The importance of introducing various projects or activities as a motivation towards inquiry-based learning, also satisfies the need for first year chemistry students to transfer scientific theory into practice. This approach, combined with the traditionally written laboratory methods, develops creative skills, and the spirit of exploration…

An experiment to prepare a deuterium labeled adduct of a Lewis acid and Lewis base, to use computational methods allowing students to visualize the LUMO of Lewis acids, the HOMO of Lewis bases and the molecular orbitals of the adduct that is formed is developed. This allows students to see the interplay between calculated and experimental results.

An experiment is developed for a laboratory course on nanostructures, as part of the undergraduate Bachelor of Science degree in nanotechnology at Flinders University. Designed to demonstrate the relationship between molecular order and the optical dielectric properties of the liquid crystalline state, the experiment is shown to be a useful tool…

Quantification of a contaminant in water provides the first-year general chemistry students with a tangible application of mass spectrometry. The relevance of chemistry to assessing and solving environmental problems is highlighted for students when they perform mass spectroscopy experiments.

In this paper are presented the views of Al Haytham and his predecessors on the shadows, the rectilinear propagation of rays and the images produced by pinholes. Al Haytham had given erroneous views on the distribution of light in the shadows. Educational applications of these are presented. These applications concern: (a) Simple experiments (b)…

Ignoring the role of chance in science distorts the nature of the scientific process. Teachers can address this issue by means of several in-depth historical case studies, such as the discovery of electromagnetism by Oersted. Oersted was led to his lecture experiment by logic (two new hypotheses), but its success from the first trial was largely…

The simple pendulum is a model for the linear oscillator. The usual mathematical treatment of the problem begins with a differential equation that one solves with the techniques of the differential calculus, a formal process that tends to obscure the physics. In this paper we begin with a kinematic description of the motion obtained by experiment…

Conditional directives are used by speakers to instruct hearers which actions are to be taken should certain events occur. The authors demonstrate that conditional directives are distinct from indicative conditionals in which speakers predict what is likely to be observed should certain events occur. The 1st set of experiments shows that goal…

This authentic inquiry-based chemistry experiment provides high school students with an opportunity to investigate the effect of toothpastes on the rate of tooth decay. Students need to design and carry out a fair test to compare the effects of different brands of toothpaste. The author has developed rubrics for assessing students' planning skills…

Redgram (Cajanus cajan L.) extracts have been analyzed for the protease inhibitors using a new, sensitive, simple, and rapid method for detection of electrophoretically separated protease inhibitors. The detection involves equilibrating the gel successively in the protease assay buffer and protease solution, rinsing the gel in assay buffer, and…

A study uses nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in a novel way to determine the isotopic ration between [to the tenth power]B and [to the eleventh power]B in sodium borohydride (NaBH4). The experiment provides an unusual and relatively simple means for undergraduate chemistry students to accurately measure the distribution of the two…

The quantity of information available on Co(III)-pentaammine complexes to the undergraduate students is based on their dissociatively activated substitution processes. The advanced undergraduate set of experiments is presented that fill an important gap in the understanding of the differences taking place in the substitution mechanisms operating…

A discovery-oriented lab experiment is developed that illustrates the chemoselective nature of reductions using sodium borohydride. Products are of sufficient purity to allow analysis by spectroscopy without further purification.

The activities that introduce topics of chemical health and safety are offered, using student-centered cooperative method. Teaching methods and exercises used in various activities were considered valuable enough to be modified and published in a book of activities for safety.

A lab rotary experiment using the pH measurements of an aqueous solution to monitor the course of a solvolytic reaction was conducted. This experiment allowed the students to gain experience in taking precise pH measurement, to use nonlinear analysis techniques for analyzing kinetic data and to use the Arrhenius equation for determination of…