Science and technology bond together like carbon and hydrogen. One field benefits the other- scientific discoveries advance technological applications which then return more sophisticated research tools to the scientific community. Many of your chemistry students will graduate into a world that integrates science and technology into a singular platform that utilizes electronic data collection technology, a safer and more efficient mode of gathering and managing information. Give your freshman chemistry students the technological edge they need to facilitate learning while simultaneously freeing yourself from expensive hardware upgrades, viruses and archaic forms of monitoring student progress in your freshman chemistry lab.
When you switch to electronic data collection technology, you’ll immediately notice how much more available space you have in your general chemistry lab. In the typical, old-fashioned general chemistry lab, each student shared bench space with their own large, cumbersome PC. These PCs are at increased risk for virus infection, costly hardware and software upgrades and usually need to be replaced every three to four years. The MeasureNet MCAN, or Multifunctional Chemical Analysis Network, replaces up to 15 individual PCs with a single PC that is used by the instructor to monitor student activity and manage their data files, locally or on the cloud.
Student workstations integrate with a wide variety of probes and other chemistry laboratory apparatus that enable your chemistry lab students to accurately perform hands-on experiments in general chemistry, environmental chemistry, STEM and biochemistry labs. These hands-on lab exercises are critical for the students’ development of basic chemistry concepts.
Chances are good that students in your general chemistry lab are already technologically advanced and have used electronic data collection technology in high school. They are also quite accustomed to cloud computing from using products like Google Docs and Dropbox, where both software and files are saved online rather than on a personal computer. MeasureNet’s MCAN technology merges electronic data collection and cloud computing capabilities together. MCAN allows your student to measure and collect high resolution data in the lab and store it on the cloud for later analysis and lab report generation. Students, especially science students, will be excited to use the advanced technology MeasureNet MCAN offers. MeasureNet MCAN technology takes your students to the next level, giving your students the edge they need when whether they go on to industry or pursue advanced degrees in science.
Cloud computing also helps you monitor your chemistry lab students from the instructors PC to be sure they are conducting the experiment, collecting data and analyzing information properly. You can also monitor live data collection experiments remotely. Using the internet you can connect to MeasureNet MCAN workstations from outside the chemistry lab using a computer, tablet or smart phone.
MCAN electronic data collection technology can easily be in integrated into your current chemistry lab curriculum and can be adapted to fit a variety of teaching styles.
- POGIL
- STEM
- Self Directed
- Verification-style
- Inquiry-based Chemistry Labs
- Hands-on learning
You can easily integrate MeasureNet based experiments into your current lab curriculum. Here is a small sample of experiments that can be conducted with the MCAN technology.
- Gas Laws
- Colligative Properties
- Enthalpy of Reaction — Hess's Law
- Determination of the Heat of Neutralization of a Variety of Strong Acids and Bases
- Chemical Kinetics
- Determination of a Reaction Equalibrium Constant Using Absorption Spectroscopy
- pH and Buffer Solutions
- pH titrations and end-point determination using Drop Counter
- Identifying a Weak Unknown Acid
- Determination of the Molecular Weight of a Volatile Liquid Using the Ideal Gas Law
- Vapor Pressure and Heat of Vaporization
Using MeasureNet’s MCAN technology in your lab means you’ll spend less time working as a computer repair technician and more time teaching chemistry. The MeasureNet MCAN frees you from problems usually associated with PC-based systems. Virus removal and reimaging computers will be a thing of the past.
Get back to doing what you love – teaching chemistry to hungry minds – by replacing your old, worn out computers with intuitive space saving MCAN electronic data collection technology. Excite students in your general chemistry labs by using the same technically advanced instrumentation used by university research labs and real-world industry chemistry labs. Make your chemistry lab program exciting and technologically relevant to students by using electronic data collection technology in your labs.
The MCAN® Concept
The MeasureNet Multifunctional Chemical Analysis Network (MCAN® ) is an innovative analytical instrumentation eliminating a multitude of the obstacles that are associated with the PC-based lab systems. With the consolidation of student data acquisition workstations into a solitary network for each group of students, expensive hardware upgrades, computer viruses and the footprint of large equipment is eliminated.
The student workstations we provide interface with numerous kinds of probes as well as other apparatus that are utilized in chemistry laboratories. This allows for a broad range of general chemistry, physical chemistry and biochemistry lab experiments.
MeasureNet can be useful in a freshman chemistry lab or in advanced chemistry labs. Whether used in the freshman chemistry lab, biochemistry, STEM, or environmental chemistry laboratories, MeasureNet is an essential tool.
With MeasureNet, the student takes the measurements at their workstation and the results of those measurements can be stored and then monitored on a single central computer. This allows the instructor to follow student progress and data files. There is no need to contend with the multiple headaches that are associated with managing student lab data because MeasureNet can do it all for you.
Solutions in the Chemistry Lab with MeasureNet
- Less bench space due to energy efficient workstations with smaller foot prints.
