysis,…

This paper describes a new severe weather laboratory exercise for an Introductory Weather and Climate class, appropriate for first and second year college students (including nonscience majors), that incorporates inquiry-based learning techniques. In the lab, students play the role of meteorologists making forecasts for severe weather. The…