We describe the components and implementation of an activity for multivariable calculus featuring applications to the field of chemistry. This activity focuses on the isobaric thermal expansion coefficient found using partial differentiation of the volume of an ideal gas with respect to temperature as pressure is held constant. Broader goals of…

Calculus, as commonly taught, describes certain operations on explicit functions, but science relies on experimental data, which is inherently discrete. In the face of this disparity, how can we help students transition from lower-division mathematics courses to upper-division coursework in other STEM disciplines? We discuss here our efforts to…

This article describes our modeling approach to teaching the one-dimensional heat (diffusion) equation in a one-semester undergraduate partial differential equations course. We constructed the apparatus for a demonstration of heat diffusion through a long, thin metal rod with prescribed temperatures at each end. The students observed the physical…