Virtual Labs vs Functional Groups

Light your Bunsen burner! Test yogurt for contamination in a virtual lab, and judge whether the bacteria you find are harmful or beneficial. Virtual Labs interactive food science modules train high school and college students in basic laboratory techniques. Learn how to use Gram staining to differentiate beneficial bacteria from dangerous bacteria in food samples. Working in the virtual lab of a dairy processing plant, you analyze yogurt samples and follow step-by-step lab procedures to test for Salmonella and E. coli. Sterilize your inoculation loop, and prepare your slide, then view the sample under a microscope and observe the differences in appearance between beneficial bacteria and harmful bacteria. Virtual Labs: Gram Staining familiarizes the user with food science lab equipment and teaches standard techniques for this specific procedure. The interactive initially guides the user through each step of the lab process; then users prepare Gram stain slides on their own to find out for certain whether this batch of yogurt is safe. This work was supported by USDA CSREES and USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture under two Higher Education Challenge Grant projects: 2008-38411-19055 and 2011-38411-30625. © 2008-2016 NMSU Board of Regents. Collaborating universities South Dakota State University, North Dakota State University and New Mexico State University are all equal opportunity/affirmative action employers and educators.

Ready to ace organic chemistry? Learn the functional groups you need to know - all in an engaging and interactive format. The app is ideal for introductory or advanced organic chemistry classes, MCAT prep, A-Level chemistry, and more. You’ll quickly become familiar with alcohols, esters, amides, amines, and dozens of other important functional groups. The app features: • 25+ basic and advanced functional groups • 300+ organic compounds • Multiple practice modes • Customize which groups to study • Personalized review • Reference table and definitions • Achievements to track your progress Along the way, you’ll learn interesting facts about pharmaceuticals, biomolecules, dangerous compounds, unique molecular structures, and more. With the Functional Groups app, learning organic chemistry is easy, straightforward, and, dare we say… fun? Give it a try and let us know what you think!