The fundamentals, as well as the instrumentation of the quartz-crystal microbalance (QCM) technique that is used in an undergraduate laboratory experiment are being described. The QCM response can be easily used to change the properties of any system.

Various efforts are being made to introduce the different physical aspects and uses of computational chemistry to the undergraduate chemistry students. A new laboratory approach that demonstrates all such aspects via experiments has been devised for the purpose.

An ozonolysis experiment, suitable for undergraduate organic chemistry lab, is presented. Ozonolysis of eugenol (clove oil), followed by reductive workup furnishes an aldehyde that is easily identified by its NMR and IR spectra. Ozone (3-5% in oxygen) is produced using an easily built generator. (Contains 2 figures and 1 scheme.)

The connectivity of a hexane-soluble silver salt is established by using NMR spectroscopy to describe the synthesis, characterization and reactivity of the salt. The results found hexane-soluble silver to be an effective transfer agent.

An experiment in which gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is used for latent fingerprint extraction and analysis on glass beads or glass slides is conducted. The results determine that the fingerprint residues are gender dependent.

A procedure that requires seven 4-hour blocks of time to allow undergraduate students to prepare the molecular Borromean rings (BRs) on a gram-scale in 90% yield is described. The experiment would serve as a nice capstone project to culminate any comprehensive organic laboratory course and expose students to fundamental concepts, symmetry point…

A three unit module of inquiry, including morphological comparison, cladogram construction, and data mining has been developed to teach students the nature of experimental science. Students generate angiosperm morphological data, form cladistic hypotheses, then mine taxonomic, bioinformatic and historical data from many sources to replicate and…

The analysis of drinking water for lead, which has well-known health effects, is presented as an instructive example for undergraduate chemistry students. It allows the students to perform an experiment and evaluate to monitor risk factors and common hazard of everyday life.

Although an understanding of radiometric dating is central to the preparation of every geologist, many students struggle with the concepts and mathematics of radioactive decay. Physical demonstrations and hands-on experiments can be used to good effect in addressing this teaching conundrum. Water, heat, and electrons all move or flow in response…

A continuing challenge to the undergraduate chemical engineering curriculum is the time-effective incorporation and use of computer-based tools throughout the educational program. Computing skills in academia and industry require some proficiency in programming and effective use of software packages for solving 1) single-model, single-algorithm…

Developing good record-keeping habits is essential for organizing, processing, and communicating experimental results objectively. Therefore, the authors designed an interactive method of teaching first graders to record, organize, and interpret data as they studied the life cycle of the spotted salamander ("Ambystoma maculatum"). In their…

"Situational interest" is a short-term form of motivation which occurs when a specific situation stimulates the focused attention of students (e.g., a spectacular science demonstration could arouse transient interest amongst nearly all the students in a class, even those who are not normally interested in science). However, there have…

Using mini-aquaria experiments, a learning unit on the effects of light period on aquatic ecosystems was developed for 7th grade students. This guided inquiry unit was aimed at helping students understand basic ecological principles involved in relationships among physical, chemical, and biological components in aquatic ecosystems. It involved…

Describes a simple ultrasonic experiment that can be used to measure the purity of liquid samples by detecting variations in the velocity of sound. Uses a phase shift detection technique that incorporates the use of logic gates and a piezoelectric transducer. (JRH)

Presents an exercise to measure the modulus of elasticity of spider silk using a microforce transducer that can be built from materials readily available in the laboratory. (JRH)