The Science Teacher's Activity-A-Day, Grades 5-10 E-Book

Pam Walker

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Bildung
• Serie: 5-Minute FUNdamentals
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 354

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2010

Beschreibung

A hands-on and fun-filled resource for teaching science to middle and high school students New in the 5-Minute Fundamentals Series, The Science Teacher's Activity-A-Day, Grades 6-12, includes 180 easy, five-minute hook or sponge activities to capture learners' attention and introduce lessons. Divided into three units, Physical Science, Life Science, and Earth and Space Science; the activities cover topics based on the National Science Education Standards. * All the book's activities can be done with materials that are inexpensive and easy to find * Includes quick and fun "sponge" activities that are designed to engage students * All the activities take about 5 minutes to complete The Science Teacher's Activity-a-Day is an ideal resource for middle and high school science teachers.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

ABOUT THIS BOOK

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

CORRELATIONS OF ACTIVITIES TO THE NATIONAL SCIENCE CONTENT STANDARDS

UNIT I - Physical Science

SECTION ONE - Organization of Matter

1.1. BOYLE’S GAS LAW

1.2. BUOYANCY

1.3. COUNTING MOLECULES AND ATOMS

1.4. IDENTIFYING AND NAMING ISOTOPES

1.5. CHEMICALAND PHYSICAL CHANGES

1.6. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER

1.7. DENSITY

1.8. ATOMIC SIZE IN PICOMETERS

1.9. SURFACE TENSION

1.10. BIRDS IN FLIGHT

1.11. MENDELEEV’S PERIODIC TABLE

1.12. VOLUME OF A CYLINDER

SECTION TWO - Interactions of Matter

2.1. ACIDS AND BASES

2.2. POLYMERS

2.3. FREEZING POINT

2.4. EXOTHERMIC AND ENDOTHERMIC REACTIONS

2.5. CHEMICAL REACTIONS

2.6. BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS

2.7. LIMITING REACTANTS

2.8. WRITING IONIC FORMULAS

2.9. SINGLE REPLACEMENT REACTIONS

2.10. DOUBLE REPLACEMENT REACTIONS

2.11. POLARITY AND SOLUBILITY

2.12. SURFACE AREA AND SOLUBILITY

SECTION THREE - Energy of Motion

3.1. POTENTIAL ENERGY AND KINETIC ENERGY

3.2. POTENTIAL ENERGY

3.3. FRICTION THROUGH A FLUID

3.4. NEWTON’S FIRST LAW OF MOTION

3.5. LAW OF CONSERVATION OF MOMENTUM

3.6. STATIC FRICTION

3.7. NEWTON’S SECOND LAW OF MOTION

3.8. USING THE SPEED FORMULA

3.9. NEWTON’S THIRD LAW OF MOTION

3.10. INCLINED PLANES

3.11. LEVERS

3.12. THE THREE CLASSES OF LEVERS

SECTION FOUR - Heat, Light, and Sound Waves

4.1. THERMAL ENERGY

4.2. MEASURING TEMPERATURE

4.3. REFRACTION

4.4. CONCAVE AND CONVEX MIRRORS

4.5. MAGNIFYING LENS

4.6. MECHANICAL WAVES

4.7. TRANSVERSE WAVES

4.8. COMPRESSIONAL WAVES

4.9. SOUND AND ITS MEDIUMS

4.10. SOUND VIBRATIONS

4.11. SOUND AND WATER

4.12. ENERGY CONDUCTORS AND INSULATORS

SECTION FIVE - Magnetism and Electricity

5.1. CHARGING BY FRICTION

5.2. CLOSED CIRCUITS

5.3. ELECTROCHEMICAL CELL

