Classroom Resources: Chemistry Basics
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1 – 25 of 34 Classroom Resources
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Concentration, Titrations, Indicators, Equivalence Point, Chemical Change, Accuracy, Error Analysis, Chemical Change | Middle School, High School
Lesson Plan: Comparison of Vitamin C in Juice Drinks Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will use a color-changing indicator called indophenol and a simplified titration method to determine if vitamin C is present in a variety of store-bought juices. The indicator solution will turn from dark blue to colorless once all the indophenol has reacted with vitamin C in the juices. Students will count how many drops of juice it takes to produce this color change in a 5-mL sample of indicator solution. The greater number of drops it takes to cause the color change, the less vitamin C is present in each drop. They will use their data to compare the relative amounts of vitamin C in the juices to a solution prepared from a vitamin C tablet.
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Redox Reaction, Oxidation, Reduction, Half Reactions, Cathode, Anode, Electron Transfer, Electrolysis, Electrolytic Cells, Error Analysis, Error Analysis, Accuracy, Chemical Change, Accuracy, Dimensional Analysis, Mole Concept, Significant Figures | High School
Lesson Plan: Recycling Copper from E-Waste Mark as Favorite (13 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will consider the need for innovative solutions to e-waste both from an environmental perspective as well as for the economic benefit to reclaiming raw materials from used electronic devices. They will then take on the role of an electroplate technician who is tasked with evaluating the effectiveness of a copper recycling process that uses electrolysis to purify and recover copper metal from e-waste. As e-waste is a relatively new—and growing—issue, it demonstrates how new industries can develop that utilize skills from existing jobs.
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Electromagnetic Spectrum, Observations, Scientific Method, Experimental Design, Error Analysis, Accuracy, Chemical Properties | High School
Lesson Plan: Screen Your Sunscreen! Mark as Favorite (4 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn more about UV radiation, its effect on skin, and the different ways in which sunscreen protects skin. After exploring this, students will develop an investigation to assess the claims made by different sun protection products. Students will compare the effectiveness of a variety of sunscreens and/or clothing that claim to offer sun protection. The lab will be wrapped up with a CER-style report.
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Chemical Change, Error Analysis, History, Exothermic & Endothermic, Chemical Change | Middle School
Lesson Plan: The Chemistry of Casts Mark as Favorite (4 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about the history of the chemistry involved in creating orthopedic casts. Students will then work in small groups to conduct a hands-on experiment in which they will determine the optimum plaster of Paris to water ratio for model casts.
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Measurements, Significant Figures, Accuracy, Error Analysis, Intermolecular Forces, Accuracy, Error Analysis | High School
Lesson Plan: Fit for Consumption? Mark as Favorite (4 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about a product recall of baby formula. Students will explore regulations around foods for human consumption and the quality control process that is part of food production. They will use their knowledge of the difference in intermolecular forces between solids and liquids to determine the moisture content in samples of powders. Students will then assume the role of quality control technicians and write a report in which they provide a data-informed decision as to whether their batch should be discarded or is fit for consumption.
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Concentration, Precipitate, Molarity, Molality, Conductivity, Colligative Properties, Boiling Point Elevation, Freezing Point Depression, Distillation, Culminating Project, Graphing, Accuracy, Error Analysis, Interdisciplinary, Mixtures, pH, Buffers, Boiling Point, Freezing Point, Phase Changes | High School
Lesson Plan: Investigating Sea Water Mark as Favorite (21 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will consider their water footprint and means to obtain fresh water from seawater using a solar still. To understand the differences between fresh water and seawater, students will determine the composition of artificial seawater by using qualitative analysis to test for different ions in solution and calculate the molarity of different salts used in the recipe. Students will observe the effects of solutes in aqueous solutions by measuring conductivity and the freezing and boiling points of seawater and deionized water and determine total dissolved solids. In addition, students explore the buffering ability of seawater and the effect of carbon dioxide on its pH.
