Several properties of Earth's magnetic field (field vectors, time dependence) are measured in various locations using a smartphone/tablet magnetic sensor. To enable a proper use of the magnetic sensor as a classroom tool, the exact location of the sensor in the device and its resolution must be identified in a first step. Then, students may…

Laboratory activities are a prevalent and essential part of chemistry learning because of their potential to help students develop problem solving abilities, visualize chemistry concepts learned in lecture, and gain practical skills. However, learning in the laboratory environment is not without its challenges. For example, cookbook-style…

In light of COVID-19 in spring 2020, we developed a simple and versatile inquiry-based, laboratory-style active learning colorimetry experiment amenable to at-home quantitative analysis. In this experiment, students acquire an external calibration method using aqueous solutions of a self-selected chromophoric analyte from household products using…

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, education at all levels has temporarily shifted to remote learning, hobbling an integral component of chemistry courses: the laboratory. The chemistry lab is crucial for developing student engagement and learning with hands-on, relevant experiments in a socially dynamic classroom setting. The transition to remote…

A semester-long research project for second-semester organic chemistry lab sections was developed. Student projects were based on preliminary data from faculty research that suggested the natural product neurolenin B to be a treatment for lymphatic filariasis. Students isolated neurolenins from the Central American plant "Neurolaena…

Previous work at Monash University has shown that students recognise that inquiry-, problem-, context- and industry-based experiments were better contextualised, more open to decision making and aided in the development of scientific and transferable skills. This study investigated whether these gains persisted over a longer time scale, rather…

Flavonoids have been studied extensively for their antioxidant properties. Specifically, the flavonoids in tea, such as catechin and epigallocatechin gallate, have been shown to have positive health effects. These compounds are also oxidizable, so the concentrations of these compounds in a given kind of tea can be determined using cyclic…

Introductory organic chemistry laboratory is often a difficult course for students in terms of translating the structural information and reactivity learned in lecture to the practical applications found in the laboratory. These concepts are even more difficult when presented through distance learning when a student cannot get hands-on experience.…

In a well-known bronze plating experiment, a Cu coupon is subjected to Sn plating and heating with a Bunsen burner. Currently, aqueous NaOH or HCl is typically used as the plating solution; however, the use of a strong acid or base provides operational risks, particularly in educational settings (e.g., schools). Herein, we introduce a modified…

We are living in the Big Data era, and yet we may have serious troubles when dealing with a handful of kinetic data if we are not properly instructed. The aim of this paper, related to enzyme kinetics, is to illustrate how to determine the K[subscript m] and V[subscript max] of a michaelian enzyme avoiding the pitfalls in which we often fall. To…

This paper demonstrates the use of a smartphone's sensors in recording experimental data for investigating the large angle of a physical pendulum. The smartphone (iPhone 5s) was attached to a beam to record simultaneously both the angular position and the angular speed of the beam oscillating about the pivot. The period and phase space of the…

As data and protocols are increasingly generated, accessed, and manipulated electronically, many labs are shifting to storing data in electronic laboratory notebooks (ELNs). ELNs provide clear advantages in readability, shareability, searchability, accessibility, and data security over their paper counterparts. Our interdisciplinary program…

We implemented research-based learning (RBL) as an alternative to traditional frontal classroom lectures and laboratory sessions to impart knowledge on the emerging topic of microplastics in soil to students. The RBL module aimed at studying how microplastics (MPs) affect soil processes. We designed low-cost, small-scale and simple experiments for…

The glowing discharges of plasma obtained by introducing direct current high voltages between two electrodes in a chamber that contains a low pressure gas produces a spectacular effect that makes it attractive to be used as a laboratory experiment for students. Setting up this experiment is however costly and has crucial safety issues to be…

The impact force and duration when one billiard ball collides head-on with another is estimated by assuming that the balls are connected by a spring. The results are compared with a measurement when a billiard ball collides with a heavy, rigid surface.