Improving the Chemistry, Biology, Physics/Astronomy, and Environmental Science Curricula Through Implementation of UV-Vis Spectrophotometric Laboratory Activities

Arizona Western College, Yuma AZ

Investigators

Abstract

Interdisciplinary (99) Chemistry (12) Physics (13) Biological Sciences (61) This multidisciplinary project is improving Arizona Western College's (AWC) Chemistry, Biology and Physics/Astronomy laboratory curricula and the joint AWC/Northern Arizona University-Yuma 2+2 Environmental Science program with new laboratory activities that use ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis). AWC is designated by the Department of Education as a Hispanic Serving Institution. Experiments and protocols from a wide variety of sources including the research and educational literature are being combined and adapted to create the laboratory activities. In Chemistry courses, students use the UV-Vis to conduct a photoassisted reaction that mineralizes an organic dye, analyze the campus' pool's disinfectant capacity, test for lead in Mexican glazed pottery, and characterize the absorption spectra of two thermochromic compounds. Biology students are elucidating the structure-function molecular motif from the absorption spectra of plant pigments chlorophyll a and b, and anthocyanins. Students in Physics/Astronomy are studying how particulate matter preferentially scatters more energetic wavelengths and how the interaction between matter and light helps explain red-orange sunsets and sunrises, and cosmological phenomena. Environmental Science students are carrying out a temporal and spatial water quality study of the local desert watershed (Colorado River, Martinez and Mittry Lakes), and analyzing for ammonia and phosphate in both cultivated and uncultivated soils to determine the potential impact for contamination of the local groundwater supply. The multidisciplinary use of the UV-Vis spectrometers: 1) allows faculty to incorporate new laboratory experiments into the curriculum and hence expand topic coverage, 2) allows faculty to teach topics that were previously relegated to lecture because of non-existent instrumentation capacity, 3) gives students hands-on experience with modern instrumentation and methodology, 4) shifts student focus more towards data analysis, and 5) creates undergraduate research opportunities for community college students. The successes and challenges of implementing the spectrophotometric lab activities into the curricula will be shared with the science education community at large via journal submissions and presentations at regional and national meetings.