A chemistry laboratory experiment is described to introduce undergraduate college students to membrane separation technology. This experiment combines a simple nanowire membrane fabrication and visually indicated molecule separation. The membrane is produced via coprecipitation synthesis followed by a filtration assembly process, which can be…

This article describes a simple way to introduce nanomaterials using the presence of carbon nanodots (CNDs) in widely available food. Budweiser® beer and Coca-Cola®, commercial foods that are commonly accessible, were utilized to demonstrate the optical property of nanoparticles. Specifically, green and violet laser pointers were employed for the…

Anthocyanins are natural pigments belonging to the flavonoid family that generate the red, blue, and purple colors of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Their structure and color are dependent on various factors, like the pH. Anthocyanins appear red in acidic, purple in neutral, and blue in basic solutions, making them suitable for use as natural pH…

Frederick Sanger's early work on protein sequencing through the use of colorimetric labeling combined with liquid chromatography involves an important nucleophilic aromatic substitution (S[subscript N]Ar) reaction in which the N-terminus of a protein is tagged with Sanger's reagent. Understanding the inherent differences between this S[subscript…

Visualizing molecular properties is often crucial for constructing conceptual understanding in chemistry. However, research has revealed numerous challenges surrounding students' meaningful interpretation of the relationship between the geometry and electrostatic properties of molecules. This study explored students' (n = 18) use of three visual…

A concise roadmap for using computational chemistry programs (i.e., Gaussian 03W) to predict the color of a molecular species is presented. A color-predicting spreadsheet is available with the online material that uses transition wavelengths and peak-shape parameters to predict the visible absorbance spectrum, transmittance spectrum, chromaticity…

A new type of DVD spectroscope, the periscope type, is described and the numerical analysis of the observed emission and absorption spectra is demonstrated. A small and thin mirror is put inside and an eighth part of a DVD is used as a grating. Using this improved DVD spectroscope, one can observe and photograph visible spectra more easily and…

Investigated use of overhead transparencies containing a sequence of diagrams to represent a three-dimensional structure at different stages during a rotation. Significant learning occurred among 120 Bahraini boys (aged 15-16) when the transparencies contained multi-colored diagrams which were exposed simultaneously or individually in a cumulative…

The "Central Dogma" of genetics states that one gene, located in a DNA molecule, is ultimately translated into one protein. As important as this idea is, many teachers shy away from teaching the actual mechanism of gene translation, and many students find the concepts abstract and inaccessible. This article describes a unit, called Genetics…

While teaching science in an alternative arts high school, the author continuously addresses the challenge of welcoming creative, right-brained students into the world of systematic inquiry. Busily mixing paint colors, choreographing futuristic dances, performing comedic theater, and practicing the banjo, the students rarely initiate authentic…