The ability to learn and retain novel information depends on a system of structures in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) including the hippocampus and the surrounding entorhinal, perirhinal, and parahippocampal cortices. Damage to these structures produces profound memory deficits; however, the unique contribution to memory of each of these…

The weak noncovalent interactions between substances, the handshake in the form of electrostatic interactions, van der Waals' interactions or hydrogen bonding is universal to all living and nonliving matter. They significantly influence the molecular and bulk properties and behavior of matter. Their transient nature affects chemical reactions and…

A computational experiment is described for the organic chemistry laboratory that allows students to estimate the relative strengths of the intramolecular hydrogen bonds of usnic and isousnic acids, two related lichen secondary metabolites. Students first extract and purify usnic acid from common lichens and obtain [superscript 1]H NMR and IR…

Analogy is a potent tool in the teacher's repertoire. It has been particularly well recognized in the teaching of science. However, careful planning is required for its effective application to prevent documented drawbacks when analogies are stretched too far. Befitting the occasion of the World Year of Physics commemorating Albert Einstein's 1905…

The ability to design and to aspire of the future design of three-dimensional molecular animations to teach molecular symmetry is an exciting outcome of computer-driven technologies. Some of the details and vital issues addressed in developing a set of Web pages to teach molecular symmetry at Imperial College London using crafted animations are…

In science teaching insufficient emphasis is placed on the fact that models are simulations of reality based on a certain theory and that molecules are not miniatures of the models that represent them. The study reported in this paper investigated how chemistry teachers perceive the nature and functions of models. The research population included…

There is a growing need for a workforce that can apply engineering principles to molecular based discovery and product development in the biological sciences. To this end, Tulane University established a degree program that incorporates molecular and cellular biology into the chemical engineering curriculum. In celebration of the tenth anniversary…

This unit on chemical bonding is one of 10 first year units produced by the Independent Learning Project for Advanced Chemistry (ILPAC). The unit, which consists of two levels, provides an introduction to the main types of chemical bonding and important aspects of structure. The main emphasis is placed on such topics as ionic and covalent bonding,…

This paper describes the analysis of two commonly used high school (Grades 11 and 12) chemistry textbooks in Singapore to determine if the content presented in the topic of intermolecular forces is consistent with the concepts and propositional knowledge identified by the authors as essential for the learning and understanding of the topic…

Describes a method designed to balance oxidation-reduction chemical equations. Outlines a method which is based on changes in the oxidation number that can be applied to both molecular reactions and ionic reactions. Provides examples and delineates the steps to follow for each type of equation balancing. (TW)

Describes a process for producing terminal or internal alkynes from ketones. Recommends using the experiment to aid in understanding acid-base strength, enolate anion chemistry, reaction at carbon versus oxygen, use of polar aprotic solvents, and elimination and nucleophilic substitution reactions. (ML)

Discusses insights discovered from research into human biology that are raising possibilities for therapy, prevention of disease, and challenges to society in the form of ethical decisions about the appropriate application of genetic information. (Author/RT)

Presents coulombic models representing the particles of a system by point charges interacting through Coulomb's law to explain coulombic lattice potential. Uses rubidium manganese trifluoride as an example of cubic perovskite structure. Discusses the effects on cluster properties. (CW)

Compares the similar mathematical problems of molecular vibrational calculations (at any intermediate level of sophistication) and molecular orbital calculations (at the Huckel level). Discusses how the generalizations of Huckel treatment of molecular orbitals apply to vibrational theory. (TW)

Presents the exploded structure method for determination of oxidation states in covalently bound atoms. The three step method is illustrated with four examples and compared to popular textbook presentations. (JM)