1. Use primary literature to formulate a research question and hypothesis.

2. Consider the physical and chemical properties of alcohols, carboxylic acids, and esters to perform an organic sythesis.

3. Design an experimental method, including necessary controls, to test the effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable.

4. Collect and analyze experimental data.

5. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of biofuels as an alternative fuel source.

6. Explore the implications of scientific advancement on government policy and societal inequities.

7. Define and execute practical actions that can result in meaningful policy change to address social inequities.

This activity is a mix of lab and pre-lab activities intended for undergraduate chemistry students. The activity has also been used in Advanced Placement high school chemistry classes. This activity works well in units that cover thermodynamics and/or properties of organic compounds. It can be used in large classes of 20 students or more and only requires reagents that are common to the undergraduate lab. Prior to this lesson, students should have a general understanding of intermolecular forces, interpreting organic structures, and the use of common lab equipment.

In this activity, I guide students through the major steps in developing and testing a research question and hypothesis. This project involves use of scientific literature to create a research question and hypothesis related to exploration around biodiesel development and use. Then students must critically evaluate method parameters in determining how to test the effect of their chosen independent variable on their chosen dependent variable. Students must collaborate with fellow group members to formulate their project. Each group also collaborates with at least one other group in exploring how various method modifications affect biodiesel production and use. This activity is broken into 6 main parts. Many of the parts can be stand-alone assignments, if you choose not to use the entire 6-part series.

Part I: The Dirty Truth About Biodiesel Oil Palm Plantations and Human Rights Part I assignment-The Dirty Truth About Biodiesel Oil Palm Plantations and Humans Rights.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 465kB Jun19 23): This assignment, included as a Word document, begins by helping students define relevant terms related to biofuel production. It then moves on to help students understand what a biofuel is and how biofuels reduce greenhouse emissions. In each step, I guide students toward basic background information on things like defining "carbon sink" and describing the difference between cellulosic fuels and biodiesel fuels. With the information provided, students respond to question prompts such as: "Why is the concept of a carbon-sink important in explaining how biofuels reduce green house gas concentrations in the atmosphere?" Finally, students are asked to read an article from Human Rights Watch titled "When we lost the forest we lost everything." A video is included in this article. Then students comment on the impact of palm-based biodiesel production on an Indonesian Community.

Part II: Designing Controls-Heat of Combustion Designing controls-Heat of combustion.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 58kB Jun1 23): This part, also included as a Word document, provides an introduction to the mechanics of method development. I introduced this step after a first attempt at the research project showed that 1st year, undergraduate chemistry students were uncomfortable with creating their own method. This focuses on the apparatus used to measure heat of combustion. It requires students to think about all the variables in the apparatus that may influence to heat of combustion. In so doing, students think about all the variables they need to control in order to isolate the impact of the independent variable on the dependent variable. This also gives students practice with an apparatus they might use to measure their dependent variable, depending on which dependent variable they choose. This assignment can also be phrased as a "Design Challenge" to see which group can create the most efficient calorimeter.

Part III: Hypothesis formulation (from Student handout-Biodiesel research project) Student handout-Biodiesel research project (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 98kB Jun1 23). Part III can be done in class, in lab or as homework. If you choose to do this in class or lab, it can take anywhere from 30-50 minutes. The handout contains a link to an open-source article by Farrugia et al, that describes how to formulate and format a scientific hypothesis and research question. The handout also contains a link to an article called "Biodiesel production from waste chicken fat with low free fatty acids by an integrated catalytic process of composite membrane and sodium methoxide." This part offers a good opportunity to bring in a research librarian to explain how to read primary literature. I have found that research librarians are very good at explaining the process of digesting scientific literature in order to find the hypothesis and research question. Also, bringing in a non-scientist helps ease students' fears about scientific literature, since a librarian can prove that even a novice can get the main point of a dense, research article. If your library doesn't have access to this article, you can substitute with a comparable research article. For example, this open-source article would work: https://biointerfaceresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/20695837115.1285812868.pdf

Part IV: Method Development (Student handout-Biodiesel research project) Student handout-Biodiesel research project (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 98kB Jun1 23). In the "Student Handout for designing and testing a hypothesis related to biodiesel production" provides students with a template protocol. Using this protocol alone, your students will be able to make ~150-200 mL of biodiesel. However, the goal is for students to vary one step in the protocol as their independent variable. The student handout has many suggestions for independent variables from which to choose. At the end of the template protocol, students are also given options for possible dependent variables to test. This is where I must evaluate each independent/dependent variable for feasibility given supply, time and space limitations. It is possible to reduce the amounts given in the protocol to 1/2 or 1/4 or even of that given. If you are using alcohol lamps to measure heat of combustion, you just need to make sure that your students make enough biodiesel to soak the wick. Part IV typically requires a full 2 or 3 hour lab period. Student handout-Biodiesel research project (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 98kB Jun1 23)

Part V: Analysis (Student handout-Biodiesel research project) Student handout-Biodiesel research project (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 98kB Jun1 23). This part asks students to prepare a few PowerPoint slides illustrating their methods and findings. They can use these slides as final presentations to the class, or they can assemble them into a poster for a conference style presentation. Since many groups have complementary hypotheses, then the slides from 2 or 3 groups can often be combined to make a poster. This is their final product. I do not ask for a formal lab report, but that could certainly be an alternative to the PowerPoint slides and presentations.

Part VI: Assignment: Civic Engagement related to renewable fuel use Assignment-Civic Engagement related to renewable fuel use.docx (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 33kB Jun1 23): This assignment, included as a Word document, asks students to reflect on the social and environmental impacts of a switch to renewable biodiesel. Students are asked to consider the impact that biodiesel production may have on a local community. In particular, they are asked to identify an initiative, policy, construction project, etc that may affect a local community. Because this assignment was created in the state of Washington, the links to local issues and local representatives are specific to the state of Washington.

