Describes a laboratory explosion involving 30 percent hydrogen peroxide being heated on a ceramic-top hotplate. Gives three safety suggestions: peroxides should be treated as potential explosion hazards; alternatives to the ceramic-top hotplate for these reactions should be considered; and lab workers should be prepared for the worst possible…

Reports an experimental procedure for studying Einstein's theory of Brownian movement using commercially available latex microspheres and a video camera. Describes how students can monitor sphere motions and determine Avogadro's number. Uses a black and white video camera, microscope, and TV. (ML)

Examined whether and how the quality of students' explanations of chemical phenomena was affected by changing the method of giving the question and answer between the spoken and written formats. Concluded that there was no difference between the performance of students using any of these combinations of formats. (Author/YP)

Fitting item response models to data from 2 Advanced Placement exams (18,462 and 82,842 students) demonstrates that constructed response items add little to information provided by multiple choice and that scoring on the basis of student item selection gives almost as much information as scoring on the basis of answers. (SLD)

Analyzes student use of a multimedia chemistry instructional program used in an undergraduate chemistry course. Examines student time spent on the software and student use of the software's media components. Finds that students have different usage patterns for completing the same assignment, indicating that students are able to use individual…

A student laboratory exercise on the development of nutrient deficiency and toxicity symptoms was linked to analytical techniques and ion chemistry by having the students determine which ions in the nutrient solutions were missing or present in excess. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/MDH)

A study investigated the predictive relationship between initial student attitudes, college admissions test scores, years of high school mathematics taken, and subsequent achievement in introductory college chemistry. Subjects were 179 college freshmen. Results indicated noncognitive variables such as initial attitudes were significant predictors…

Describes acid-base titration experiments using the computer. (MKR)

Describes the history and the development of the field of superconductivity. Identifies the significant interaction of electrons to form Cooper pairs. Presents background theory, describes approaches, and discusses problems encountered in the search for better high temperature superconducting materials. Provides technological applications of…

Described is a membrane experiment that provides students with experience in fundamental engineering skills such as mass balances, modeling, and using the computer as a research tool. Included are the experimental design, theory, method of solution, sample calculations, and conclusions. (KR)

A study which used citation analysis techniques to examine information use by faculty in a university chemistry department found that 49 percent of the journals cited were from fields other than chemistry. The implications of this finding for university libraries providing information services to scientists engaged in interdisciplinary research…

Reports on misconceptions held by intermediate grade students concerning chemistry textbook concepts, on the relation of reasoning ability to those misconceptions, and on the extent that textbooks encourage misconceptions. Concludes that the level of understanding displayed for the selected concepts, in combination with the nature of students'…

This response to a previously published article on the replaceability of media and instructional methods focuses on a study that uses a chemistry multimedia software package to examine cognitive processes in which learners interact with instructional designs and use media and methods to construct understanding. (nine references) (LRW)

Design and implementation of two courses that will better prepare teachers to teach science in the elementary school are described. An interdisciplinary course in chemistry and biology and a companion science methods course were developed and taught by faculty members from the biology, chemistry, and education departments of Rollins College. An…

Described is a method of evaluating student chemistry laboratory reports using electronic reporting from locally developed macros. Examples of the input template, the grade report template, and input and grading programs are given. Results of a survey of students and teachers evaluating the program are reported. (MDH)