The use of molecular models in chemistry and biochemistry classes is very effective in helping students understand covalent bonds and the chemical structure of molecules. However, conventional molecular models cannot represent intermolecular interactions such as hydrogen bonds and electrostatic interactions. Herein, we describe 3D printed…

We present an approach to the question of the educational relations between chemistry and physics based on the one hand, on an inferentialist account of scientific representation (Suárez M., (2024), "Inference and Representation. A Study in Modelling Science," Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press). On the other, we have…

Remembering is not a static process: When retrieved, a memory can be destabilized and become prone to modifications. This phenomenon has been demonstrated in a number of brain regions, but the neuronal mechanisms that rule memory destabilization and its boundary conditions remain elusive. Using two distinct computational models that combine…

Protein molecular weight standards are routinely employed in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) to estimate the apparent sizes of unknown proteins within a sample. For training students, a laboratory course based on the production of marker proteins is proposed. Following fractionation by column chromatography, a…

Interconverting different molecular representations can be problematic for many organic chemistry students. This is certainly the case when converting Fischer projections into bond-line structures. When performing the conversion from a Fischer projection into an all-staggered bond-line structure, students are sometimes taught to draw the fully…

For solid solutions with the same arrangement of atoms, the size of a unit cell depends on the size of the atoms in the unit cell. The distance between nuclei also helps determine how strongly electrons are held, which changes the band gap energy. Samples of semiconductor CH[subscript 3]NH[subscript3]Pb(I[subscript…

Most studies of molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity have focused on the sequence of changes either at individual synapses or in the cell nucleus. However, studies of long-term facilitation at "Aplysia" sensory neuron--motor neuron synapses in isolated cell culture suggest two additional features of facilitation. First, that there…

This study proposes a lab experiment consisting of three consecutive steps designed to expose undergraduate students to the fundamental aspects of nanoscience. Two different procedures for the reduction of silver ions were provided: Th was obtained. Next, the students explored the aggregation process of silver nanoparticles by converting one…

Hormones are the major signaling molecules that have a complex signaling cascade involving intracellular and intranuclear receptors, coreceptors, and signal transduction pathways. The molecular mechanism of hormonal action is written in a poetic verse to kindle the interest of students and to augment their affinity toward the onerous yet awesome…

Students need a strong understanding of how to represent chemical compounds in order to succeed in organic chemistry. This project set out to gain a better understanding of students' difficulties with symbolic representations, by identifying the specific errors associated with drawing wedge-dash structures. The focus was on how students…

Research suggests that students hold misconceptions about the immune system, but little is known about how they reason about the mechanisms by which the immune system operates. This study investigated how students reasoned about the immune system in Beirut, Lebanon. The study used a qualitative approach and investigated 16 Grade 12 participants…

This article describes a novel method for quantifying fixation disparity and evaluates its role in visuospatial cognition during an authentic learning task, specifically, the determination of molecule chirality in organic chemistry involving mental rotation and pattern comparison. The first study examined the influence of molecular model…

Understanding the general ideas and methods of detecting molecular structures is essential in high school chemistry. However, there is a need for more practical activities in teaching. A hands-on activity was designed in this study, which uses flexible foam balls and long sticks such as knitting needles to imitate how scientists construct the 3D…

This investigation of student and instructor representations of molecular orbitals (MOs) uses the knowledge from a community of practice to build collective pedagogical content knowledge of student understanding of molecular orbital representations in the foundation-level inorganic chemistry course. Participants were asked to sketch the bonding…

A deep understanding of organic chemistry requires a learner to understand many concepts and have fluency with multiple skills. This understanding is particularly necessary for constructing and using mechanisms to explain chemical reactions. Electrophilicity and nucleophilicity are two fundamental concepts to learning and understanding reaction…