This active learning pedagogical technique aims to improve students' learning in a two-semester, upper-division biochemistry course sequence in which the vast majority of students enrolled will continue on to medical or graduate schools. Instead of lecturing, the Instructor moves to the side of the room, thereby becoming "the guide on the side".…

A writing assignment to increase student understanding of and interest in practical applications of organic chemistry is described. Students were required to study a pharmaceutical or other organic compound and perform a qualitative risk assessment on the chemical. Student perceptions of the benefits of the paper were generally positive. (Contains…

This paper describes two techniques for rendering visual concepts encountered in an organic chemistry course into tactile representations for students who have low vision. The techniques--which utilize commercially available products--facilitate communication of organic chemistry between student and instructor. (Contains 1 figure, 2 tables and 1…

The creative application of low-cost, readily available materials and techniques promotes inclusion and provides accessibility in the classroom and laboratory for students who are blind or have low vision. Difficulties encountered by these students include operation of laboratory equipment, execution of ordinary laboratory procedures, and use of…

This article describes laboratory activity that examines the chemical process of smoking and the components of smoke, of both cigarettes and water pipes (narghiles also known as "hookah"). The aim of this activity is to expose adolescents to the scientific aspects of smoking; and to present the relevance of chemistry in everyday life. (Contains 3…

We present a novel first-year chemistry laboratory experiment that connects solubility, equilibrium, and chemical periodicity concepts. It employs a unique format that asks students to replicate experiments described in different sample lab reports, each lacking some essential information, rather than follow a scripted procedure. This structure is…

The relationship between pH and the aqueous solubility of heavy metals is explored by considering the environmental impact of acidic mine drainage. Acid mine drainage is an important environmental concern in many areas of the United States. Associated with coal mining in the East and hard rock mining in the West, the acidity originates primarily…

A novel experiment for the extraction of lycopene from tomato paste without the use of an organic solvent is described. The experiment employs polymer, green, and analytical chemistry. This environmentally friendly extraction is more efficient and requires less time than the traditional approach using an organic solvent. The extraction is…

In this laboratory activity for introductory organic chemistry, students carry out the tin(II) bis(2-ethylhexanoate)/benzyl alcohol mediated ring-opening polymerization of lactide to form the biodegradable polymer polylactide (PLA). As the mechanism of the polymerization is analogous to that of a transesterification reaction, the experiment can be…

The acylation of ferrocene is a common reaction used in organic laboratories to demonstrate Friedel-Crafts acylation and the purification of compounds using column chromatography. This article describes an acylation of ferrocene experiment that is more eco-friendly than the conventional acylation experiment. The traditional experiment was modified…

A microscale laboratory experiment to investigate the formation and utility of microemulsions is described. Microemulsions are technologically important fluids that can reduce the use of toxic organic solvents. In the experiment, students prepare a microemulsion and compare the solubility of sudan III dye in the microemulsion and in dodecane. They…

This article presents a lab experience to study detergency from a physicochemical point of view intended for undergraduate students. By means of a simple experimental device, we analyze the influence of the surfactant concentration in both distilled water and tap water. Our method is based on the measurement of diffuse reflectances of polyester…

Many physical chemistry lab courses include an experiment in which students measure surface tension as a function of surfactant concentration. In the traditional experiment, the data are fit to the Gibbs isotherm to determine the molar area for the surfactant, and the critical micelle concentration is used to calculate the Gibbs energy of micelle…

Two experiments are described in which students explore phase transitions and critical phenomena by obtaining compression isotherms of phospholipid monolayers using a Langmuir trough. Through relatively simple analysis of their data students gain a better understanding of compression isotherms, the application of the Clapeyron equation, the…

This article describes a simple and inexpensive laboratory exercise developed to understand the effect of pressure on phase equilibrium as described by the Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The only piece of equipment required is a pressure cooker adapted with a pressure gauge and a thermometer in the lid, allowing the measurement of the pressure and…