The quantum semester of a typical two-semester physical chemistry course is divided into two parts. The initial focus is on quantum mechanics and simple model systems for which the Schrodinger equation can be solved in closed form, but it then shifts in the second half to atoms and molecules, for which no closed solutions exist. The underlying…

Used since the time of the ancient Egyptians as a method for transferring liquids from one vessel to another, the siphon is a dependable tool. Although, the act of siphoning beer from a fermentation barrel or wine from a demijohn is a skill that has been passed down from generation to generation, do we really know how the siphon works? It is…

In this extension to a classic physical chemistry experiment, students record the proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the [beta]-diketones 2,4-pentanedione, 3-methyl-2,4-pentanedione, and 3-chloro-2,4-pentanedione to investigate the effect of substituents on keto-enol tautomerization equilibria. From the integrated intensities of keto and…

The surfaces of mammalian cells are coated with complex carbohydrates, many terminated with a negatively charged "N"-acetylneuraminic acid residue. This motif is specifically targeted by pathogens, including influenza viruses and many pathogenic bacteria, to gain entry into the cell. A necessary step in the influenza virus life cycle is the…

For over a century, chemists have investigated the rates of chemical reactions using experimental conditions involving huge numbers of molecules. As a consequence, the description of the kinetics of the reaction in terms of average values was good enough for all practical purposes. From the pedagogical point of view, such a description misses the…

A significant body of the literature in science education examines students' conceptions of the dissolution of ionic solids in water, often showing that students lack proper understanding of the particulate nature of dissolving materials as well as holding numerous misconceptions about the dissolution process. Consequently, chemical educators have…

Previously, we found that: (i) many students were unable to construct representations of simple molecular structures; (ii) a majority of students fail to make the important connection between these representations and macroscopic properties of the material; and (iii) they were unable to decode the information contained in such representations.…

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) analyses are routinely used in biology laboratories to detect aggregates in macromolecular solutions, to determine the size of proteins, nucleic acids, and complexes or to monitor the binding of ligands. This article is written for graduate and undergraduate students with access to DLS and for faculty members who…

A novel stereochemistry lesson was prepared that incorporated both handheld molecular models and embedded virtual three-dimensional (3D) images. The images are fully interactive and eye-catching for the students; methods for preparing 3D molecular images in Adobe Acrobat are included. The lesson was designed and implemented to showcase the 3D…

An interdisciplinary approach to education has become more important in the development of science and technology, which requires universities to have graduates with broad knowledge and skills and to apply these skills in solving real-world problems. An interdisciplinary experimental series has been developed for the laboratories in cell and…

An experiment is described to introduce advanced undergraduate students to an exciting area of nanotechnology that incorporates nanoparticles onto carbon nanotubes to produce systems that have valuable technological applications. The synthesis of such material has been easily achieved through a simple three-step procedure. Students explore…

This study explores middle and high school students' understanding of the particulate nature of matter after they were taught the concept. A total of 87 students (41 high school and 46 middle school) participated in the study. Findings suggest that students held misconceptions about the law of conservation of matter, chemical composition of matter…

Grasping the dynamics of molecular phenomenon appears to be rather challenging for students in the context of life science. To pursue the origin of such difficulties this paper investigates students' (n = 43) meaning making, in interaction with peers and an animation, of the dynamic process of ATP-synthase. To support this inquiry we introduce the…

Biochemistry education relies heavily on students' ability to visualize abstract cellular and molecular processes, mechanisms, and components. As such, biochemistry educators often turn to external representations to provide tangible, working models from which students' internal representations (mental models) can be constructed, evaluated, and…

Single and double electromagnetically induced transparencies (EIT) in a medium, consisting of four-level atoms in the inverted-Y configuration, are discussed using mechanical and electrical analogies. A three-coupled spring-mass system subject to damping and driven by an external force is used to represent the four-level atom mechanically. The…