In this work, we have developed a versatile three-in-one single beam visible colorimeter for undergraduate laboratory courses. The battery and mains electricity supply (utility power), wired and wireless data logging, and 3D-printed components are three important highlights of the developed visible colorimeter. The system is based on a low-cost…

The Leaning Tower is a long-time staple of the demonstration room. It can be traced as far back as apparatus catalogues from the 1850s. Some years ago, while teaching himself how to use a new wood lathe, Thomas B. Greenslade, Jr. made a replica of the original design. With the top removed, the tower is stable, but once the top is added, the line…

This paper outlines a comprehensive teaching laboratory course program that centers on titration analysis, a timeless and essential technique in analytical chemistry spanning various disciplines, such as environmental science, medicine, and industry. In these fields, titration analysis is paramount for determining the concentrations of substances…

In this article we present a simple experimental set-up to determine the band gap of germanium and silicon using the "ExpEYES-17" kit. The experiment is based on the temperature dependence of the reverse current through germanium and silicon diodes at different temperatures. The experimental values are found to agree well with accepted…

A modern cybernetic potentiostat plays a significant role in realizing various electrochemical measurements. This technology report describes a general-purpose, scalable, handheld (10 cm[superscript 2]), yet affordable hardware-software framework for a potentiostat, galvanostat, and electrochemical impedance spectrometer with high capabilities:(1)…

The use of radioactive isotopes in radioactive decay studies can be a problem due to the manipulation of radioisotopes, expensive equipment, and the difficulty of finding samples with a reasonable half-life (between 1 and 10 min). In this paper, we present a mock-up of a Geiger-Mu¨ller counter plus three fictitious radioisotopes. They form an…

We present a thermodynamics experiment suitable for first year undergraduate students employing Stirling Engines to create a demonstration of energy transformation and to measure the mechanical efficiency of such engines. Using an inexpensive transparent chambered Stirling Engine, students can connect concepts such as the theoretical…

Cola beverages are widely consumed and popular among students; they can be used as safe reagents to replace toxic chemical dyes. In this study, a safe and improved experiment is described, which successfully demonstrates Beer's law and adsorption process using activated carbon as the adsorbent and cola as the adsorbate. The results of this study…

Instrumentation plays a vital role in almost every area of chemistry. As such, it is imperative that the undergraduate curriculum is designed to allow students to have opportunities to use a variety of instruments to best prepare them for careers in chemistry. Previous work has provided evidence of the types of instruments students use in…

The objectives of the present study are to investigate both the history of the collection of scientific instruments from the Maraslean Teaching Center (MTC) and the potential for the collection's use in STEM education programs. Although MTC went by a number of different names during its long history, its institutional goal remained the same:…

The relationship between learning and group work is often treated as self-evident, but the finer workings of this relationship require further study into the social organisation of group work. The aim of the research that forms the basis for the current article is to locate, describe, and gain new understanding of how peers organise their group…

A low-cost turbidimeter, colorimeter, and nephelometer (TCN) multipurpose instrument applicable for undergraduate, graduate, and research laboratories is demonstrated within this work. The instrument relies on simple and robust electronics while using a PC sound card as an analog-to-digital converter. The performance of the instrument was…

Spatial visualization is a well-established topic of education research that has allowed improving science and engineering students' skills on spatial relations. Connections have been established between visualization as a comprehension tool and instruction in several scientific fields. Learning about dynamic processes mainly relies upon static…

Students in introductory college science courses often have a simplified understanding of the scientific method. To introduce students to the complexity of the scientific process and the value of empirical observations, I implemented a semester-long assignment that required introductory-level college science students to build and calibrate weather…

This article examines science teaching and learning by drawing on Vygotsky's sociocultural theory of learning and development as well as a social semiotic perspective. The latter perspective includes in semiosis the science equipment, science phenomena, teacher and student actions, talk and writing that are involved in science teaching and…