An experiment to verify the Doppler effect of sound waves is described. An ultrasonic source is mounted at the end of a simple pendulum. As the pendulum swings, the rapid change of frequency can be recorded by a stationary receiver using a simple frequency-to-voltage converter. The experimental results are in close agreement with the Doppler…

Picture the scene--a child in a class has brought in a fabulous example of a snake skin, a snail, a seed, a fossil or rock and the whole class wants to see it. How does a teacher allow them all to observe it without destroying it or jostling each other? One way to get around this issue is to use a visualiser. A visualiser is essentially a small…

This paper presents evidence of extinction, spontaneous recovery and renewal in a conditioned preferences paradigm based on taste-taste associations. More specifically, in three experiments rats exposed to a simultaneous compound of citric acid-saccharin solution showed a preference for the citric solution when the preference was measured with a…

Incubators are embedded in the culture of the economics of (value-added) services. To date, at least in Europe, they have operated in a manner analogous to the generation of nuclear power; that is, attempting to produce "entrepreneurial energy" through a process of fission that creates a division between the aspiring entrepreneurs'…

Signal generators, oscilloscopes, and data acquisition (DAQ) systems are standard components of the modern experimental physics laboratory. The sound card, a built-in component in the ubiquitous personal computer, can be utilized for all three of these tasks and offers an attractive option for labs in developing countries such as…

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a common experiment in upper-level undergraduate biochemistry, molecular biology, and forensic laboratory courses as reagents and thermocyclers have become more affordable for institutions. Typically, instructors design PCR primers to amplify the region of interest and the students prepare their samples for…

Molecular biologists commonly use bioinformatics to map and analyze DNA and protein sequences and to align different DNA and protein sequences for comparison. Additionally, biologists can create and view 3D models of protein structures to further understand intramolecular interactions. The primary goal of this 10-week laboratory was to introduce…

A guided-inquiry lab was developed to analyze the Balmer series of the hydrogen atomic spectrum. The emission spectrum of hydrogen was recorded with a homemade benchtop spectrophotometer. By drawing graphs and a trial-and-error approach, students discover the linear relationship presented in the Rydberg formula and connect it with the Bohr model…

The Grignard reaction and the addition of protecting groups are standard reactions in an organic chemistry course. Organic students learn about the "quench" step of the Grignard reaction using acid and water and the acid-catalyzed hydrolysis to remove the protecting group, yet in the lecture students find these two reactions to be confusing in…

The surfaces of mammalian cells are coated with complex carbohydrates, many terminated with a negatively charged "N"-acetylneuraminic acid residue. This motif is specifically targeted by pathogens, including influenza viruses and many pathogenic bacteria, to gain entry into the cell. A necessary step in the influenza virus life cycle is the…

Three experiments with rat subjects examined resurgence of an extinguished instrumental response using the procedure introduced by Epstein (1983) with pigeons. There were three phases: (1) initial acquisition of pressing on a lever (L1) for pellet reward, (2) extinction of L1, and (3) a test session in which a second lever (L2) was inserted,…

This paper presents a new laboratory-based module for embedded systems teaching, which addresses the current lack of consideration for the link between hardware development, software implementation, course content and student evaluation in a laboratory environment. The course introduces second year undergraduate students to the interface between…

We have developed a 9-week undergraduate laboratory series focused on the purification and characterization of "Thermus aquaticus" DNA polymerase (Taq). Our aim was to provide undergraduate biochemistry students with a full-semester continuing project simulating a research-like experience, while having each week's procedure focus on a single…

We piloted an educational model, the Sustainable Agriculture Scholars Program, linking research in organic agriculture to experiential learning activities for summer undergraduate employees in 2007 and 2008. Our objectives were to: (1) further student understanding of sustainable agriculture research, (2) increase student interest in sustainable…

In 2005 India introduced a new National Curriculum Framework aimed at providing a more constructivist approach to learning for all subjects. Previous research on the impact of curriculum reform in other countries (e.g., United States) concluded that for reform to be successful teachers' orientations toward teaching and learning must be considered…