This work describes an alternative approach for introducing the concept of pH in high school. We develop an experimental protocol to demonstrate in classroom as pH affects the life of microorganisms. At the same time, we constructed low-cost equipment and a homemade culture media using ordinary products, which they are easily found by the teachers…

Virtual chemistry laboratory modules were investigated as a potential learning resource that complements traditional in-person experiments. In collaboration with a high school instructor, we designed two interactive modules, "Rates of Reaction" and "Models of Organic Molecules," which became part of a previously reported online…

To explore the myriad ways in which systemic racism diminishes chemistry, and to recommend changes to our home department, a seminar-style course was created that provided a structured venue in which to collaborate with students. The course was created by the department chair, after reflecting on the Black Lives Matter message that it was time for…

This article describes a study of 149 preservice chemistry teachers' misconceptions of concepts related to a reduction-oxidation reaction. A mixed-method approach was used to obtain data through the ROXCI (Redox Concept Inventory) instrument and interviews. Result indicated that the highest misconceptions were for item number 10 (4.03% or only 6…

When any object, such as a glass of water, a greenhouse or the Earth's atmosphere, stays at a steady temperature, the amount of energy entering the object is equal to the amount of energy leaving it. This is considered in equilibrium. This equilibrium changes when the amount of energy entering does not equal the amount of energy leaving.…

Laboratory astrophysics and astrochemistry are emerging fields highlighting the importance of laboratory simulations and experiments to benefit remote observations. In particular, ice mixtures found in the outer solar system may offer insight into the early evolution of organic molecules. H[subscript 2]O-ice mixtures containing other species such…

Accurately forecasting course enrollment rates in higher education is of great concern in order to minimize unnecessary administrative costs as well as burden to both students and faculty. This research aimed to first recreate course enrollment predictions based on a conditional probability analysis using student data from San Diego State…

Problems involving the composition of mixtures are common in chemical practice and are thus part of introductory Chemistry courses at the early undergraduate level. However, they are often perceived by students as a rather obscure matter, which may be due to poor familiarity with algebraic manipulations. Furthermore, to increase the distaste of…

The chirality of chemicals is a well-known concept among undergraduates. The examples of chiral molecules in daily life are introduced to high school students as well. However, the chirality of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) remains unpopular in these groups. In this paper, a simple visualization of SWCNTs was first performed via paper…

A comprehensive laboratory work that allows students to gain hands-on skills in energy-efficient mechanochemistry is described. Standard university curricula are paying very little attention to mechanochemistry, although skills in this discipline are highly demanded among chemistry graduates. In this study, a comprehensive description of…

While visual representations are generally thought to help students learn chemistry, they can pose conceptual challenges. Arrows are a common visual feature used prominently across various visuals, such as energy diagrams. Although energy diagrams are widely used, research on what challenges arise in the context of energy diagrams is limited. To…

A new approach, termed the "scale factor method," is presented for solving a variety of stoichiometry problems. Students taught to solve mass-mass stoichiometry problems using this method found it more intuitive and had a higher rate of success than students using the traditional dimension analysis approach. The scale factor approach…

Utility value interventions (UVIs) are brief assignments designed to promote students' perceived utility value of the content they are learning. UVIs have been shown to improve students' academic performance in varying STEM courses; however, the use of UVIs in either chemistry courses or upper-level courses has not been well explored. This study…

"Copper to Silver to Gold: The Alchemist's Dream" is an experimental demonstration performed in many schools that involves Zn plating on a Cu coupon to induce brass plating. In this study, a novel method to achieve uniform plating is proposed using a 2.0mol/L ZnCl[subscript 2] aqueous solution, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and Al foil. This…

The principles of process-oriented guided inquiry learning (POGIL) are applied to the analysis of the emission spectrum of atomic hydrogen. Over the course of three learning cycles, students construct the hydrogen atom's energy level diagram and assign quantum numbers using their measurements of the Balmer series plus additional information on the…