- Securely Protected online data storage for students.
- Viruses and computer re-imaging are things of the past with MeasureNet.
- The collection of data electronically allows for more time being spent on the actual experiments.
- Eliminates the need to upgrade large numbers of computers every few years.
- The best quality, research grade chemistry probware is utilized to collect high-resolution data.
General Chemistry Lab Experiments Performed with MeasureNet
MeasureNet was designed to offer instructors considerable academic flexibility with its ability to support a wide range of experiments.
MeasureNet has the ability to support experiments for individual or collaborative student projects in a freshman chemistry lab or in an advanced lab.
The adoption of electronic data acquisition does not require the disposal of experiments that have been proven to build the students’ skills or enhance their understanding of imperative concepts. The longstanding experiments can very easily be integrated into curricula combined with the experiments appropriate for MeasureNet. Other experiments requiring conversion can be modified with the assistance of our curriculum specialists.
Title examples for Guided inquiry, Self-Directed, POGIL, Verification-style and STEM experiments utilizing MeasureNet are as follows:
- Specific Heat of a Metal
- Hot & Cold Packs- Dystan Medical Supply Company
- A Colligative Property of Solutions-Freezing Point
- Quality control at the GlassEX Company-Self-Directed
- Buffer & pH Solutions
- Proteins & Amino Acids
- Chemical Kinetics
- Gas Laws
- Voltaic Cells
- Substances Specific Heat
- Analysis of Metals Emissions
- Heat of Vaporization & Vapor Pressure
- Determining Chromium (VI) Concentrations using Absorption Spectroscopy
- Colligative Properties
- Determining the Cause of a Fish Kill Located in the Clark Fork of the Columbia River
- Identification of a Weak Unknown Acid
- Analysis of the Phosphorus in Cola
- Identification of an Unknown Metal-Self Directed
- Determining the Ka Value of a Weak Acid
- Determining the concentration of Acetic Acid in Vinegar
- Determining the Molecular Weight, with the use of the Ideal Gas Law, of a Volatile liquid
- Hess’ Law-Enthalpy of Reaction
- Analysis of the Phosphorus in Fertilizer
- Determining the Heat of Neutralization for Various Strong Bases & Acid
- Reaction Stoichiometry & Moles
- Determining a Reaction Equilibrium Constant with the Use of Absorption Spectroscopy
- Analysis of Emission of Aequeous Solutions from Group IA & IIA Metal Salts
Measurement of molecular fluorescence is an important analytical technique in chemical and biological sciences. The capacity of detecting very small fluorophore concentrations, or small changes in its concentration, combined with high specificity make this technique a very powerful analytical tool.
Kinetic methods for determining reaction rates are commonly used. While most experiments are designed to determine the order of a particular reaction in order to gain insight to the reaction mechanism, kinetic methods are also used for quantitative analysis. Determination of the initial reaction rate is one way of quantitatively analyzing a compound within a suitable reaction system.
The following experiment is designed to introduce students to both of these concepts, fluorescence and kinetics as analytical method. This combined technique has the advantage of increased analyte specificity over equilibrium-based fluorescence measurements. As only the compound that is reacting is causing a change in the measured fluorescence signal, steady-state interferences are largely eliminated.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates and normal function of he nervous and cardiovascular systems. Severe vitamin B1 deficiency will eventually lead to beriberi, characterized by abnormal functions of the muscular and nervous systems, as well as heart and brain abnormalities. Vitamin B1 occurs naturally in foods like whole grains, nuts, vegetables, pork, and liver.
Thiamine (TM), a non-fluorescent compound, has been found to be oxidized selectively by mercuric oxide (HgO) at a rate suitable for monitoring with standard fluorescence spectrometers.1 The oxidation product, thiochrome (TC), is fluorescent with a strong absorbance maximum at 367 nm and fluorescence emission at 444 nm. Deprotonation of TM yields a non-fluorescent tricyclic intermediate (CI), which is oxidized to TC as outlined in Scheme 1. Immediate oxidation of CI is essential to avoid the formation of several non-fluorescent productions.1 Thus, it is important to follow the sequential addition of reactants as outlined below... To view the complete experiment Click Here.
LUMINESCENCE/PHOSPHORIMETRY
Last, but certainly not least, is the use of the MeasureNet “Colorimeter” as a “Phosphorimeter”… also called a “Luminometer”… which, is one of the more versatile Analytical “tools” not readily found in most laboratories. A “Phosphorecent” response can be induced by UV-fluorescence AFTER the light souce is removed… or it can be caused by a chemical reaction that causes the “emission” of VISIBLE Light photons. The proprietary design of the “Colorimeter” optical layout allows the analyst to get the desired response from their sample material… again using the same high-sensitivity optics.