5.4. RESISTANCE

5.5. MAKING ELECTRICITY

5.6. SCHEMATIC CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS

5.7. ELECTROMAGNETS

5.8. MAGNETIC FIELD

5.9. MAGNETS

5.10. MAGNETIZING METALS

5.11. MAGNETS AND COMPASSES

5.12. MAGNETIC FORCES

UNIT II - Life Science

SECTION SIX - The Cell

6.1. CHARACTERISTICS OF LIFE

6.2. ENERGY MOLECULES

6.3. ATP AND LACTIC ACID

6.4. THE CELL CYCLE, PART ONE

6.5. THE CELL CYCLE, PART TWO

6.6. CELL TRANSPORT

6.7. PROTEINS AS ENZYMES

6.8. PLANT CELL OR ANIMAL CELL

6.9. ENZYMES

6.10. THE MITOCHONDRIA

6.11. PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RESPIRATION

SECTION SEVEN - Genetics

7.1. DNA

7.2. CHROMOSOMES

7.3. GENETIC DIVERSITY

7.4. GENETIC COMBINATIONS

7.5. MENDEL’S LAW OF SEGREGATION

7.6. DOMINANT AND RECESSIVE GENES IN CAT BREEDING

7.7. PEDIGREES

7.8. SEX-LINKED TRAITS

7.9. GENE SPLICING

7.10. PROTEIN SYNTHESIS

SECTION EIGHT - Evolution

8.1. NATURAL SELECTION

8.2. ADVANTAGEOUS TRAITS

8.3. PRIMATE ADAPTATIONS

8.4. STEPS OF NATURAL SELECTION

8.5. PLANT ADAPTATIONS

8.6. ADAPTIVE RADIATION

8.7. VARIATIONS AND SURVIVAL

8.8. HORSE EVOLUTION

8.9. FOSSIL DATING

8.10. ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE

SECTION NINE - Diversity of Life

9.1. THE SIX KINGDOMS

9.2. VASCULAR PLANTS

9.3. FLOWER PARTS

9.4. FOOD STORAGE IN SEEDS

9.5. SEED DISPERSAL

9.6. ANIMAL SYMMETRY

9.7. VIRUSES

9.8. BIRD DIGESTION

9.9. EXAMINING A FUNGUS

9.10. TAXONOMIC CATEGORIES

SECTION TEN - Ecology

10.1. ENERGY FLOW THROUGH THE FOOD CHAIN

10.2. POPULATION GROWTH RATE

10.3. FOOD WEB

10.4. POPULATION ESTIMATIONS

10.5. THE IMPORTANCE OF NICHES

10.6. SYMBIOSIS

10.7. HUMAN POLLUTION

10.8. PLANT GROWTH REQUIREMENTS

10.9. PACKAGING AND THE ENVIRONMENT

10.10. ARTHROPOD BEHAVIOR

SECTION ELEVEN - Body Systems

11.1. THE ROLE OF BILE IN DIGESTION

11.2. TENDONS

11.3. THE HEART

11.4. PARTNERING OF THE BRAIN AND EYES

11.5. LUNG CAPACITY DURING EXERCISE

11.6. BLOOD VESSELS

11.7. MUSCLE INTERACTIONS

11.8. MECHANICAL DIGESTION

11.9. PERISTALSIS DURING DIGESTION

11.10. WHY WE SWEAT

UNIT III - Eath Science

SECTION TWELVE - Structure of Earth Systems

12.1. CORE SAMPLING

12.2. METAMORPHIC ROCKS

12.3. SEDIMENTATION

12.4. SOIL CONSERVATION

12.5. PHYSICAL WEATHERING OF ROCKS

12.6. MINERAL HARDNESS

12.7. CROSS SECTION OF THE EARTH

12.8. POROSITY OF SOIL SAMPLES

12.9. GROUNDWATER AND PERMEABILITY

12.10. WATER IN THE OCEAN

12.11. OCEAN CURRENTS

12.12. BOTTLE ERUPTION

SECTION THIRTEEN - Earth’s History

13.1. INFERENCES FROM FOSSILS

13.2. MAGNETIC ROCKS

13.3. RADIOACTIVE ROCKS

13.4. CONTINENTAL DRIFT

13.5. STRENGTH OF EARTHQUAKES

13.6. FOSSIL MOLDS AND CASTS

13.7. GLACIERS

13.8. DEFORMATION OF ROCKS

13.9. GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE MODEL

13.10. GRADED BEDDING

13.11. SEISMIC WAVES

13.12. MOUNTAIN BUILDING

SECTION FOURTEEN - Meteorology

14.1. TEMPERATURE INVERSIONS

14.2. CLOUD FORMATION

14.3. WARM AIR RISES

14.4. WATER VAPOR

