This study investigated the effects of a modeling-based text on 10th graders' modeling competencies. Fifteen 10th graders read a researcher-developed modeling-based science text on the ideal gas law that included explicit descriptions and representations of modeling processes (i.e., model selection, model construction, model validation, model…

In this study, the PTEchLS WebQuest on Gas Laws was evaluated. It was designed for Form Four students with active learning styles. The focus of the evaluation was on the usability and effectiveness of the PTechLS WebQuest. Data were collected from interviews and students' achievement scores. Two teachers and eight students volunteered to…

We discuss the use of a simple piece of equipment made of a 50 mL syringe attached to a 2 mL graduated pipet to demonstrate Boyle's law and Charles's law. A plot of the hydrostatic pressure against the reciprocal of the volume of the gas read from the equipment is linear as discussed in the paper and gives the atmospheric pressure at the…

Access to curriculum learning materials is a central need for students who are blind. This research examined the use of Listening-to-Complexity (L2C) based on NetLogo, an agent-based modeling language enabling exploration and construction of models of complex systems. L2C, designed for users who are blind, provides several auditory streams…

In an effort to investigate the factors that lead to success in general chemistry, the Math-Up Skills Test (MUST) and common questions were used along with a student characteristic questionnaire. The MUST is a 20-item instrument to measure mathematics fluency, which is done without a calculator with a 15-min time limit. It has been shown as a…

The ability of our society to make informed energy-usage decisions in the future depends partly on current science and engineering students retaining a deep understanding of the thermodynamics of heat engines. Teacher imaginations and equipment budgets can both be taxed in the effort to engage students in hands-on heat engine activities. The…

In place of a traditional Advanced Placement Chemistry class at the high school where I teach, I have recently developed and implemented a year-long, interdisciplinary curriculum that presents typical inorganic chemistry topics in the context of their relevant applications in archeology, art history, studio art, and the investigation,…

This article describes the educational and public engagement outcomes of an activity called the "ChemClout Challenge" that was implemented in a general chemistry course at UC Riverside. Students worked in groups to make chemistry-themed videos, posted them to social media platforms, then voted on their favorite videos. The majority of…

For students to develop an understanding of science content and processes, teachers must create classroom environments in which students use inquiry to understand the natural world. However, teachers frequently find it difficult, if not impossible, to demonstrate complex scientific concepts, which textbooks often fail to properly explain. During…

?-Cyclodextrin can assemble in the presence of KOH or RbOH into metal-organic frameworks (CD-MOFs) with applications in gas adsorption and environmental remediation. Crystalline CD-MOFs are grown by vapor diffusion and their reversible adsorption of CO[subscript 2](g) is analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The experiment can be…

Many students probably know something about space from playing computer games or watching movies and TV shows. Teachers can expose them to the real thing by launching their experiments into near space on a weather balloon. This article describes how to use high-altitude ballooning (HAB) as a culminating project to a chemistry unit on experimental…

An experiment involving a moisture-sensitive synthesis and spectroscopic characterization suitable for the advanced inorganic laboratory course is presented. The acid-base complex ammonia borane (AB) is synthesized from the heterogeneous reaction between sodium borohydride and finely ground ammonium sulfate in tetrahydrofuran solvent. AB is…

A simplified activity examined gas density while employing cost-efficient syringes in place of traditional glass bulbs. The exercise measured the density of methane, with very good accuracy and precision, in both first-year high school and AP chemistry settings. The participating students were tasked with finding the density of a gas. The…

Deep learning of science involves integration of existing knowledge and normative science concepts. Past research demonstrates that combining physical and virtual labs sequentially or side by side can take advantage of the unique affordances each provides for helping students learn science concepts. However, providing simultaneously connected…

This study focuses on students' understandings of a liquid-gas system with liquid-vapor equilibrium in a closed system using a pressure-temperature ("P-T") diagram. By administrating three assessment questions concerning the "P-T" diagrams of liquid-gas systems to students at the beginning of undergraduate general chemistry…