Vernier offers more than 1,000 experiments in biology, chemistry, engineering/robotics, and physics that can help you inspire students and integrate data-collection technology into your science courses. 

All three of this month’s featured experiments involve our spectrometers. To further explore the use of spectrometers, check out our Illuminate Spectroscopy webinar.

Biology

“Nucleic Acid Quantitation”

In this free experiment download, students use the Go Direct^® UV-VIS Spectrophotometer or Go Direct Fluorescence/UV-VIS Spectrophotometer to 

• Determine the concentration of DNA or RNA present in a mixture.
• Gain increased understanding of factors affecting nucleic acid solution contamination.
• Determine the A260/280 ratio of a sample.

Chemistry

“A Guided Inquiry Approach to Understanding Fluorescence Spectroscopy”

In this free experiment download, students use the Go Direct Fluorescence/UV-VIS Spectrophotometer or Go Direct SpectroVis^® Plus Spectrophotometer to

• Explore how data-collection parameters play off of each other to generate a spectrum.
• Collect fluorescence data.
• Prepare serial dilutions from a stock solution to investigate the effect of concentration on fluorescence emission.
• Learn about the properties of molecules through fluorescence spectroscopy.

Physics

“Planck’s Constant”

In this experiment, students use the Go Direct Emissions Spectrometer and other equipment to

• Collect and analyze current vs. potential data to estimate the energy required to excite a number of LEDs.
• Determine the wavelength of the peak output of each LED.
• Determine a value for Planck’s constant from an analysis of the energy and frequency of the light emitted by a number of LEDs.