14.5. RAIN GAUGE

14.6. THE LOSS OF OZONE

14.7. TEMPERATURE

14.8. HEAT TRANSFER

14.9. READ A CLIMATOGRAM

14.10. AIR HAS WEIGHT

14.11. MAKE IT RAIN

14.12. WINDS

SECTION FIFTEEN - The Universe

15.1. TELESCOPES

15.2. LIGHT-YEARS

15.3. STAR CONSTELLATIONS

15.4. VIEWING CONSTELLATIONS

15.5. THE GYROSCOPIC EFFECT

15.6. SPACE SHUTTLE ORBITS

15.7. GRAVITY AND SPACE INSTRUMENTS

15.8. VISIBLE LIGHT

15.9. INFRARED LIGHT

15.10. STAR MAGNITUDE

15.11. INERTIA IN SPACE

15.12. THE PARALLAX EFFECT

SECTION SIXTEEN - The Solar System

16.1. PLANETARY REVOLUTIONS

16.2. JUPITER’S ATMOSPHERE

16.3. ORBITING THE SUN

16.4. PLANET FORMATIONS

16.5. SURVIVING ON THE MOON - Lunar Trek

16.6. SOLAR ECLIPSE

16.7. ASTROLABE

16.8. PRECESSION OF EARTH

16.9. LUNAR SURFACE REGOLITH

16.10. WEIGHT AND GRAVITY

16.11. AURORAS

16.12. MOON FACE

TEACHER’S NOTES

ANSWER KEY

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ABOUT THIS BOOK

The Science Teacher’s Activity-a-Day, by Pam Walker and Elaine Wood, is a book of 180 easy five-minute hook or sponge activities to captivate learners’ attention. Hook activities are valuable for both the students and the teacher. Research shows that students are most active mentally at the beginning of the lesson. The activities in this book will interest and engage students in the lesson. Students who are interested are more likely to take in and retain information. In addition, hook activities enable students to link prior knowledge to the new topic as well as set goals for learning. For teachers, sponge activities can help reveal any misconceptions that students have on the topic. Through student participation in the hook, teachers find out what students already know on the topic, enabling them to fine-tune the lesson.

This one-of-a-kind book contains hands-on hook activities that are specifically designed for science classes. Starting science class with a fun activity puts the students in a receptive state of mind. Students begin to look forward to the first five minutes of class because they know that something new and interesting is coming their way. The hands-on activities are especially stimulating for kinesthetic learners. Research shows that the majority of students are kinesthetic learners, who learn best by becoming physically involved in the learning experience.

This volume is divided into three units, each of which focuses on one group of National Science Education Standards: physical science, life science, and earth science. In the physical science unit, concepts covered include organization of matter; interactions of matter; energy of motion; heat, light, and sound waves; and magnetism and electricity. Activities in the life science unit cover cells, genetics, evolution, diversity of life, ecology, and body systems. The final unit, on earth science, is composed of activities that focus on the structure of Earth systems, Earth’s history, meteorology, the universe, and the solar system.

