In this paper we report on the findings of a study on Advanced Level Chemistry students' approaches to investigations from a learning perspective in the Zimbabwean educational context. Students' approaches to investigations are inextricably linked to the quality of learning and performances in these practical activities. An explanatory…

"Manga" are graphic novels that are considered to have the potential to effectively convey concepts and engage readers. The efficacy of "manga" has been validated for chemical safety education to students in three universities in Japan, Taiwan, and Thailand. Students were asked to examine a photo to identify hazards and…

Thermogravimetry coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) is a useful technique for the thermal and structural characterization of materials at academic and research levels. This paper describes an experiment for chemistry students to understand the use of TG-FTIR for advanced qualitative and quantitative thermal analysis…

Candy, an everyday treat, is a convenient theme for teaching chemistry. Making candy incorporates solution concentration, colligative properties, and phase transformations while flavoring and color reflect synthesis or extraction. In this article, a nonscience major laboratory course on candy chemistry is presented. The course combines laboratory…

The Lewis acid-base model is key to identifying and explaining the formation and breaking of bonds in a large number of reaction mechanisms taught in the sophomore-level year-long organic chemistry course. Understanding the model is, thus, essential to success in organic chemistry coursework. Concept-inventories exist to identify misunderstandings…

Because traditional laboratory practices in advanced chemistry education are being replaced by inquiry-based approaches, we present herein a new laboratory activity based on a small research project that was designed and executed by students. The laboratory project aims at answering a well-defined research question: how far can potentiometric…

The "Atoms-First" approach has received considerable attention in the chemical education community over the past few years as an alternative to the standard reaction-based two-semester General Chemistry curriculum. The Atoms-First model emphasizes the electronic structure of the atom as a means to explain and rationalize chemical…

Snapchat is a social media platform with the ability to share media and network with others. The platform has been applied with lower division undergraduate students studying chemistry, biochemistry, and natural sciences. Approximately 140 students followed a "class" account where both images and videos were shared with the aim of…

Over the past 20 years 164 children and educators have been reported as injured in demonstrations using flammable solvents. The injuries were the result of flash fires, flame jets, and projectiles which occurred once control was lost by the presenter. "The rainbow demonstration" using methanol as the solvent has by far been the most…

Although many chemistry demonstrations are proposed in educational literature, there are hardly any studies on how demonstrations should be set up in order to support students' perception. Against this background, the aim of the present study was to present and test setup principles for chemistry demonstrations, with regards to indicators of…

Shot noise is one of the essential concepts in instrumental analysis, which places a fundamental limit on quantitative measurements when the magnitude of the analytical signal is very small. The introduction of an abstract scientific concept with a brief historical perspective often shows the human side of science. In the scientific literature,…

A research-based inorganic chemistry laboratory course is described. Using the defined protocol of a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE), students undertake a self-designed research project to identify new catalysts for the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane. Students select ligands and metals, prepare and characterize catalysts…

A simple and inexpensive paper chromatography experiment that separates and identifies major organic acids in wine and fruit juices has been developed for introductory organic undergraduate students to teach the basics of chromatography. This experiment reinforces several concepts for students such as compound separation via extraction and…

Molecular orbital configurations give rise to electronic terms comprising corresponding electronic states. Electronic terms possess symmetry classifications, which are denoted by a term symbol, based on the symmetry properties of the electronic wave functions associated with the states. Using the methylene radical, and both planar and twisted…

The representation of women among recipients of chemistry Ph.D. degrees has increased in recent years, but their representation among the faculty in academic departments is still below what would be expected given the proportion of degrees received. Articles published in the "Journal of Chemical Education" in 2010 documented a hostile…