A laboratory experiment that involves the synthesis, characterization, and application exploration of a metal-organic framework (MOF) has been developed for first-year undergraduates in the Faculty of Engineering at National University of Singapore. The desired MOF material was prepared from commercially available reagents in a facile…

The synthesis of a commercial fragrance, methyl cinnamate, via Fischer esterification was evaluated for use as a second-year organic chemistry course. The experiment utilizes "trans"-cinnamic acid, a commercial flavoring that possesses a mild honey floral odor, as an inexpensive starting material. Both the starting material and the…

Lab courses are a significant component of biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB) education. In teaching the labs, we combine established techniques with novel approaches. Lab formats have also moved from traditional cookbook style labs to guided inquiry to course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), where faculty bring their own…

Biodiesel is an important biomass, largely employed in the transport sector and produced from vegetable oils. Additionally, waste cooking oils may be reused to produce biodiesel fuel, minimizing environmental pollution. A laboratory experiment that affords a widespread way to discuss degradation concepts and tools for used vegetable oil…

Mass transfer separations are of extreme importance to professionals working in the chemical industry. For this reason, chemical engineering and industrial chemistry students are both taught these unit operations at the final years of their study programs. The traditional way of carrying out their design is based on the use of deterministic…

The fact that a bungee jumper can reach an acceleration greater than the acceleration of gravity is, also from a physics point of view, intriguing. Taking only gravity into account, it can be explained by applying conservation of energy or by deriving carefully the equation of motion in a Newtonian approach. In this article we show how it can be…

Carbohydrates are an essential group of molecules to the organic chemistry classroom providing molecular relevance to a common ingredient in chemical biology. While the meticulous elucidation of the carbohydrate structures by Fischer and others is an engaging topic in the lecture, there are few laboratory experiments that can emulate carbohydrate…

This communication describes a method to detect aluminum in gastric drugs by the naked eye using a microfluidic paper-based analytical device ([mu]PAD). Aluminum ions react with chrome azurol S (CAS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) to form a colored complex, which generates a colored band on the [mu]PAD. A printed ruler can be used to…

With an overwhelming amount of research and a demand for collaborative learning in the classroom, teachers are tackling challenges at all educational levels that often accompany the social aspects of group work. Team-Based Learning (TBL) is an instructional sequence that shifts instruction from teacher lecture to small-group learning. Through the…

Meaningful learning occurs by relating new information to and revising prior knowledge, making it essential to understand student knowledge before helping them move toward a more scientific understanding. In this study, we characterise prior knowledge about cellular respiration in undergraduate students enrolled in introductory biology by…

A modular and target-group oriented online video library with 48 videos was developed and produced in order to reduce the complexity of an introductory organic chemistry laboratory class. The library comprises three different types of videos: "Tutorials" explaining fundamental laboratory techniques, "Do nots" pointing students…

A continuous flow photopinacol coupling of benzophenone has been developed and implemented in the undergraduate laboratory. This photoreduction was accomplished using 2-propanol as an H atom donor and cosolvent in the reaction. The simple and inexpensive UV light source and flow reactor design (less than $350/photochemical flow system) provide an…

Williamson ether experiments are commonly performed by students in undergraduate organic chemistry instructional laboratory courses. In this multioutcome experiment, students were provided 4-bromophenol and one of three alkyl halides: 1-bromopentane, 1-bromobutane, or 1-bromo-3-methylbutane. The alkyl halides served as the unknown component of the…

The American Chemical Society (ACS), Division of Chemical Education, Examinations Institute, has been developing content maps to describe comprehensively the undergraduate curriculum aligned to traditional subdisciplines. These content maps have been developed through the combined efforts of many faculty members who teach the targeted courses in…

A laboratory experiment characterized by a whole-class data-pooling approach to generate a data set that can be used to test a model of the influence of ionic strength on electrolyte solubility is described and discussed. The design of the experiment makes efficient use of the laboratory period and releases time for instructional and dialogic…