Herein, we present an experience-based learning approach that uses the COVID-19 pandemics knowledge about virus spread and epidemics to establish an analogy between a simple epidemics model--the SIR model (susceptible--infected--removed), and a second-order autocatalytic reaction with subsequent catalyst deactivation. Our approach provides a…

We present an experiment designed to hone the decision-making skills of (undergraduate) chemistry students by using aqueous crossed aldol reactions. Here, we present two simple crossed aldol reactions based on inexpensive and readily available materials: The condensation of vanillin and cinnamaldehyde with acetone. The procedure uses the variation…

MEMs gyros, such as those in smartphones allow the angular velocity of pendulums to be precisely measured at large angles, and phase plots of the angular acceleration versus the angular displacement confirm that [double dot][phi] = -[omega][superscript 2][subscript o] sin[phi] even for the non-sinusoidal motion at amplitude [phi][subscript o]…

The importance of understanding factors that contribute to surface wettability is highlighted in this new organic chemistry laboratory experiment, which aims to introduce the application of organic chemistry at the interface of polymer chemistry and material science. Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a hydrophobic silicon-based rubber, is polymerized…

The quantum mechanics of a simplified Pöschl-Teller potential in one dimension is analyzed at an elementary level. The number of bound states of this potential is determined by a parameter "l" characterizing the depth of the potential energy. The resulting collection of potentials with varying depth, as well as their ground state…

An undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory experiment that provides an introduction to the concepts and practices of photoredox catalysis is reported. While undergraduate-level photochemistry experiments typically place emphasis on analytical properties of catalysts rather than synthetic applications, this experiment showcases the power and…

The convenient synthesis of dihydroberberine by the reduction of berberine is described as an experiment for an upper-division undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory course. Students obtained up to 74% yield of the desired pure product without the use of chromatographic techniques. The antimicrobial activities of both compounds against…

Two key topics of many second-year organic chemistry courses are substitution and elimination reactions. Predicting and explaining substitution and elimination reactions tends to be a challenging task for students, as documented in the research literature. Motivated by the many documented challenges experienced by students when learning these…

Mass spectrometry is one of the few instrumental analysis techniques that can be relatively well-understood with physics/chemistry knowledge typical of an advanced high school or a beginning undergraduate student. This positions mass spectrometry well to be used as a bridge between abstract concepts typically set as learning goals in courses at…

This article describes the development of the Quantization and Probability Representations Inventory (QuPRI) as a measure of student understanding of the electron structure of the atom. The QuPRI was created using a mixed-method sequential design such that the items and distractors were generated on the basis of the analysis of semi-structured…

An undergraduate teaching laboratory experiment involving a continuous flow, bleach-mediated oxidation of aldehydes under biphasic conditions was developed that allowed students to explore concepts of mixing or mass transport, solvent sustainability, biphasic reactions, phase transfer catalysis, and continuous flow chemistry.

Chemical equilibrium is one of the most important concepts in chemistry. The changes in properties of the chemical system at equilibrium induced by variations in pressure, volume, temperature, and concentration are always included in classroom teaching and discussions. This work introduces a novel, geometrical approach to understanding the…

A set of biochemistry experiments based on the technique of protein colorimetry is described. Students used the Biuret and Bradford assays to qualitatively and quantitatively assess solutions for protein. Two unique features of these experiments are (1) the use of intentional discrepancies within each experiment to promote critical thinking and…

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…

Disrupting a gene to determine its effect on an organism's phenotype is an indispensable tool in molecular biology. Such techniques are critical for understanding how a gene product contributes to the development and cellular identity of organisms. The explosion of genomic sequencing technologies combined with recent advances in genome-editing…