Student-Designed Experiment: Preparation and Mass Spectrum of Cyclohexasulfur

TCE

The Chemical Educator

ISSN: 1430-4171 (electronic version)

Table of Contents

Abstract Volume 6 Issue 2 (2001) pp 109-111

Student-Designed Experiment: Preparation and Mass Spectrum of Cyclohexasulfur

David E. Berry,* Kelli L. Fawkes, and Tristram Chivers^‡

Department of Chemistry, University of Victoria, Box 3065, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, V8W 3V6, and ^‡Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N. W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
Received October 25, 2000. Accepted November 23, 2000

Published online: 26 January 2001

Abstract. The teaching laboratory is an ideal environment for fostering active learning; yet, it is often criticized for being too "cookbook". In introductory courses, the high student population often dictates that many students perform the same experiment simultaneously. By working in discussion groups, with individual bench work, we are able to turn this communal effort into a strength. This article describes the revision of a recipe-style experiment into a student-designed procedure.

Key Words: Laboratories and Demonstrations; general chemistry; discussion groups

(*) Corresponding author. (E-mail: berryde@uvvm.uvic.ca)

Article in PDF format (125 KB) HTML format

Supporting Materials:

Students handouts are available in the single compressed file s00897010458b.zip (97 KB) 10.1007/s00897010458b