The authors have included activities in this volume that have high interest value, are easy to present to a class, and can be done with inexpensive, easy-to-find materials, such as string, clay, scissors, chalk, and plastic bottles. Most activities can be prepped and ready for class in about five minutes. All activities should be supervised by an adult and students should follow the standard safety rules of science classrooms. The Science Teacher’s Activity-a-Day can help every science teacher get the lesson off to a dynamic start.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Pam Walker and Elaine Wood together have more than forty-five years of science teaching experience. Pam was the 2007 Georgia Teacher of the Year and as such served as a leader in developing science curricula in the state. Both are master teachers in Georgia and hold specialist degrees in science and science education. They are the authors of dozens of books for middle and high school science teachers and students. Their publications include Crime Scene Investigations: Real-Life Science Labs for Grades 6 - 12 and Hands-on General Science Activities with Real-Life Applications.

CORRELATIONS OF ACTIVITIES TO THE NATIONAL SCIENCE CONTENT STANDARDS

Standard Grades 5 - 12ActivityPhysical ScienceProperties and changes of properties in matter1.1Boyle’s Gas Law: Marshmallow Under Pressure1.2Buoyancy: Ketchup Packet Cartesian Diver1.3Counting Molecules and Atoms: Number of Molecules of Chalk in Your Signature1.5Chemical and Physical Changes: Examining Paper for Change1.6Physical Properties of Matter: Tootsie Roll Properties1.7Density: Can’t Hold a Good Ping-Pong Ball Down1.8Atomic Size in Picometers: Cutting Paper to Atom Size1.9Surface Tension: Why Some Insects Can Walk on Water1.10Birds in Flight: How Birds’ Wings Enable Them to Fly1.12Volume of a Cylinder: The Long and Short of VolumeChemical reactions1.5Chemical and Physical Changes: Examining Paper for Change1.11Mendeleev’s Periodic Table: It Was All in the Cards2.1Acids and Bases: Cabbage Juice Indicators2.2Polymers: Water-Loving Chemicals in Diapers2.3Freezing Point: Why We Sprinkle Salt on Icy Roads2.4Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions: Hot Packs and Cold Packs2.5Chemical Reactions: Alka-Seltzer and Water Temperature2.6Balancing Chemical Equations: Rearranging Atomic Dots2.7Limiting Reactants: Putting a Halt to the Reaction2.8Writing Ionic Formulas: Equating the Ions2.9Single Replacement Reactions: Turning Iron into Copper2.10Double Replacement Reactions: Trading Partners2.11Polarity and Solubility: Breaking Bonds of Packing Peanuts2.12Surface Area and Solubility: Sweet SolutionsMotions and forces3.1Potential Energy and Kinetic Energy: Bouncing Golf Balls3.2Potential Energy: The Energy of Falling Objects3.3Friction Through a Fluid: Fluids and Falling3.4Newton’s First Law of Motion: Inertia—the Magician’s Friend3.5Law of Conservation of Momentum: Marble Collisions3.6Static Friction: Going Against the Grain3.7Newton’s Second Law of Motion: Acceleration of the Coffee Mug3.8Using the Speed Formula: Speedy Manipulations3.9Newton’s Third Law of Motion: What Is a Reaction?3.10Inclined Planes: Making Lifting Easier3.11Levers: First-Class Machines3.12The Three Classes of Levers: Lots of Levers and Lots of ClassTransfer of energy and interactions of energy and matter1.4Identifying and Naming Isotopes: “EggCeptional” Isotopes4.1Thermal Energy: What Does Temperature Really Measure?4.2Measuring Temperature: Human