Discusses issues related to examination questions which begin by asking students to "Describe an experiment to..." Indicates that this strategy is useful when focusing on important quantities/phenomena or "celebrated" experiments and that examining boards should not request students to describe experiments which verify or…

Describes an experiment which demonstrates changes in ammonia excretion and urine pH that occur in response to metabolic acidosis (induced by ammonium chloride ingestion) or metabolic alkalosis (produced by sodium bicarbonate ingestion). List of materials needed and background information are included. Typical results are provided and discussed.…

The encoding specificity principle asserts that a retrieval cue will be effective if, and only if, the to-be-remembered item was specifically encoded with respect to that cue during input. Describes a classroom experiment that provides an opportunity to demonstrate the encoding specificity phenomenon, note its limitations, and discuss its cause…

High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is used to separate and quantitate beta-carotene, chlorophyll a, and chlorophyll b originating from collard greens. Experimental procedures used and typical results obtained are discussed. (JN)

Content, readability, safety aspects, appearance, technique, effectiveness of experiments, enrichment exercises, teacher aids, and special features of 12 physics laboratory manuals are reported and compared. (JN)

Discusses use of a tangential gun to obtain a value for the specific electronic charge e/m. The method is the one advocated by the tube suppliers, though some suggested variations may appeal to teachers anxious to train their students in thinking along lines that are both scientifically correct and practically desirable. (JN)

Describes (1) oil slick interference rings in the laboratory; (2) cracking of glass by impact; (3) multipurpose prism for refractometry and light path demonstrations; and (4) determination of liquid densities and volumes of solid bodies by the reaction force on a vessel. Procedures used and equipment needed are discussed. (JN)

Discusses issues and the public's concerns related to using laboratory animals for research purposes. Indicates that several perceptions (such as recognizing that the public's attitudes toward respect for animal life are no more irrational than many broader attitudes toward the sacredness of life) characterize the most responsible of recent…

Reviews literature on chromatography examining: books, reviews, student experiments; chromatographic systems, techniques, apparatus; detecting and identification of separated zones; preparative chromatography and radiochromatography; and applications related to specific materials (such as acids, alcohols, amino acids, antibiotics, enzymes, dyes,…

An experiment which introduces students to infrared spectroscopy and the solubility behavior of various organic compounds is described. The experiment also serves to integrate some of the basic chemical reactions of functional groups with their spectral properties. (JN)

Describes an experiment in which several metallo complexes with different central atoms are prepared. Background information on these compounds is provided, including requirements for their formation, preparation methods, and comments on their general properties and analysis. (JN)

Carbaryl, 1-naphthyl-N-methylcarbamate, is the biodegradable (soft) insecticide most commonly marketed by the Union Carbide Corporation under the trade name of Sevin. Procedures for the synthesis and testing of carbaryl and for the testing of some compounds similar to carbaryl are provided. Equations showing its synthesis from methyl isocyanate…

Social behaviors of 10- and 12-month-old infants were studied as a function of experimental context (home and laboratory) and experimental history (home rearing and day care). Results suggested that the experimental context influenced infant social behaviors. No differences attributable to rearing condition as a main effect were found. (Author/SB)

Describes the construction and use of two pieces of equipment for teaching materials related to the propagation of an electric field and the parallel plate capacitor. (GS)

Describes a laboratory experiment in which the students construct and calibrate ion-selective electrodes, then use them to analyze an unknown. (MLH)