Do-It-Yourself Experiments for the Instructional Laboratory

Abstract

A new design for experiments in the general chemistry laboratory incorporates a “do-it-yourself” component for students. In this design, students perform proven experiments to gain experience with techniques for about two-thirds of a laboratory session and then spend the last part in the do-it-yourself component, applying the techniques to an experiment of their own design. An emphasis on classifying inorganic reactions as acid–base, redox, complexation, and precipitation supports this program. An example is an enthalpy of reaction experiment in which students study an acid–base reaction, a complexation reaction, a precipitation reaction, and a redox reaction. Students perform three of the proven reactions and then do the fourth type with a reaction of their choosing. Other examples of experiments are described. The do-it-yourself component engages students in design and interpretation within a reasonable framework. With this approach, students take chances with new ideas as do working scientists.

Publisher

American Chemical Society

Publication Date

3-23-2012

Publication Title

Journal of Chemical Education

Department

Chemistry and Biochemistry

Document Type

Article

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/ed200748q

Keywords

Qualitative analysis, Precipitation/Solubility, Oxidation/Reductin, Equilibrium, Acids/Bases, Inquiry-based/Discovery learning, Physical chemistry, Laboratory instruction, Curriculum, First-year undergraduate/General

Language

English

Format

text

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