Surveys the roots of the common names of organic compounds most likely to be encountered by undergraduate organic chemistry students. Includes information for 19 amino acids, 17 aromatic compounds, and 21 carboxylic acids. (WRM)

Discusses mathematical and physical evidence that air consists of a tiny volume of particles moving at an average speed of over 1000 miles per hour. (WRM)

Uses charcoal briquettes, ammonia, water, table salt, and laundry bluing to create white fluffy crystals. Briquettes are placed in a bowl while the remaining ingredients are mixed together and poured over the briquettes. The result is white fluffy crystals forming on top of the charcoal. This experiment dramatizes chemical reactions to…

Investigates how students develop an understanding of chemical representations with the aid of a computer-based visualizing too called eChem that allows them to build molecular models and view multiple representations simultaneously. Involves 11th grade students (n=71) at a small public high school and examines the changes in students'…

Shows how a common demonstration that consists of slowly heating sulfur powder in a test tube to illustrate sulfur's allotropic modifications can convince students of conclusions about the moon Io which they often find surprising. Describes the demonstration in full. (Author/MM)

Investigates the effects of web-based instructional materials on students' understanding of chemical concepts. Uses interviews with students, concept mapping, and a free-response survey for the study. (YDS)

The main research question of this study was: How do selected high school chemistry students' understandings of the elements, structure, and periodicity of the Periodic Table change as they participate in a unit study consisting of inquiry-based activities emphasizing construction of innovative science graphics? The research question was answered…

Theory suggests that studying worked examples and engaging in self-explanation will improve learning and problem solving. A growing body of evidence supports the use of web-based assessments for improving undergraduate performance in traditional large enrollment courses. This article describes a study designed to investigate these techniques in a…

This paper investigates the views of science and scientific activity that can be found in chemistry textbooks and heard from teachers when acid-base reactions are introduced to grade 12 and university chemistry students. First, the main macroscopic and microscopic conceptual models are developed. Second, we attempt to show how the existence of…

School-based assessment of science students' practical skills has two important roles--as a complement to written papers in public examinations and as a catalyst for enriching the science curriculum in schools. This article describes a quantitative study of the concerns chemistry and biology teachers experience as they engage in the process of…

Although the literature on both academic dishonesty and scientific misconduct is extensive, research on academic dishonesty has focused on quizzes, exams, and papers, with the virtual exclusion of the classroom laboratory. This study examined the distinctions undergraduate chemistry majors made between academic dishonesty in the classroom…

This paper attempts to improve students performance in chemistry through understanding of perceived technical terms. A sample consisting of 150 chemistry students from 15 secondary schools randomly selected from the five Esan Local Government areas of Edo State was used. One research question was raised and answered. A - 45 items questionnaire…

Young children do science exploration and observation every day in their play. They spontaneously engage in parts of the scientific inquiry process--wondering, asking a question, planning how to answer the question, documenting their work, thinking about what happened, and sharing their results with others. Conducting an entire experiment is…

In this article, the author describes several activities in personal care chemistry that provide middle school girls with opportunities to learn firsthand about science and engineering technology. These activities--the preparation of lip balm and hand lotion--are fun, easy to do, and make use of relatively inexpensive, safe, environmentally…

With the convenience of fast-food restaurants on almost every corner, many young people are consuming these foods too often. This article describes how high school students designed investigations to provide evidence that would help people make better dietary choices. Students investigated the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in French…