Starting with a double replacement reaction in alcohol between Ni(H[subscript 2]O)[subscript 6](NO[subscript 3])[subscript 2] and NaX, students exploit solubility differences to produce a solution of NiX[subscript 2] and a NaNO[subscript 3] precipitate. They then synthesize a bis(N,N-diethylethylenediamine) Ni(II) complex with chloride, bromide,…

A problem-solving experiment is a learning activity that uses experimental design to solve an authentic problem. It combines two evidence-based teaching strategies: problem-based learning and inquiry-based learning. The use of problem-based learning and scientific inquiry as an effective pedagogical tool in the science classroom has been well…

There has been dramatic growth in interest and research regarding organic photochromism in recent decades. Despite this, the topic is seldom addressed in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. Herein, we present a straightforward and robust experiment for the second semester organic chemistry laboratory curriculum which combines multistep…

The process of method development is at the heart of analytical chemistry, yet direct experimental experience with the process is rarely taught in the undergraduate laboratory. We report here an experiment that uses rapid, safe, and inexpensive paper-based microfluidics with cell phone detection in order to facilitate the development of a…

Polymer chemistry is an important subject in the undergraduate chemistry curriculum. It is required for ACS-certified degrees and significantly connects to real world issues like the plastic waste crisis. While some concepts of polymer chemistry can be incorporated into lecture courses, students' understanding of material properties and…

This three-part laboratory experiment investigates key aspects of the Buchwald-Hartwig amination cross-coupling reaction through guided-inquiry learning strategies. The first part of this experiment utilizes high-throughput experimentation techniques to reinforce, explore, and extend fundamental concepts that are represented in the classroom,…

The Making Introductory Courses Real while Online (MICRO) laboratory project was developed to meet the need for hands-on experiments, focused on topics in analytical chemistry, to be delivered safely remotely or in a socially distanced in-person lab. Unlike more traditional lab experiments, MICRO laboratories use only microgram or nanogram amounts…

Chemistry of the environment has been a long-standing and important area of scientific research. Atmospheric chemistry is of particular interest in society due to the impact that rising levels of pollutants are having on the climate. It is well-known that combustion processes create CO and NO[subscript x], which leads to the creation of other…

A revised version of a traditional physical chemistry laboratory experiment has been developed to enhance student discussion in the laboratory and to improve students' connections between physical chemistry concepts and real molecular systems. In this experiment, students explore the keto-enol tautomerization of 2,4-pentanedione. However, unlike…

The laboratory experiment regarding esterification of ethylene glycol with acetic acid to ethylene glycol diacetate using resin catalysts in a continuous flow was designed to carry out the reaction in a flow through an inquiry-guided approach. Incorporating the burgeoning field of continuous flow chemistry into the educational infrastructure, the…

In this guided-inquiry lesson, students were tasked with determining the efficacy of an at-home drinking water filter at removing lead (Pb) from tap water using graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy by determining the concentration of lead before and after filtration. The lesson was structured to allow students to choose and perform…

Inorganic Chemistry teaches students the concept that modifications to ligand structures, especially the donor properties, can have a drastic impact on the reactivity and stability of the metal complexes. Experiments described here reinforce this concept through the investigation of two tetradentate ligands derived from…

The dehydration of 2- or 4-methylcyclohexanol to obtain isomers of methylcyclohexene is a classic organic chemistry experiment. Students perform a distillation, collecting samples to analyze the progress of the reaction. The reaction produces a major product that can be explained on the basis of the regiochemistry of the [pi] bond formation for…

Water electrolysis, a well-known and simple experiment, confirms that a water molecule comprises hydrogen and oxygen atoms. In this experiment, hydroxide or hydrogen ions generated from each electrode were identified using an indicator based on the assumption that electrodes, electrolytes, and indicators do not participate in the water…

As an introduction to sound and vibration, the authors wanted their first-grade students to plan and conduct their own investigations. In this article, the authors share a series of investigations to help students explore the relationship between sound and vibration. By planning, creating, testing, adapting, and reflecting on the outcomes of the…