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Combustion, Chemical Change, Balancing Equations, Reaction Rate, Conservation of Mass, Conservation of Matter, Stoichiometry, Limiting Reactant, Chemical Change, Conservation of Matter, Conservation of Mass, Graphing, Error Analysis, Accuracy, Observations, Inferences, Interdisciplinary, Reaction Rate, Catalysts, Measurements, Mole Concept | High School
Lesson Plan: Clean Air Chemistry Mark as Favorite (19 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will learn about air pollution and some steps toward mitigating it. First, they will burn a candle and measure its mass and the concentration of CO2 over time. Students will discuss which data set they have more confidence in and why and then use stoichiometry to predict outcomes. Next, students explore incomplete combustion in a model-based worksheet that shows how a lack of O2 in the burning of fuels can produce air pollution. Students work together to interpret the models, define terms, and draw conclusions. Lastly, students work in groups using Lego models to illustrate how a catalytic converter works. They race “Nature” against catalysts “Palladium,” “Platinum,” and “Rhodium” to see what breaks down air pollution molecules fastest.
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Solubility, Solute & Solvent, Precipitate, Mixtures, Error Analysis, Chemical Change, Physical Change, Observations, Identifying an Unknown, Graphing | Middle School, High School
Lab: Chemicals, Chromatography, and Crime! Mark as Favorite (47 Favorites)
In this lab, students will test “evidence” that has been collected from a crime scene. In order to determine if the victim was poisoned, students will perform a solubility and crystallization test on an unknown powder. Then, students will attempt to identify the culprit by using paper chromatography to analyze the lipstick from the potential criminals.
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Measurements, Error Analysis, Accuracy, Accuracy, Significant Figures, Error Analysis | Middle School, High School
Lab: Accuracy, Precision, and Error in Measurements Mark as Favorite (28 Favorites)
In this lab, students make measurements of length and width using four measuring tools. They will measure the same object using measuring sticks of different precision. They will observe that the exactness of a measurement is limited by the precision of the measuring instrument.
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Conservation of Mass, Observations, Inferences, Matter, Error Analysis | High School
Lab: Investigating Mass Change Mark as Favorite (17 Favorites)
In this lab, students perform seven different investigations in order to develop an understanding of conservation of mass.
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Significant Figures, Measurements, Accuracy, Density, Accuracy, Error Analysis, Error Analysis | Middle School, High School
Lab: Significant Figures and Lab Data Mark as Favorite (98 Favorites)
In this lesson, students will use laboratory equipment of different precision to collect data for several different metals, and then use the data to calculate the density of each. They will then compare their calculated densities to accepted values and determine the combination of equipment that leads to the most accurate calculation of density.
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Limiting Reactant, Percent Yield, Stoichiometry, Balancing Equations, Measurements, Observations, Error Analysis, Separating Mixtures, Error Analysis, Dimensional Analysis, Mole Concept | High School
Lab: Determining Limiting Reactant and Percent Yield Mark as Favorite (72 Favorites)
In this lab, students react copper(II) chloride with aluminum and determine the limiting reactant. They will identify the limiting reactant both theoretically through calculations and experimentally through their observations of the chemical reaction. They then determine which product to isolate to determine the percent yield of the reaction.
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Density, Measurements, Graphing, Experimental Design, Scientific Method, Physical Properties, Error Analysis, Significant Figures, Error Analysis | High School
Lab: Investigating the Density of an Irregular Solid Object Mark as Favorite (36 Favorites)
In this lab, students will use common laboratory equipment to devise a method to measure the density of several irregular objects. They will then create a formal laboratory report using both their own data and data from the entire class.
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Physical Properties, Intermolecular Forces, Identifying an Unknown, Experimental Design, Scientific Method, Error Analysis, Graphing, Molecular Structure | High School
Lesson Plan: The Importance of Motor Oil Viscosity in Optimal Car Functioning Mark as Favorite (14 Favorites)
In this lesson students will determine how temperature affects viscosity and relate the data to the structure of motor oil and the optimal functioning of a car.