Thermometers4.3Refraction: A Real Light Bender4.4Concave and Convex Mirrors: An Up-Close Look at the Spoon4.5Magnifying Lens: Water Drop Microscopes4.6Mechanical Waves: The Stadium Wave4.7Transverse Waves: Anatomy of a String4.8Compressional Waves: Making Waves with a Slinky4.9Sound and Its Mediums: Sound Matters4.10Sound Vibrations: Rubber Band Music4.11Sound and Water: Tuning Forks and Water4.12Energy Conductors and Insulators: The Cook’s Choice5.1Charging by Friction: Balloons and Dancing Salt Grains5.2Closed Circuits: A Battery, a Bulb, and a Paper Clip5.3Electrochemical Cell: Nine-Volt Battery Electrolysis5.4Resistance: Series and Parallel Circuits5.5Making Electricity: A Shocking Activity5.6Schematic Circuit Diagrams: Seeing the Circuit5.7Electromagnets: The Art of Magnetizing a Nail5.8Magnetic Field: Long-Distance Attraction5.9Magnets: What’s in a Refrigerator Magnet?5.10Magnetizing Metals: The Magnetic Nail5.11Magnets and Compasses: Which Way Is North?5.12Magnetic Forces: Force BlockersLife ScienceCells and their structure and function in living systems6.1Characteristics of Life: Is It Alive?6.2Energy Molecules: ATP and ADP6.3ATP and Lactic Acid: Muscle Fatigue6.4The Cell Cycle, Part One: Getting Started6.5The Cell Cycle Part Two: The Process6.6Cell Transport: When It Come to Cells, Small Is Good6.7Proteins as Enzymes: Saltine Crackers and Amylase6.8Plant Cell or Animal Cell: Shoestring Venn Diagram6.9Enzymes: Temperature and Paperase6.10The Mitochondria: Surface Area and the Folded Membrane6.11Photosynthesis and Respiration: Formula ScrambleReproduction and heredity7.1DNA: Candy Nucleotides7.2Chromosomes: Learning to Speak “Chromosome”7.3Genetic Diversity: Crossing Over During Meiosis7.4Genetic Combinations: Tall and Short Pea Plants7.5Mendel’s Law of Segregation: Cystic Fibrosis7.6Dominant and Recessive Genes in Cat Breeding: Curly-Eared Cats7.7Pedigrees: The Higgenbothum Hair Line7.8Sex-Linked Traits: Flipping Over Color Blindness7.9Gene Splicing: Human Growth Hormone and Recombinant DNA7.10Protein Synthesis: Modeling TranscriptionRegulation and behavior11.1The Role of Bile in Digestion: Emulsifying Fat11.2Tendons: Visualizing How the Fingers Work11.3The Heart: The Strongest Muscle of the Body11.4Partnering of the Brain and Eyes: Putting the Fish in the Bowl11.5Lung Capacity During Exercise: Balloons and Tidal Capacity11.6Blood Vessels: Arteries or Veins?11.7Muscle Interactions: Pairing of the Biceps and Triceps11.8Mechanical Digestion: The Initial Breakdown of Digestion11.9Peristalsis During Digestion: Moving Food Through the Esophagus11.10The Reason We Sweat: Staying Cool with the Sweat GlandsPopulations and ecosystems10.1Energy Flow Through the Food Chain: The 10 Percent Rule of Energy Flow10.2Population Growth Rate: Growing Exponentially10.3Food Web: Piecing Together a Food Web Puzzle10.4Population Estimations: Mark and Recapture of Wildlife10.5The Importance of Niches: Extinction and the Paper Clip Niche10.6Symbiosis: Want Ads for Mutualism10.7Human Pollution: Plastic Killers10.8Plant Growth Requirements: When Seeds Get Too Crowded10.9Packaging and the Environment: Convenience or Conservation?10.10Arthropod Behavior: Response of the Pill BugsDiversity and adaptations of organisms7.5Mendel’s Law of Segregation: Cystic Fibrosis8.10Antibiotic Resistance: Present-Day Evolution9.1The Six Kingdoms: Kingdom Match Game9.2Vascular Plants: Checking Out a Fern Frond9.3Flower Parts: Dissecting the Flower9.4Food Storage in Seeds: Dissecting a Dicot9.5Seed Dispersal: Where