This report concerns the American Chemical Society (ACS) High School Achievement Test (1963 Edition) Parts I and II, the prediction of college chemistry grades, and the placement of students in discussion groups. The subjects were 996 Vanderbilt University freshmen in 1965, 1966, and 1967. Data presented include intercorrelations of variables,…

A simple experiment can be performed to characterize the relationship between applied voltage and velocity (steady state and transient) for an electric toy train. The results can be used by teams of students to solve a series of challenges in which they attempt to predict the performance of a particular train. Some sample challenges might include…

We describe a simple undergraduate lab in which students determine how the force between two magnetic dipoles depends on their separation. We consider the case where both dipoles are permanent and the case where one of the dipoles is induced by the field of the other (permanent) dipole. Agreement with theoretically expected results is quite good.

Our students like using the covers of their TI graphing calculators in an inquiry-based extension of a traditional exercise that challenges their preconceived ideas about friction. Biology major Fiona McGraw (Fig. 1) is obviously excited about the large coefficient of static friction ([mu][subscript s] = 1.3) for the four little rubber feet on her…

One of the pitfalls of engineering education is to lose the physical insight of the problem while tackling the mathematical part. Forced convection heat transfer (the Graetz-Nusselt problem) certainly falls into this category. The equation of energy together with the equation of motion leads to a partial differential equation subject to various…

A method is described for teaching the analysis of X-ray diffraction of DNA through a series of steps utilizing the original methods used by James Watson, Francis Crick, Maurice Wilkins and Rosalind Franklin. The X-ray diffraction pattern led to the conclusion of the basic helical structure of DNA and its dimensions while basic chemical principles…

Sudoku puzzle was designed to teach about amino acids and functional groups to the students of undergraduate organic chemistry students. The puzzles focus on helping the student learn the name, 3-letter code and 1-letter code of common amino acids and functional groups.

A project is described which incorporates nonlaboratory research skills in a graduate level course on analytical chemistry. This project will help students to grasp the basic principles and concepts of modern analytical techniques and also help them develop relevant research skills in analytical chemistry.

Some of the long-term and short-term successes and the progress of the Chemistry Merit Program are highlighted and updated at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). The results show that the program is vital for the university and for the science and technology sectors.

It's common for college professors to require students to complete a reading from the textbook prior to coming to class. Most professors who maintain syllabi for their courses list the chapters or page numbers that class members should read ahead of time. But studies indicate that students rarely read the information ahead of time (Marbach-Ad and…