Anaerobic digestion is a complex biochemical process that is represented by the stoichiometric Buswell's equation. Buswell's equation is the study of the interface among biochemistry, mathematics, and chemistry. Students often have difficulty in understanding the nature of biochemical stoichiometry. Buswell's equation is significant for the…

Students need a strong understanding of how to represent chemical compounds in order to succeed in organic chemistry. This project set out to gain a better understanding of students' difficulties with symbolic representations, by identifying the specific errors associated with drawing wedge-dash structures. The focus was on how students…

Having a deeper understanding of molecules in their structural forms allows students to grasp biochemical and general chemical concepts in a more profound manner. Through the use of visualization software, we have shown that students gain confidence and insight into the chemical workings of molecular structure and can then utilize this knowledge…

Physical and life science disciplines emphasize how basic structural units influence function, yet it is challenging for students to understand structure-function relationships, particularly at molecular scales. Undergraduates in our biology capstone course struggled to connect mutations in a gene encoding a key protein in a cell development…

The intermolecular forces activity presented in this article is designed to foster concept-building through students' use of concrete, manipulative objects, and it was developed to be pedagogically sound. Data analysis via pre- and posttesting and subsequent exam questions indicated that students who had the opportunity to participate in the…

This article describes an interrupted case study that intersperses information about diffusion and osmosis with content review and knowledge application questions, as well as a simple experiment that can be conducted without the use of a laboratory. The case study was developed for use in an introductory undergraduate biology course. The case…

This article describes engaging students in two simple observations to address the concepts of changes of states, heat, temperature, and molecular potential and kinetic energy. It also discusses how these concepts can enable students to further explore and understand interesting and significant phenomena and research in multiple areas of science.…

Learner-centered molecular modeling exercises in college science courses can be especially challenging for nonchemistry majors as students typically have a higher degree of anxiety and may not appreciate the relevance of the work. This article describes a learner-centered project given to allied health majors in a Biochemistry course. The project…

This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. In this month's issue the goal of the case study is for students to expand their understanding of membrane permeability and the proton motive force in mitochondria through the study of…

Smaller, faster computers, bullet-proof t-shirts, and itty-bitty robots--such are the promises of nanotechnology and the cylinder-shaped collection of carbon molecules known as nanotubes. But for these exciting ideas to become realities, scientists must understand how these miracle molecules perform under all sorts of conditions. This brief…

The canny world of advertising has caught on to the free radical theory of aging, marketing a whole array of antioxidants for preventing anything from wrinkles to dry hair to reducing the risk of heart disease--promising to help slow the hands of time. Working with genetically engineered mice--to produce a natural antioxidant enzyme called…

Chemistry is a good entry to many topics in nanotechnology. This paper describes a non-science majors' course in which chemical concepts provide the background to the study of this new field. (Contains 2 tables and 1 figure.)

Three-phased learning cycles (exploration, invention, application) were introduced into general chemistry laboratories at Northland College (Wisconsin). Discusses each phase and its use in a learning cycle on the functional groups of organic compounds. (JN)