In this paper, we present a low-cost method to study the Gay-Lussac's law. We use a heating wire wrapped around the test tube to heat the air inside and make use of a solid state pressure sensor which requires a previous calibration to measure the pressure in the test tube.

The Paterno`-Bu¨chi photocycloaddition reaction is used as the basis for physical-organic final-year undergraduate laboratory experiments designed to emphasize the multidisciplinary approach to modern-day chemical practice. These reactions are performed using commercially available LED-based light sources, which offer a convenient and safe tool…

An experiment carried out by advanced undergraduate students in a project-based laboratory course is described. Taking into account the positive effects of working in teams, which has been key for successful research in industry and academia, a cooperative learning experience in the laboratory was developed. Students working in teams of four…

In the present article, we describe a 3-day experimental workshop on glycemia regulation and type 1 diabetes that engages students in open-ended investigations and guided experiments leading to results that are not already known to them. After an initial questioning phase during which students observe PowerPoint slides depicting the glycemia…

The increased worldwide exploitation of nanomaterials has reinforced the importance of introducing nanoscale aspects into the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. To meet this need, a novel nano-laboratory module was developed and successfully performed by science and engineering students. The main goal of the experiment was to accurately…

Plants have provided and continue to provide the inspiration and foundation for modern medicines. Natural product isolation is a key component of the process of drug discovery from plants. The purpose of this experiment is to introduce first semester undergraduate organic chemistry students, who have relatively few lab techniques at their…

The Billotron is a device designed and built by the LPC Caen to illustrate the methods with which physicists are able to study the basic structure of matter, in particular the nucleus of the atom.

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation is an important transformation for the production of fine chemicals. Traditionally, platinum group metals are used to catalyze this reaction, but recent pressure for greener practices has driven the development of base-metal catalysts. Due to the growing interest in this area of research, the underlying concepts…

The organometallic complex Fe[subscript 2](µ-S[subscript 2])(CO)[subscript 6] has interesting biological implications. The concepts of bio-organometallic chemistry are rarely discussed at the undergraduate level, but this experiment can start such a conversation and, in addition, teach valuable synthetic techniques. The lab experiment takes a…

Many small-molecule antioxidants found in whole fruits and vegetables are analyzed and identified in this laboratory module for upper-division biochemistry courses. During this experiment, students develop their knowledge of the bioactivity of fruit and vegetable products while learning techniques to identify vitamins and nutritionally derived…

Rheological measurements are very important tools for the characterization of the flow and deformation of a material, as well as for optimization of the rheological parameters. The application and acceptance of pharmaceutical formulations, cosmetics, and foodstuffs depends upon their rheological characteristics, such as texture, consistency, or…

A multiday laboratory exercise is described that is suitable for first-year undergraduate chemistry, biochemistry, or biotechnology students. Students gain experience in performing chromatographic separations of biomolecules, in both a column and thin layer chromatography (TLC) format. Students chromatographically separate amino acids (AA) in an…

The determination of the solid-liquid phase diagram of a binary system is always used as an experiment in the undergraduate physical chemistry laboratory courses. However, most phase diagrams investigated in the lab are simple eutectic ones, despite the fact that complex binary solid-liquid phase diagrams are more common. In this article, the…

We present a lab that enables students to test the role of genes involved in the regulation of lateral roots growth in the model plant "Arabidopsis thaliana." Here, students design an experiment that follows the effects of the hormone auxin on the stimulation of genes involved in the formation of lateral root initials. These genes, known…

Engineering ethics education typically focuses on decisions by individual engineers and case studies of disasters. This does not reflect the everyday decisions that practicing engineers must make, and neglects the fact that most engineers work on teams rather than alone. The focus on safety and disaster prevention leaves little time for discussing…