The fundamental structure of a typical mainstream two-semester organic chemistry course, populated mostly by life science majors and taught at universities throughout the United States, has changed little since the 1970s. However, much of the research on learning in organic chemistry has been devoted to characterizing student difficulties of…

This research aimed to measure the coefficient of restitution (COR) for tennis and golf balls using smartphone sensors. The ball and smartphone were attached at the ends of a long plastic strip: one end was a pivot with the attached smartphone and another end was for the attached ball. The ball on the plastic strip was swung to bounce the ball.…

Many authors suggest an explicit reflection on the levels of organisation, based on known difficulties related to understanding biological systems. Yet, there is no scientific consensus on the characteristics of biological levels and the quality of their relationships. This review intends to present the state of the current discussion in order to…

An instructional research-like multiweek laboratory project for a second-semester introductory general chemistry laboratory course has been developed. The ultrasonic-assisted synthesis method using low cost commercial ultrasonic cleaners has the convenience of running multiple students' reactions simultaneously. Taking advantage of short reaction…

One effort to reducing air pollution and global warming in recent years has centered on the replacement of fossil-fuel-burning vehicles with alternative energy options such as electric-powered transportation. In fact, electric vehicle technology is one of the fastest-growing, and ever-evolving, sectors of the energy industry (TR Fastenings, 2019).…

In this work we describe a teaching proposal to calculate the eccentricity of the Moon's trajectory by applying a geometrical technique. The values of the ratios between the Earth-Moon distance and the diameter of the Moon at apogee and at perigee were calculated from a kinematic model associated with a geometrical technique of image analysis. The…

Measuring magnetic induction is occasionally performed by our students during their academic training in physics. Among the various methods used to measure it, the Hall effect is the most common and widespread. Another way consists of employing an electronic flux-meter. It is constituted by a small flat coil (SFC) connected to the input of an…

A planetarium is an invaluable tool for teaching introductory astronomy, but one that few astronomy educators have ready access to. Here we describe a do-it-yourself planetarium that can be built with modest funding. There have been other planetarium construction projects described in the literature and online, most of which use cardboard to make…

Magnetic resonance is a quantum phenomenon and describes a resonant interaction of spins with electromagnetic fields. Its understanding requires advanced knowledge of quantum mechanics and condensed matter physics and thus often remains elusive to students. However, the great impact of this phenomenon on medicine, science, and technology makes…

Chemistry educators have a responsibility to teach students about the essential role the field of chemistry has in a sustainable future for the planet. Chemical products, such as pharmaceuticals, plastics, electronics, agrochemicals, and building materials, all benefit society yet unintended consequences resulting from the production and use of…

Creative thinking is needed in 21st century learning. This quantitative study aimed to determine whether chemistry education students at Universitas Jambi have the initial ability of creative thinking. The type of research that is used is a research design survey that is strengthened by the results of interviews to support the results of…

We constructed a low-cost experimental kit consisting of a compact 532-nm diode laser, optics, and optomechanical components that arrange on a small honeycomb breadboard. The kit is flexible enough to construct five typical wave optic experiments, e.g., double-slit interference, Michelson and Mach-Zehnder interferometers, diffraction, and Malus's…

Laboratory experiments that offer interdisciplinary experiences for students are appealing and are increasingly popular additions to undergraduate chemistry curricula. Students can capitalize on their knowledge of multiple areas of chemistry while working through an application, and this fosters the development of progressive problem-solving…

The phenomenon of emerging water jets from the holes of containers has been extensively studied; nevertheless, it continues to inspire researchers and teachers. The main aspects of the recent studies concern: the range of the jets trajectories; the extension of Bernoulli's equation, of which Torricelli's expression represents an ideal situation,…

We describe four classical undergraduate physics experiments that were done with everyday objects and low-cost sensors: mechanical oscillations, transmittance of light through a slab of matter, beam deformation under load, and thermal relaxation due to heat loss. We used these experiments to train students for experimental homework projects but…