Laboratory

Introduction: The laboratories that accompany Distance Medical General Chemistry I are similar to those preformed by students in a laboratory setting on any college or university campus, with one major exception.  The experiments preformed by online students will take place in their homes using Lab Paq’s purchased through Hands-on-Labs, Inc. Distance laboratories have been made possible by an effort over the last 40 years to move away from toxic substances and into microchemistry.  These efforts have also resulted in safer laboratories that produce less pollution.

The laboratories are at a level for introductory level college general chemistry I courses for pre-health science majors at challenging institutions.  An emphasis is placed on understanding the concept of the laboratories and the scientific method since today’s healthcare professionals are expected to have a general understanding of how science and the scientific method contribute to their profession. The UNE online general chemistry faculty member provides an introduction to each laboratory, relating the lab content to the corresponding course lecture and emphasizing the relevance to the Health Sciences.  The labs are thus for pre-medical, dental, PA, DPT, pharmacy and graduate nutrition students.

Each student enrolled in the laboratory component must purchase LabPaq  CK-NE-1 from Hands-On Labs, Inc. The Lab Paq contains all the necessary chemicals, equipment and a lab manual DVD. The student performs experiments and writes up the laboratory just as they would on campus.

For more information, click on the following links:

• Other Universities and Colleges that use Biology, Chemistry, and Physics LabPaqs
• A list of Laboratory Experiments
  
• What are Micro- and Small-scale Experiments?
• What happens if a student messes up an experiment?
• How are laboratories graded?
• For more information about LabPaq, please visit Hands-On Labs, Inc

Universities and colleges that use Biology, Chemistry, and Physics LabPaqs: Universities: Black Hills State; Cleveland State; Colorado State; DePaul; Drexel; East Carolina; Mississippi State; Northern State (SD); Ohio State; Oklahoma State; Penn State Erie; Penn State; Rutgers; Texas Tech; Thompson Rivers; Arizona; Colorado; Florida; Mass (Lowell); Minnesota (Duluth); Northern Colorado; Oregon; Sioux Falls; South Dakota; Toledo; and Western New Mexico. Colleges: Adams State; Bacone; Bermuda; Colby; New Jersey; Hartwick; Mesa State; Mt. Ida; Rhodes State

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A list of Laboratory Experiments

• Laboratory Techniques & Measurements
• Observations of Chemical Change
• Physical and Chemical Properties
• Separation of a Mixture of Solids
• Stoichiometry of a Precipitation Reaction
• Ionic Reactions
• Properties of Gases
• Caloric Content of Food
• Identification of Metallic Ions
• Determination of Water Hardness

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What are Micro- and Small-scale Experiments?
In the past, chemistry courses required that all classes be conducted on a campus because experiments had to be performed in the campus laboratory. This was due to the many potential hazards inherent in traditional chemical experimentation: toxic fumes, caustic substances, explosive materials, etc.

These elements of danger, plus increasing chemical costs and environmental concerns about chemical disposal, made colleges and universities reexamine the traditional laboratory methods used to teach chemistry. Scientists began to scale down the quantities of chemicals used in their experiments and found that the results remained the same; even when very tiny amounts of chemicals were used. Institutions also discovered that student learning was not impaired by studying small-sized reactions.

Over time, more and more traditional chemistry experiments were redesigned for micro- and small scales. One of the primary pioneers and most prominent contributors to micro- and small-scale experimentation is Dr. Hubert Alyea of Princeton University. He not only reformatted numerous experiments, he also designed many of the techniques and equipment used in micro- and small-scale chemistry today.

With decreased hazards, costs and disposal problems, micro- and small-scale experimentation techniques were quickly adapted for use in scholastic laboratories. As these techniques continued to be further refined, it became possible to perform basic experiments in the classroom and eventually outside the classroom. This slow but steady progression of micro- and small-scale techniques makes it possible for distance students to take a full-credit chemistry course..

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What happens if a student messes up an experiment? Messing up an experiment is part of the learning process and as such should be noted. LabPaqs generally contain enough chemicals and supplies to perform each experiment twice. If a student completely blows an experiment and uses up all related supplies, replacement supplies can be ordered from Hands-On Labs, the maker of LabPaqs.

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How are laboratories graded? The lab grade for each laboratory assignment is based entirely on the post-lab quiz.  Each quiz consists of 10 to 15 multiple choice questions, each worth one point each.  All quizzes are submitted online for a grade.

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