An application for visualizing the dynamic properties of an equimolar binary mixture of isotropic reactive particles is presented. By introducing a user selectable choice for the activation energy, the application is useful to demonstrate qualitatively that the reaction rate depends on the above choice and on temperature. The application is based…

Despite the importance of organic chemistry to human health and quality of life, very few outreach programs have been successful in communicating this message. This contributes to negative public perceptions of organic chemistry and obscures the enormous advances in quality of life engendered by organic synthesis. New chemical outreach programs…

The design of undergraduate laboratory courses that provide meaningful research-based experiences enhances undergraduate curricula and prepares future graduate students for research careers. In this article, a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) laboratory module was designed for upper-division undergraduate biochemistry and…

The chemistry of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), a new class of emerging crystalline porous solids with three-dimensional (3D) networks composed of metals and multidentate organic molecules, was introduced by using three differently shaped crystals. We reported new and mild MOF synthesis methods that are simple and devised to be performed in high…

In response to the call for an increased emphasis from the American Chemical Society on including macromolecular studies in the undergraduate curriculum, a supramolecular-themed experiment was designed for undergraduate-level organic laboratory courses that provides a convenient platform to study physical behaviors of supramolecular assemblies.…

Atomic/molecular visualization for human sight is usually generated by a software that reproduces a 3D reality on a 2D screen. Although Virtual Reality (VR) software was originally developed for the gaming industry, now it is used in academia for chemistry teaching. This work reviews the scientific literature on 3D visualization in stereoscopic…

The theory of evolution is the central combing theory that brings together all the tenets of biology that bring about a solid understanding of life. It is also one of the most controversial scientific theories of all time and is widely rejected by about 40% of the general public in the United States. One of the biggest reasons for low evolution…

This article presents and discusses the results of an educational innovation that seeks to introduce the world of molecular gastronomy in chemistry lessons as a means to review stoichiometry and offer an alternative way to learn. In the literature to date, there is no evidence of haute cuisine having been employed to contextualize stoichiometry…

The authors describe the construction and use of tactile models for demonstrating intermolecular forces. These models are composed of inexpensive materials and can be used in college chemistry classrooms of varying levels including general and organic chemistry. The models were designed to be paired with an accompanying activity to encourage…

Student-generated drawings are known to be effective in building and revealing students' conceptions of chemistry. Some chemistry concepts, moreover, include changes and processes that cannot be merely represented by static drawings. Computer-based animations are needed to represent the dynamics. In this study, 25 chemistry student teachers, who…

Understanding chemical models can be challenging for many university students studying chemistry. This study analysed students' understanding of molecular structures using the Lewis structure as a model, and examined what hinders their understanding. We conducted pre- and post-tests to analyse students' conceptions and changes in them. The…

Augmented/virtual realities (ARs/VRs) promise to revolutionize STEM education. However, most easy-to-use tools are limited to static visualizations, which limits the approachable content, whereas more interactive and dynamic alternatives require costly hardware, preventing large-scale use and evaluation of pedagogical effects. Here, we introduce…

The effectiveness of the 5E model has been supported by research in schools in recent years, although its efficacy has rarely been assessed in the long term to avoid novelty effects and to consider the impact of the usual loss of fidelity that time entails. This study was designed to assess the long-term effects on students' conceptual learning as…

Gold nanoparticles are exciting materials in nanotechnology and nanoscience research and are being applied across a wide range of fields including imaging, chemical sensing, energy storage, and cancer therapies. In this experiment, students will synthesize two sizes of gold nanospheres (~20 and ~100 nm) and will create gold nanostars utilizing a…

Contrary to current IUPAC recommendations, the chemical element X should be defined as the nucleus of the X atom. Consequently, different isotopes with their different nuclei belong to different elements, each one with its own physical and chemical properties. This view leads to the conclusion that we no longer have a periodic table of the…