Build Your Own Photometer: A Guided-Inquiry Experiment To Introduce Analytical Instrumentation

A guided-inquiry project designed to teach students the basics of spectrophotometric instrumentation at the second year level is presented. Students design, build, program, and test their own single-wavelength, submersible photometer using low-cost light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and inexpensive househ...

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Veröffentlicht in:Journal of chemical education 2016-01, Vol.93 (1), p.166-171
Hauptverfasser: Wang, Jessie J, Rodríguez Núñez, José R, Maxwell, E. Jane, Algar, W. Russ
Format: Artikel
Sprache:eng
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Zusammenfassung:A guided-inquiry project designed to teach students the basics of spectrophotometric instrumentation at the second year level is presented. Students design, build, program, and test their own single-wavelength, submersible photometer using low-cost light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and inexpensive household items. A series of structured prelaboratory assignments guide students through the processes of researching background information, designing a photometer device, and developing their own procedure to test the performance of the device. Students also learn basic skills of data acquisition by programming an easy-to-use LabVIEW interface for their device. Using a colorimetric indicator dye, students use their photometers and LabVIEW interfaces to determine the endpoint of an acid–base titration and compare the linear response of their device against that of a commercially available spectrophotometer. Students who completed the experiment indicated that the experience improved their understanding of spectroscopy, as well as their critical thinking skills and research ability.
ISSN:0021-9584
1938-1328
DOI:10.1021/acs.jchemed.5b00426