A multistep synthesis of 10-ethyl flavin was developed as an organic chemistry laboratory experiment for upper-division undergraduate students. Students synthesize 10-ethyl flavin as a bright yellow solid via a five-step sequence. The experiment introduces students to various hands-on experimental organic synthetic techniques, such as column…

A simple and inexpensive method of monitoring the movement of an isolated frog heart provides comparable results to those obtained with a force transducer. A commercially available photoresistor is integrated into a Wheatstone bridge circuit, and the output signal is interfaced directly with a recording device. An excised, beating frog heart is…

Two introductory organic chemistry laboratory experiments are described based on the Diels-Alder reaction of 2,3,4,5-tetraphenylcyclopentadienone, which is synthesized prior to or in a one-pot reaction, with styrene. Students are presented with three possible products, the "endo" and "exo" diastereomers and the decarbonylated…

A laboratory experiment was developed to follow the gelation of a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution upon addition of borax by using rotational viscometry. The rheological properties of the gel were examined, measuring the dependence of viscosity and shear stress on the shear rate. Time-dependent studies were also conducted in which the viscosity of…

The Characterization and Analysis of a Product (CAP) project is used to introduce first-semester general chemistry students to chemical instrumentation through the analysis of caffeine-containing beverage products. Some examples of these products have included coffee, tea, and energy drinks. Students perform at least three instrumental experiments…

We use apparatus based on two Geiger-Müller tubes, a simple electronic circuit and a Raspberry Pi computer to illustrate relativistic time dilation affecting cosmic-ray muons travelling through the atmosphere to the Earth's surface. The experiment we describe lends itself to both classroom demonstration to accompany the topic of special relativity…

Although much of the scientific community concerns itself with ideas of a sustainable future, very little of this interest and motivation has reached the classroom experience of the average chemistry major, and therefore, it is imperative to expose students to these ideas early in their careers. The focus of most undergraduate chemistry curricula…

The existence of gender differences in student performance on conceptual assessments and their responses to attitudinal assessments has been repeatedly demonstrated. This difference is often present in students' preinstruction responses and persists in their postinstruction responses. However, one area in which the presence of gender differences…

A laboratory exercise for the education of students about thermal runaway reactions based on the reaction between aluminum and hydrochloric acid as a model reaction is proposed. In the introductory part of the exercise, the induction period and subsequent thermal runaway behavior are evaluated via a simple observation of hydrogen gas evolution and…

We describe an interactive module that can be used to teach basic concepts in electrochemistry and thermodynamics to first year natural science students. The module is used together with an experimental laboratory and improves the students' understanding of thermodynamic quantities such as ?rG, ?rH, and ?rS that are calculated but not directly…

Engineering design is an ideal perspective for engaging students in college science classes. An engineering design problem-solving framework was used to create a general chemistry lab activity focused on an important environmental issue--dead zones. Dead zones impact over 400 locations around the world and are a result of nutrient pollution, one…

Histological assessment of tissues is a critical component of diagnosing diseases and determining disease severity or stage. In order to fully appreciate tissue pathology, an understanding of healthy tissue layers is required. Students traditionally learn this information by memorizing different layers within healthy tissue. This is often a…

The present study assessed the challenges to implement laboratory teaching in selected Preparatory Schools, North Shewa Zone. The result of this study showed that although laboratories for each subjects were present (100%) in all districts, lack of professional skills (50% in biology, 64.5% in chemistry and 61.5% physics), lack of materials (78.6%…

The infrared camera is a useful tool in physics education to 'see' in the infrared. In this paper, we describe four simple experiments that focus on phenomena related to heat transfer and optics that are encountered at undergraduate physics level using an infrared camera, and discuss the strengths and limitations of this tool for such purposes.

The Atwood machine was invented in 1784 by George Atwood and this system has been widely studied both theoretically and experimentally over the years. Nowadays, it is commonplace that many experimental physics courses include both Atwood's machine and variable mass to introduce more complex concepts in physics. To study the dynamics of the masses…