title: Facilitating student understanding of buffering by an integration of mathematics and chemical concepts.
abstract: We describe a simple undergraduate exercise involving the titration of a weak acid by a strong base using a pH meter and a micropipette. Students then use their data and carry out graphical analyses with a spreadsheet. The analyses involve using mathematical concepts such as first-derivative and semi-log plots and provide an opportunity for collaboration between biochemistry and mathematics instructors. By focusing on titration data, rather than the titration process, and using a variety of graphical transformations, we believe that students achieve a deeper understanding of the concept of buffering.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0664.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Curtright
authors.forename: Randall
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Emry
authors.forename: Ruth M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Heaton
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Markwell