We describe the components and implementation of an activity for multivariable calculus featuring applications to the field of chemistry. This activity focuses on the isobaric thermal expansion coefficient found using partial differentiation of the volume of an ideal gas with respect to temperature as pressure is held constant. Broader goals of…

Much of physics involves the construction and interpretation of equations. Research on physics students' understanding and application of mathematics has employed Sherin's symbolic forms or Fauconnier and Turner's conceptual blending as analytical frameworks. However, previous symbolic forms analyses have commonly treated students' in-context…

In the last decades spectroscopy began to play an essential role in physics education research with the recognition that atomic spectra constitute a good occasion to study the concepts of quantum mechanics. Moreover, activities in which atomic spectra are studied in order to understand star structure and evolution have proved particularly engaging…

This paper describes an interdisciplinary collaboration of faculty and students from chemistry and mathematics to develop and implement an activity showcasing the relevance of calculus in chemistry to first-semester calculus students. The activity focuses on using calculus optimization methods to maximize the ground-state radial probability…

Competency-based physiology and biochemistry education can benefit from the creative integration of imaginative narratives into traditional teaching methods. This paper proposes an innovative model using a pen and palm analogy to visualize enzyme function theories. The pen (substrate) must fit snugly into the palm (enzyme's active site) for…

In an upper-division interdisciplinary laboratory experiment, students use Raman spectroscopy to highlight how the overall structure and conformational order of lipid bilayers can be influenced by their individual phospholipid composition. Students prepare a supported lipid bilayer, as a model cell membrane, by spreading liposomes made of various…

An interdisciplinary course was designed to educate students about the important role of patents in the economy and society through the lens of chemical innovations. The course consisted of six units that covered a wide variety of topics including an overview of the patent system and the importance of patents in a knowledge economy, career options…

Chemists have always designed and deployed cross-disciplinary approaches that interface chemistry with other disciplines to proffer solutions to many human problems. We designed a laboratory experiment that implements chemistry concepts in a biological model to prime undergraduate students to appreciate interdisciplinarity as an approach to…

Environmental science classes often ask students to examine changes in species or their environments to determine the human impact on a particular habitat or ecosystem. It is not always practical to take students out for a field study to do this kind of analysis; instead, the scientific method and diversity analyses can be utilized while students…

Scientific knowledge is growing rapidly, particularly in biochemistry, an interdisciplinary subject in which the courses attract diverse students with varied disciplinary interests and career goals. Thus, there is a need to teach skills and concepts in biochemistry in a way that is both compelling to a variety of learners and also relevant to…

In this article, the authors discuss finding teaching the standard on the apparent brightness of the Sun (5-ESS1-1) to be a challenging and frustrating experience due to the abstract nature of the standard and generally low interest of their fifth-grade students. They had previously used hands-on learning activities involving flashlights to model…

Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue was implemented as a laboratory experiment by the undergraduate students majoring in chemical education using graphene (GR)/TiO[subscript 2] as a catalyst. These chemistry preservice teachers synthesized a GR/TiO[subscript 2] composite and used it to degrade wastewater containing methylene blue under…

The research brief, "Integrating Literacy And Science: A Powerful Partnership for Student Success," describes four key components of effective integration ofliteracy and science instruction at the elementary level. In this practitioner's guide, the authors describe sample lessons to demonstrate each of these components inaction in an…

Health-related career goals are popular among high school science students, yet few understand the application of chemistry and biology research to the field of medicine and its impact on society. In this five-day multidisciplinary summer camp, high school students learn about the real-world relevance of medicinal chemistry research and its…

A straightforward procedure for the synthesis of (Ph[subscript 3]P)[subscript 3]CuCF[subscript 3], a robust, air-stable trifluoromethylating agent, is reported herein. This preparation can be completed in a single 3 h laboratory session and typically provides ample yields (~79--86%) and high purity (>90%). The target complex is characterized by…