Newswise \u2014 Children learning their \u201cABCs\u201d or high school students studying the periodic table can turn to songs to help remember foundational educational concepts. A Florida State University professor is applying the method to chemistry class, using artificial intelligence to create new musical learning aids that help students succeed.<\/p>\n
Oliver Steinbock, Cottrell Family Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry<\/a>, has previously used AI in his laboratory research to identify chemical compositions of dried salts from images<\/a>. He is now exploring educational endeavors with the technology through AI-generated songs that explain core chemistry concepts, like thermodynamics and compression, and break down dense equations such as the van der Waals equation.<\/p>\n \u201cI created these chemistry songs as a resource to teach concepts in a different way and create some new interest in the subject matter,\u201d Steinbock said. \u201cThese songs can be used by students as at-home study tools, or lecturers could ask students to make their own songs about a topic as an in-class activity and have the students fact-check their songs. It\u2019s just one tool in the toolbox of teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n Steinbock\u2019s 16-song playlist focuses on thermodynamics \u2014 the branch of physical chemistry covering interactions among heat, work, temperature and energy \u2014 and is available on Suno<\/a>, a generative AI platform that creates songs based on user prompts. Through different musical genres, Steinbock\u2019s songs teach the laws of thermodynamics, the essential rules of nature that define how energy operates in the universe, which are key foundations for physics and chemistry research.<\/p>\n \u201cPhysical chemistry is known as one of the hardest chemistry subjects to learn,\u201d said Wei Yang, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and a professor of biochemistry. \u201cMany students have a love-hate relationship with thermodynamics due to many key equations and concepts that they must comprehend and memorize.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition to serving as mnemonic devices that aid memorization through rhythm and repetition, learning songs helps students of all levels feel more comfortable in the classroom and reduce anxiety, according to research from the University of Washington published by the American Society for Cell Biology<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cThese songs can have huge benefits for students with different learning styles, especially those who want to reinforce key concepts in their free time,\u201d said Andrew Fredericks, a student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and an undergraduate researcher in Steinbock\u2019s laboratory. \u201cMany people are curious \u2014 and maybe a little nervous \u2014 about how AI will continue to impact education and society, but it\u2019s exciting to see technology being used in creative ways to help students learn.\u201d<\/p>\n The country-inspired song \u201cTemperature<\/a>\u201d helps students understand how temperature is affected by the first law of thermodynamics, which states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, while the K-pop inspired song \u201cZ One<\/a>\u201d teaches the ideal gas law by describing the relationship among pressure, volume, temperature and amount of a substance in a gas.<\/p>\n To develop these songs, Steinbock input sections of his own research papers into large-language models like ChatGPT and Claude and turned the text into lyrics. He then checked the lyrics for factual errors and adjusted prompts as needed before putting the final lyrics and choice of musical genre into Suno. The result was a series of short, catchy songs highlighting core concepts that students sometimes struggle to learn through traditional lectures and reading.<\/p>\n \u201cThis project is a really cool example of how AI can be used in education,\u201d Fredericks said. \u201cBy combining the chemistry content with music, the songs make the material feel more approachable and enjoyable.\u201d<\/p>\n Steinbock hopes his students use these songs as an additional learning aid to support their studies while highlighting the importance of ethical and responsible AI use.<\/p>\n \u201cIn a project like this, I had to check the facts while also considering how much freedom the AI can take to stretch the concepts or mix in cheesy words,\u201d Steinbock said. \u201cAI has the potential to be a useful learning tool, but it still makes mistakes. We must learn to use it safely and constructively.\u201d<\/p>\n