Activity 8: Exploration of Chemistry

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

·         Standard A: Science connections Performance Standards –Grade 12

o   A. 12.3 Give examples that show how partial systems, models, and explanation are used to give and reasonable solutions that are accurate enough for basic needs

o   A.12.6 Identify and, using evidence learned or discovered, replace inaccurate personal models and explanations of science-related events

·         Standards D: Physical Science Performance - Grade 12

o   D.12.4 Explain how substances, both simple and complex, interact with one another to produce new substances

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

My Own Teaching Idea:

Balancing Chemical Equations

Introduction:

Chemistry is the study of matter and the changes it undergoes and of the energy that brings about these changes or is released when changes occur

Part one: Definitions

Chemical equation: Shorthand way of describing chemical change using symbols and formulas to represent the elements and compounds involved in the change.

Reactants: a starting material or original substance in a chemical change; reactant formulas precede the arrow in a chemical equation

Products: a substance produced by a chemical reaction; product formulas follow the arrow in a chemical equation

+ (plus sign): add or combine together

à (arrow sign): yield, or reactant(s) to produce

Part two: Stimulation

Open and run the Balancing Chemical Equations stimulation

On the Introduction tab, Click Make Ammonia.

1.             What is the product for 1N₂ + 3H₂ à2NH₃?

Click on Separate Water.

2.             What is the product of 2H₂O à 2H₂ + 1O₂?

Click on Combust Methane.

3.             What is the reactant 1CH₄ + 2O₂ à 1CO₂ +2H₂O

On the Balancing Game tab, set the game settings to level one, set the timer off and the sound on. Play the game. Write down equations.  (Equations will vary-this is just to demonstrate)

Level 1

1.             2C + 1O₂ à 2CO

2.             2H₂ + 1O₂ à 2H₂O

3.             2CO₂ à 2CO + 1O₂

4.             1CH₂O +1H₂ à 1CH₃OH

5.             2NO à 1N₂ + 1O₂

Level 2

1.             1CH₄ + 4S à 1CS₂ + 2H₂S

2.             1OF₂ + 1H₂O à 1O₂ + 2HF

3.             2C + 2H₂O à 1CH₄ + 1CH₄ + 1CO₂

4.             1SO₂ + 3H₂ à 1H₂S + 2H₂O

5.             1C₂H₄ + 3O₂ à 2CO₂ + 2H₂O

Level 3

1.             4NO + 6H₂O à 4NH₃ + 5O₂

2.             1C₂H₅OH + 3O₂ à 2CO₂ + 3H₂O

3.             2C₂H₆ + 7O₂ à 4CO₂ + 6H₂O

4.             4NH₃ + 6NO à 5N₂ + 6H₂O

5.             4CO₂ + 2H₂O à 2C₂H₂ + 5O₂