Activity Eight!

Activity 8: Exploration of Chemistry!

For activity 8, students have a choice to explore other topics of chemistry presented in the PhET simulations.

Tasks to be completed:

1. 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.

2. 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.

Standards:

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

D.4.3 Understand that substances can exist in different states-solid, liquid, gas.

D.4.4 Observe and describe changes in form, temperature, color, speed, and direction of objects and construct explanations for the changes.

Procedure:

            To begin this lesson discuss with the class the different phases of matter, solid, liquid, and gas.  For the first day take water and fill an ice tray.  Talk to the class about what happens to the molecules as it changes from the liquid to the ice.  The next day, take the ice tray out of the freezer and show the class.  Review what happens to the molecules.  Then place the ice cubes into a glass and let it melt for a day.  Come back the next day and talk about what happens to the molecules when ice turns to liquid.  The get a hot plate and heat the water.  While the water is heating discuss with the class what is happening to the molecules to turn the liquid into a gas.  Now separate the class into groups and hand out a worksheet that they can discuss what happens to the molecules and draw the phases changing.  Then head to the computer lab and have the students complete the States of Matter simulation with using water.  Have them practice heating and cooling the molecules while connecting it to what they learned from the experiments in the classroom.

Activity Seven!

Activity Tasks:

1. Review the Content Slides Acids and Bases on the D2L site.

2. Complete the Teaching Idea “Concept Questions for Chemistry using PhET”  posted by Trish Loeblein on the pH Scale simulation at PHET (http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/ph-scale). On your blog post the answers with your scientific explanations from the “Clicker Questions pH Scale” posted by Trish.

 1. The color of a solution identifies if it is an acid, base, or neutral solution.
            Answer: B-false.  The color doesn’t always determine if the solution is an acid, base, or neutral.
2. Which solution is basic?
            Answer: D-more than one.  If the pH is greater than 7 than the solution is a basic.
3. Which solution is acidic?
            Answer C.  This has a higher concentration of H.
4. Which solution is basic?
            Answer: B.  This has a lower concentration of H.
5. Which solution is acidic?
            Answer: D.  A and B have higher levels of H.
6. How will adding water effect the pH?
            Answer: A.  Water dilutes the acid which increases the pH.
7. How will equal amount of water effect the pH?
            Answer: B.  The pH decreases when water is added.
8. What is the order from most acidic to most basic?
            Answer: A. A,B,C.
9. What is the order from most acidic to most basic?
            Answer: C. B,A,C.
10. If spit has a pH = 7.4, what does that tell you about the water equilibrium?
            Answer: A-Something was added that made the equilibrium shift left.

3. Complete the Teaching Idea “Intro to Strong and Weak Acids and Bases” posted by Chris Bires on the Acid-Base Solutions simulation (http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/acid-base-solutions) and post on your blog your data and answers to the questions posed.

Activity Six!

Tasks to be completed for Activity 6:

1. Convert 0°F, 32°F, 70°F, and 212°F to Kelvin:

Fehrenheit.	Kelvin.
0 degrees.	2.55.37 degrees.
32 degrees.	273.15 degrees.
70 degrees.	294.26 degrees.
212 degrees.	373.15 degrees.

2. Complete the Teaching Idea: States of Matter Simulation Lab by Kelly Vaughan. Complete the lab worksheet as if you were a student, and then post this on your blog. You can scan it or just take a picture of it. 

3. In the States of Matter simulation, choose the Solid, Liquid, and Gas Tab at the top of the screen. Choose the water molecule and cool the water to 0 K. Describe how the water molecules are aligned and attracted to each other. Which atoms are attracted to which other atoms?

The hydrogen molecules seem to be attracted to the oxygen molecules.  The molecules are barely moving.

4. Switch to the Phase Changes Tab on the States of Matter simulation. Notice how on the bottom right there is a small red dot that indicates where the system is at as far as temperature, pressure and state of matter. Play with the simulation to notice changes, notice that when you push down the pressure can go way up and explode the box. On your blog, report a temperature and pressure required to make oxygen a liquid. This is sometimes how the oxygen exists in pressurized oxygen tanks, perhaps like ones you may use to go diving.

Oxygen turns to a liquid at about 71K and .35 ATM.

5. List and describe at least two Science Standards that this activity addresses.

A.8.6 Use models and explanations to predict actions and events in the natural world.

C.8.8 Use computer software and other technologies to organize, process, and present their data.

Activity Five!

To complete Activity 5, complete the tasks below:

1. Run the Build an Atom simulation http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/build-an-atom and build a neutral lithium atom and a neutral boron atom.  Take a picture, or a screen shot, of these two atoms and place them on your blog.  List the number of protons, neutrons and electrons for each. Also look up and post the density for each of the elements on your blog.

Lithium: 3 protons, 3 electrons, 4 neutrons.

Boron: 5 protons, 5 electrons, 6 neutrons.

2. Define density and the equation for density and post on your blog.

Density is the mass per unit volume.  The equation for finding density is mass divided by the volume which means d=m/v.

3. Run the Density simulation http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/density and complete one(your choice) of the prepared Teaching Ideas and post your results on your blog. The activity you choose should be one of the student intended activities.

4. Complete the Mystery Blocks activity on the Density simulation.  Post on your blog the data you collected (mass, volume, and density) and the identification of the material and the known density.

Blocks.	Mass (kg).	Volume (L).	Density (kg/L).	Material.	Known density.
A.	65.14 kg.	3.38 L.	19.27 kg/L.	Gold.	19.3 kg/L.
B.	0.64 kg.	0.64 L.	1.00 kg/L.	Water.	1.00 kg/L.
C.	4.08 kg.	4.08 L.	1.00 kg/L.	Water.	1.00 kg/L.
D.	3.10 kg.	3.10 L.	1.00 kg/L.	Water.	1.00 kg/L.
E.	3.53 kg.	1.00 L.	3.53 kg/L.	Diamond.	3.53 kg/L.

5. Identify and post on your blog the Science Standards that could be met through these activities completed in Activity 5

C.4.2 Use the science content being learned to ask questions, plan investigations, make observations, make predictions, and offer explanations.

C.4.4 Use simple science equipment safely and effectively, including rulers, balances, graduated cylinders, hand lenses, thermometers, and computers, to collect data relevant to questions and investigations.