1. Monitor student use of supplies. They will tend to use too much.

2. Be prepared to do a lot of troubleshooting during lab. The first time trying a project like this, the amount of troubleshooting needed can be overwhelming to the instructor. However, this gets easier to do each time I run this project since, from quarter-to-quarter, students tend to run into the same problems.

2. Don't let students overheat the reaction. Although altering reaction temperature is a suggested independent variable, this should only be done at temperatures below 60C. The main problem is that high temperatures will lead to byproducts that may render your biodiesel unusable. However, many students who fail to create an unusable biodiesel still seem to learn something new and enjoy the experience. In my opinion, it's okay to let some of the groups fail to create useable biodiesel, which is a learning experience in itself.

3. The Designing Controls activity is useful for getting students comfortable with independent exploration. Without a preparatory activity like this, I've found that most undergraduate and AP Chemistry students may be overwhelmed with the amount of freedom given to them in the biodiesel research project.

4. As students design their hypotheses and procedures, I promptly evaluate each to ensure practicality of the project. Some things to consider are the amount of materials being used. Students will tend to want to use a large amount of material. If the amounts suggested in the student handout are too large, given supply limitations, then they can be effectively scaled down by one-half or one-quarter. If scaling down amounts, note how much product is likely to be made. In most cases, 225 g of oil will usually produce about 150-200 grams of biodiesel. That is enough to fill a large oil lamp. You can use less oil, if you have smaller lamps. The main consideration is having enough biodiesel to effectively soak the wick.

5. Use of discussion boards. Note that the handout titled "Part-I-Assignment-The Dirty Truth About Biodiesel Oil Palm Plantations and Human Rights.docx" has a suggested discussion board post. I use Canvas Discussions for this and request that students provide 1 or 2 comments on each other's posts. If a class is run in a hybrid format, then part V can be easily adapted to an online environment where they post their final PowerPoint slides to a discussion board, like Canvas Discussions.

1. Use primary literature to formulate a research question and hypothesis.

This is assessed in part III: Hypothesis formulation. The hypothesis is primarily evaluated based on whether it can be easily refuted/confirmed. This involves stating the specific effect that the independent variable is predicted to have on the dependent variable. The research question is evaluated for the scientific reasoning used to formulate the hypothesis.

2. Consider the physical and chemical properties of alcohols, carboxylic acids and esters to perform an organic sythesis.

This is evaluated as students are considering how to connect their method to their hypothesis. This involves a basic understanding of intermolecular forces to understand how to separate biodiesel from polar reaction products. It also requires a basic understanding of the role of density in determining which layer, of the liquid-liquid separation, is the biodiesel layer. There are also chemical properties to consider, including the purpose of a catalyst and limiting the formation of potential byproducts such as free fatty acids.

3. Design an experimental method, including necessary controls, to test the effect of an independent variable on a dependent variable.

The method is evaluated in part IV: Method Development. The method is evaluated based on whether individual steps are practical and safe, and if they could reasonably be expected to lead to the collection of appropriate data. It is also evaluated based on reproducibility.

During the Designing Controls activity it is important to give students formative feedback in lab. Determining the efficiency factor for their calorimeter can be difficult for some students. If they are able to create a safe and effective protocol and complete the calculations, then this is a good indication that the group is prepared to move on to completing the research project.

4. Collect and analyze experimental data.

This is assessed in part V. Students are asked to collaborate with one other group in creating a poster to present their data in 1 or 2 figures, with captions. These posters and slides are assessed based on how well the students connect scientific principles to data and observation. Even students who fail to collect clean data can present on why they believe their experiment failed and what they would do differently if allowed to repeat the experiment.

5. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of biofuels as an alternative fuel source.

Using data collected in part V, students should be able to discuss how their findings highlight advantages, disadvantages and challenges of switching to renewable fuel sources. This is assessed as part of the submission to part V. This submission is essentially a report, in presentation format, that allows students to consider the implications of their findings.

6. Explore the implications of scientific advancement on government policy and societal inequities.

This is a formative assessment that can occur at any time during the project, though it probably has the greatest impact if done before the research project. Here, students look through a variety of regulations and initiatives to comment on equitable practices in biofuel development. I don't grade this assignment for accuracy. Rather it is scored based on the level to which students connect their readings to their own beliefs and experiences.

7. Define and execute practical actions that can result in meaningful change government policy to improve societal inequities.

This is assessed in the form of a discussion board post. After reading about how manufacture of some biofuels can lead to social inequities, they comment on the social implications. They also comment on how this might have a disproportionate impact on a society or community close to them.

Because the research project does not necessarily have a "correct answer," it can be assessed for elements of method development and safe data collection. Some points that I consider:

1. Are students carefully following method steps and recording deviation from protocol?
2. Are students thoroughly collecting careful observations and data?
3. Is each student playing an active role in their lab group?
4. Do students thoroughly evaluate their data, linking observation to chemical principles?
5. Does the presentation of results clearly define the research question, briefly define the method and describe relevant results (including negative results)?

This work is supported in part by NSF-IUSE grant (DUE 2043535).

References:

Comparable methods and rationale for the research projects are framed around a study titled "Biodiesel production from waste chicken fat with low free fatty acids by an integrated catalytic process of composite membrane and sodium methoxide" which is available here: Shi W, Li J, He B. BioResource Technology, 2013, 139, p316-322.

A discussion on hypothesis formulation is framed around a paper by Patricia Farrugia and can be found here: Farrugia P, Petrisor BA, Farrokhyar F, Bhandari M. J Can Chir, 2010, 53, p278-281. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2912019/pdf/0530278.pdf