Bio-Luminescence in Fish and Algae, Luciferin/Luciferase Reaction in Fireflies, UV-Blocking capacity of SPF Lotions, the ‘controllable' oxidation of Luminol Light-Sticks, the newly developed photo-luminescent additives for plastics used in skyscraper building and more are beginning labs you can use directly as-is, or modify for your own specific curriculum… as outlined for your review:
Luminescence (“Phosphorescence”) for Kinetic & Relative Comparison values:
• Check out these Glow-in-the-Dark Plastics… some are made of material quite Fantastic!
• Bio-Luminescent Algae and Bacteria are found in “Healthy” Waters… See anything “Fishy”?
• P-AminoBenzoic Acid is the SPF of “Old”… using Luminscence its tale can be told!
• “UV” Light causes “Glow-in-the-Dark” Photon Motions… “Block” it with some SPF Lotion!
• “Luciferase” is the enzyme in the Fire-Fly… catch a few & give this Phosphorimetry Lab a try!
• The Luminol “Light Stick” reaction… uses Organic Oxidation to set those Photons in action!
Many current MeasureNet users that have the MDBC-138 “Colorimeter”… and potential customers, too… may not be aware of the tremendous versatility of this spectral device… and many potential *new* Customers in academia can save a significant amount of time, money and resources by implementing this technology for their teaching laboratories and educational curricula. Designed for simple, direct plug-n-play capability with any MeasureNet Workstation.
#3) TURBIDIMETRIC / NEPHELOMETRIC LIGHT-SCATTERING SPECTROMETRY
The “Colorimeter” can also be used in the “Turbidometer” mode… or more precisely, as a “Nephelometer”, since nephelometry uses a Near-IR LED (@ 880nm) to measure the SCATTERED light at a 90° angle from the light source, as it is done on the MeasureNet unit. Tests can be made on sample solutions that have existing particulate suspensions… or a reaction can be made to produce a range of particulates for relative and direct measurements. Originally used for Clinical Chemistry applications, Turbidometry/Nephelometry can be applied to a wide range of curriculum subjects… from Organic Synthesis & Analytical Chemistry to Environmental & Biochemistry Labs. Some of these unique and educational labs are shown here:
Turbidity (“Nephelometry”) for Kinetic & Relative Comparison at Single values:
• Environmental Testing of “Settleable Solids” for River / Stream & Estuarial Waters
• Reducing Sugars by Benedict’s Test... great for Diabetics, Atkins-Diets and all the rest!
• Collect some of the DUST from your “Air”… is it okay to breathe or is something there?
• Rate of Reaction of Silver Ion + Chloride Ion to form AgCl precipitate… Kool Kinetics!
• The classic Princeton “Nassau Clock” Reaction… makes for a great teaching Lab attraction!
• Measurement of Yeast Growth in Beer… is it fermenting slow or in high-gear?
Have you ever wanted to look in from your office or remote location to check on the progress of your lab students or an experiment you are running? Or what about sharing experiment data from this morning’s lab with rural student miles away with no lab access? With MeasureNet’s new Remote Monitor software, you can— whether you’re down the hall or across the country.
Designed with STEM partnerships and outreach activities in mind, Remote Monitor gives institutions without MeasureNet a chance to participate through the graphical viewing of acquired data files and the analysis of collected data via most any statistical or spreadsheet software. It also allows lab directors, instructors, and teaching assistants to monitor their MeasureNet networks from different physical locations.
Any station on any network can be monitored live or its saved files can be downloaded to any PC running Remote Monitor. Network chat boxes make it easy for teaching assistants to communicate with each other or with the lab manager. Remote Monitor also enables MeasureNet’s Cincinnati offices to quickly troubleshoot a network anywhere in the world as long as it is connected to the Internet. With appropriate IDs and passwords, a collaborating institution can have access to partner real-time lab experiments or saved data for research or outreach activities. Remote Monitor installs on any Windows-based PC connected to the Internet and doesn't require additional software or MeasureNet hardware.
MeasureNet Technology Ltd. manufactures patented, network-based data acquisition interfaces for science teaching laboratories. It is a spin-off of the University of Cincinnati's Department of Chemistry and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. Measurenet's award-winning, PC-reducing design helps reduce laboratory maintenance and operational costs while giving students access to high quality shared UV-vis spectroscopy, gas chromatograph connectivity, and an array of innovative probeware. Its acclaimed intuitive design provides improved transparency to enable better science-focused, not technology-focused, learning. Winner of the Ohio Governor's Award For Excellence in Energy Efficiency, MeasureNet networks are found in universities, community colleges, high schools, and vocational training centers across the United States and around the world.
On Sept. 26 the U.S. Department of Education announced that 97 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are the recipients of awards given through the Hispanic-Serving Institutions Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and Articulation Programs (HSI STEM and Articulation Programs). The program had about $100 million for 109 grants that will support the development of articulation between two and four year institutions or enhance science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs at HSIs. The grant funds may be used for:
- scientific or laboratory equipment for teaching
- the construction or renovation of facilities
- purchasing educational materials
- academic tutoring or counseling programs
- teacher education
- student support services.
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