This overview is intended to help colleagues achieve successful and satisfying observations using a ripple tank. There are many observations to consider that can effectively illustrate reflection, refraction, interference and diffraction, but the most important consideration is to make every effort to enable students to see the effects we want…

Natural products are ubiquitous in nature but do not form a large proportion of the A-level syllabuses in the UK. In this article we briefly discuss a small selection of natural products, focusing on alcohols, aldehydes and ketones, and alkaloids. We then outline two natural product experiments that are suitable for A-level chemistry clubs or…

Generating enthusiasm among nonscience majors in a laboratory course is a difficult task. Often, students are asked to perform a precipitation reaction, only to collect and then safely dispose of the solid without detailing composition, properties, or uses. In an effort to keep the students engaged, this laboratory exercise presents an innovative…

This work describes the use of a single chemical reaction to teach and connect a number of standard general chemistry course topics while also introducing students to polymer concepts. Through the study of the reaction that converts spiropyran into merocyanine, we are able to present and connect molecular orbital theory, quantum mechanics,…

Novel carbon nanomaterials such as reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and graphene oxide (GO) can be easily incorporated into the undergraduate curriculum to discuss basic chemistry and nanotechnology concepts. This paper describes a laboratory experiment designed to study the differences between GO and rGO regarding their physicochemical properties…

In an informal survey, just 4.93% (2014) and 6% (2015) of Human Anatomy and Physiology students stated that their favorite lab activity was using a microscope. Additionally, performance on lab practical microscopy questions was low with the average percent correct between 31.85% and 41.94%. To increase student interest, engagement and performance,…

As the need for alternative energy becomes increasingly important, energy research and related industries are rapidly expanding. This lab incorporates current energy-storage research into a second-year lab that instills real-world, industry-relevant knowledge and skills while teaching and reinforcing physical-chemistry concepts. A manganese oxide…

Determination of enzymatic activity is a relevant experiment in teaching chemistry and biochemistry to high school and college students. A method for measuring the kinetic parameters of lactose cleavage by the enzyme lactase is described. This enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of lactose to galactose and glucose. The kinetic parameters can be…

Sustainability is emerging as a prominent curricular initiative at the undergraduate level, and as a result, involving students in real-world problems in the classroom and laboratory is an important goal. The specific problem of a dwindling supply of clean and safe drinking water is also of utmost importance and relevance. This general chemistry…

This study investigates a novel approach to training first-year science faculty students in laboratory safety and ethical awareness. Students were exposed to videos of laboratory incidents via their smartphones. They had to respond to the scenarios by scanning QR codes transfixed on certain equipment or taking photos of the laboratory's…

First order processes are of paramount importance for chemical kinetics. In a well-established demonstration experiment, the flow of water out of a vertical glass tube through a capillary simulates a chemical first order process. Here, a digital version of this experiment for lecture hall demonstrations is presented. To this end, water flowing out…

The results of PISA 2015 indicate that Taiwanese students have excellent mathematical and scientific knowledge but are weak in applying such knowledge and in conducting practical experiments in the laboratory. To support students conducting practical experiments in physics laboratories, a real-time data logging system and an online tool for…

This work developed the Flint, Michigan water crisis as a modular case study for teaching traditional analytical chemistry concepts through the medium of environmental justice, power, and equity. An interdisciplinary framework was used to design, implement, and assess the case study in an effort to understand how the deliberate presence of…

Anthocyanins are natural pigments belonging to the flavonoid family that generate the red, blue, and purple colors of fruits, vegetables, and flowers. Their structure and color are dependent on various factors, like the pH. Anthocyanins appear red in acidic, purple in neutral, and blue in basic solutions, making them suitable for use as natural pH…

We provide a protocol for rapid DNA extraction from spiders suitable for undergraduate practical sessions. Students who were previously naïve to the theory and laboratory technique of DNA barcoding were successfully able to extract and recover 29 DNA sequences from 16 species of small spiders in the family Linyphiidae. We anticipate that with…