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Colligative Properties, Specific Heat, Freezing Point Depression, Solute & Solvent, Concentration, Heat, Temperature, Calorimetry, Error Analysis | High School
Lesson Plan: The Hot and Cold of it All Mark as Favorite (13 Favorites)
In this lesson students will analyze the effectiveness of different brands of antifreeze/coolants and their ability to protect an engine in cold climates. Students will conduct a lab investigation to examine the freezing point depression in samples that have been diluted with distilled water. Students will also determine the specific heat capacities of antifreeze/coolant products as compared to pure water and explain how it relates to thermal energy transfer in the internal combustion engine.
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Density, Physical Properties, Graphing, Interdisciplinary, Observations, Error Analysis, Measurements, Error Analysis | High School
Lab: Graphing Density Mark as Favorite (31 Favorites)
In this lab, students will collect data and then use graphing to determine the density values of unknown metal samples.
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Accuracy, Measurements, Error Analysis, Accuracy, Error Analysis | High School
Lab: Glassware Accuracy Mark as Favorite (72 Favorites)
In this lab, students use different types of laboratory glassware to measure 50 mL of water and determine the accuracy of each piece of glassware.
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Density, Pressure, Temperature, Volume, Density, Error Analysis, Error Analysis, Measurements | High School
Lab: Gas Density and Relative Molecular Mass Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
In this lab, students will quantitatively determine the densities of four gases.
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Separating Mixtures, Physical Change, Mixtures, Physical Properties, Experimental Design, Scientific Method, Error Analysis | High School, Middle School
Lab: Separation of a Mixture Mark as Favorite (54 Favorites)
In this lab, students devise their own method to separate a mixture of sand, salt, poppy seeds, and iron filings.
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Galvanic Cells, Reduction, Oxidation, Half Reactions, Cathode, Anode, Redox Reaction, Electrons, Electron Transfer, Net Ionic Equation, Error Analysis | High School
Lab: Four-Way Galvanic Cell Mark as Favorite (25 Favorites)
In this lab, students will build a simple galvanic cell to measure cell potential and will compare their data to theoretical calculations. Students will become more familiar with cells during this opportunity to investigate and compare numerous electrochemistry reactions.
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Kinetic Molecular Theory, Ideal Gas, Gas Laws, Volume, Temperature, Graphing, Accuracy, Error Analysis | High School
Lab: Finding Absolute Zero Mark as Favorite (14 Favorites)
In this lab, students will experimentally determine the value for absolute zero in degrees Celsius.
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Density, Error Analysis, Accuracy, Identifying an Unknown, Physical Properties | High School, Middle School
Lab: Density Lab Mark as Favorite (36 Favorites)
In this lab, students determine the density of several liquids and solids. They then identify an unknown metal by determining its density. They then calculate the percent error within the class for a specific sample.
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Density, Observations, Inferences, Measurements, Identifying an Unknown, Error Analysis, Scientific Method | High School
Lab: Colors of the Rainbow Mark as Favorite (36 Favorites)
In this lab, students will practice density calculations and put their calculations to test by creating their own density column.
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Colligative Properties, Boiling Point, Molality, Concentration, Boiling Point Elevation, Graphing, Accuracy, Physical Properties, Error Analysis | High School
Lab: Changing Water's Boiling Point Mark as Favorite (21 Favorites)
In this lab, students will explore colligative properties in a quantitative approach. They will measure the effect of increasing the molality of a salt solution on the solution’s boiling point, and they will graph their data and use the slope of the line of best fit to calculate the boiling point elevation constant of water. There are three versions of the lab, some of which provide more structure and guidance and others of which are more student-driven.
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Catalysts, Reaction Rate, Experimental Design, Scientific Method, Chemical Change, Error Analysis, Balancing Equations, Percent Yield, Stoichiometry, Chemical Change, Measurements, Error Analysis, Dimensional Analysis | High School
Lesson Plan: Catalysis & Catalytic Converters Mark as Favorite (11 Favorites)
In this lesson students will be introduced to catalysts while expanding their knowledge of chemical reactions and stoichiometry. They will first learn about catalytic converters and then be challenged to create the best “catalytic converter” of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen gas in an inquiry-based activity.