We describe our experience in guiding a physics laboratory in the eleventh grade of a high school, in which regular laboratory classes are replaced by an experimental project carried out throughout the year. Some didactic suggestions and hints are given for those wishing to adopt such an undertaking. Outlines are given for a few of the recent…

A first-year laboratory experiment that utilizes concepts of electrochemical tip etching for scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) is described. This experiment can be used in conjunction with any STM experiment. Students electrochemically etch gold STM tips using a time-efficient method, which can then be used in an instructional grade STM that…

A study of modern genetics requires students to successfully unite the principles of Mendelian genetics with the functions of DNA. Traditional means of teaching genetics are often successful in teaching Mendelian and molecular ideas but not in allowing students to see how the two subjects relate. The laboratory module presented here attempts to…

This study aimed to investigate the effect of experimenting with physical manipulatives (PM), virtual manipulatives (VM), and a blended combination of PM and VM on undergraduate students' understanding of concepts in the domain of "Light and Color." A pre-post comparison study design was used for the purposes of this study that involved 70…

In introductory laboratory courses, many universities are turning from traditional laboratories with predictable outcomes to inquiry-inspired, project-based laboratory curricula. In these labs, students are allowed to design at least some portion of their own experiment and interpret new, undiscovered data. We have redesigned the introductory…

Substitution reactions, a central part of organic chemistry, provide a model system in physical chemistry to study reaction rates and mechanisms. Here, the use of inexpensive and readily available commercial conductivity probes coupled with computer data acquisition for the study of the temperature and solvent dependence of the solvolysis of…

Thirty-six pre-university chemistry students and two chemistry teachers used flow chemistry as a technology for the synthesis of methyl orange. FutureChemistry and VU University Amsterdam cooperatively created FlowStart Remote, a device that enabled the students to remotely conduct this synthesis and in real time monitor and control the device via…

The purposes of the study were to analyse the promotion of scientific literacy through practical research activities and to identify children's conceptions about scientists and how they do science. Elementary school children were engaged in two scientific experiments in a marine biology research laboratory. A total of 136 students answered a…

Citrus fruit (oranges, tangerines, grapefruit or lemons) purchased in a grocery store can be experimentally infected with readily-available sources of "Penicillium digitatum" to demonstrate the four basic steps of Koch's postulates, also known as proof of pathogenicity. The mould is isolated from naturally-infected citrus fruit into pure culture…

Vast quantities, on the order of megatons, of pollutants are emitted monthly to the atmosphere both by natural and anthropogenic sources. The evaluation of rainwater composition has great importance in understanding the atmospheric chemical composition, as water drops scavenge particles and soluble atmospheric pollutants. Most students are aware…

When grocery stores sell solutions of ammonia, they are labeled "ammonia"; however, when the same solution is purchased from chemical supply stores, they are labeled "ammonium hydroxide". The goal of this experiment is for students to determine which name is more appropriate. In this experiment, students use several different experimental methods…

This experiment investigates the methylation of 2-naphthol with dimethyl carbonate. The volatility of the substrates, products, and co-products allows the reaction to be performed using a continuous-flow gas-phase setup at ambient pressure. The reaction uses catalytic quantities of base, achieves high conversion, produces little waste, and…

Bruker SMART X2S is a portable benchtop diffractometer that requires only a 110 V outlet to operate. The instrument operation is intuitive and facile with an automation layer governing the workflow from behind the scenes. The user participation is minimal. At the end of an experiment, the instrument attempts to solve the structure automatically;…

In "JCE" Activity #67, "Flame Tests: Which Ion Causes the Color?", Michael Sanger describes how to conduct flame tests with household items. We have used this activity in outreach settings, and have extended it in a variety of ways. For example, we have demonstrated large-scale strontium (red), copper (green), and carbon (blue) flames using only…

Constant technological advancement has facilitated access to digital cameras and cell phones. Involving students in a video production project can work as a motivating aspect to make them active and reflective in their learning, intellectually engaged in a recursive process. This project was implemented in high school level physics laboratory…