Activity Eight: Exploration of Chemistry

Choose any Teaching Idea from any of the Chemistry Simulations (http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/category/chemistry ) and post your results/data and/or answers on your blog.

Balancing Chemical Equations

1.  Use the simulation to adjust the coefficients and balance the following equation.  Select the balance scales and bar charts to help.  Fill in the proper coefficients when you are successful (yellow smiley face).

_1_N₂ +_3_ H₂ à _2_ NH₃

 

 

2.  Draw or take a screen shot of the particle view of the balanced equation as shown in the simulation.

 

 

3.  Describe the purpose of the balance scales and bar charts in the simulation.

                The purpose of the balance scales and chart in this simulation was to not only have the students do the activity, but once they have found the balance between the chemicals, they can see how much Hydrogen, oxygen that is going into the chemical they just created.  Its gives a visual experience to the student, helps them see what is taking place. Gives the student a much better learning experience.

4.  In order for a chemical equation to be properly balanced, what must be true?

For all chemical equations to be properly balanced, there has to be an equal number on each side of the scale. Equal parts.

 

5.  Balance the other two examples.

               

Separate of water

               

_2_ H₂O à _2_ H₂ + _1_ O₂

Combust of methane

_1_ CH₄ + _2_ O₂ à _1_ CO₂ + _2_ H₂O

 

 

6.  The number placed in front of a formula is called a coefficient.  The small number within a chemical formula is called a subscript.  Why do we adjust coefficients when balancing chemical equations and not subscripts?

You cannot change the number of atoms, only the number of molecules. If you change atoms you change the whole chemical structure and then ultimately the chemical. That can not take place, that would ruin the whole experiment.  Therefore causing data to be completely wrong.

 

 

 

 

Record your score for each of the levels in the balancing game:

                                Score

Level 1                                  7/ 10

Level 2                                  9/10

Level 3                                  10/ 10

 

 

 

 

 

Work with any of the Chemistry Simulations to create your own Teaching Idea. The criteria for this is as follows:

a. must identify and meet three (3) science education standards

b. must be original work

c. must be scientifically accurate and appropriate for the directed grade level.

 

 

I am going to school to be an early childhood educator, teaching anywhere from 4K to first grade.  Therefore I would like to direct my lesson towards the younger children, and of course making it interesting and fun for them.  My idea would be to teach the children about static, and how it takes place.  Also more importantly, have the children experience this first hand.

 

 

 

 

 

>Starting off I would have the children break into groups, and decide what they think static is and how it works (what you can do to see static).  The questions have to be simple because I am directing them towards very young children.  This is the reason why I am separating them into groups, so they can get many different ideas and put them together.

 

>Next I would have the students share their answers, and then give my guess as to what I think static is.  Then prompt the children that they are going to get to create some static themselves.

 

>I would have the children each pick a partner and rub the balloon they have been given on their friends head, until they see the static.  Then to repeat the experiment with the other person.  When the children are all done with this, I will then have them share what they saw with the rest of the friends, and say how they think this took place.

 

>In the end I will tell them how the static takes place, and all the different objects that can cause this to happen.  In the end, just making these young children interested in this topic is going to be a win.  They will of course learn more later on in their education, but this will be a great start.

 

 

Three Scientific Education Standards:

 

-C.8.10 Discuss the importance of their results and implications of their work with peers, teachers, and other adults

-A.4.1 When conducting science investigations ask and answer questions that will help decide the general areas of science being addressed.

-C.4.7 Support their conclusions with logical arguments