Plants Come From9.6Animal Symmetry: What Symmetry Is This?9.7Viruses: Nuts and Bolts of a Bacteriophage9.8Bird Digestion: Why Birds Don’t Need Teeth9.9Examining a Fungus: Close-Up Look at a Mushroom9.10Taxonomic Categories: Addressing ClassificationInterdependence of organisms6.11Photosynthesis and Respiration: Formula Scramble8.1Natural Selection: Life as a Peppered Moth8.2Natural Selection: What Creature Is the Fittest?8.3Primate Adaptations: The Importance of the Opposable Thumb8.4Steps of Natural Selection: Natural Selection Sequencing8.5Plant Adaptations: Features Plants Use for Survival in the Rain Forest8.6Adaptive Radiation: The Beaks on Darwin’s Finches8.7Variations and Survival: Pine Needle VariationMatter, energy, and organization in living systems6.2Energy Molecules: ATP and ADP6.3ATP and Lactic Acid: Muscle Fatigue6.11Photosynthesis and Respiration: Formula ScrambleBiological evolution8.1Natural Selection: Life as a Peppered Moth8.2Natural Selection: What Creature is the Fittest?8.3Primate Adaptations: The Importance of the Opposable Thumb8.4Steps of Natural Selection: Natural Selection Sequencing8.5Plant Adaptations: Features Plants Use for Survival in the Rain Forest8.6Adaptive Radiation: The Beaks on Darwin’s Finches8.7Variations and Survival: Pine Needle Variation8.8Horse Evolution: Horse Height Over Time8.9Fossil Dating: Stacking Up Rock Layers8.10Antibiotic Resistance: Present-Day EvolutionEarth ScienceStructure and energy in the earth system12.1Core Sampling: Seeing Inside the Cupcake12.2Metamorphic Rocks: Pressure and the Candy Bar12.3Sedimentation: Making Sedimentary Rocks12.4Soil Conservation: How Much of the Earth Is Usable Soil?12.5Physical Weathering of Rocks: Sugar Cube Breakdown12.6Mineral Hardness: Mineral Ranks12.7Cross Section of the Earth: Egg Modeling12.8Porosity of Soil Samples: Soil’s Holding Power12.9Groundwater and Permeability: Just Passing Through12.10Water in the Ocean: Sink or Float?12.11Ocean Currents: Temperatures Start the Motion12.12Bottle Eruption: Volcanic Activity14.1Temperature Inversions: Weather Patterns and Pollution14.2Cloud Formation: The Cloudy Bottle14.3Warm Air Rises: Refrigerated Balloons14.4Water Vapor: Dew on the Beaker14.5Rain Gauge: Let It Pour14.6The Loss of Ozone: Oxygen Is Not Just for Breathing14.7Temperature: Do You Want That in Celsius or Fahrenheit?14.8Heat Transfer: Spiraling Upward14.9Read a Climatogram: Quick Take on Climate14.10Air Has Weight: Living Under Pressure14.11Make It Rain: Bottle Rainstorm14.12Winds: Air Masses in MotionGeochemical cycles12.2Metamorphic Rocks: Pressure and the Candy Bar12.3Sedimentation: Making Sedimentary Rocks12.4Soil Conservation: How Much of the Earth Is Usable Soil?12.5Physical Weathering of Rocks: Sugar Cube Breakdown12.6Mineral Hardness: Mineral Ranks13.8Deformation of Rocks: Rocks Under StressOrigin and evolution of the earth system13.1Inferences From Fossils: Who Was Here?13.2Magnetic Rocks: Lodestones13.3Radioactive Rocks: The Age of Rocks13.4Continental Drift: Puzzling Over the Continents13.5Strength of Earthquakes: It’s the Cracker’s Fault13.6Fossil Molds and Casts: Making Fossils13.7Glaciers: Ice in Motion13.8Deformation of Rocks: Rocks Under Stress13.9Geologic Time Scale Model: Earth’s History on a Football Field13.10Graded Bedding: Breaking the Law13.11Seismic Waves: Human Wave Form13.12Mountain Building: Paper PeaksOrigin and evolution of the universe15.1Telescopes: An Eye on the Universe15.2Light-Years: Universal Time15.3Star Constellations: How Many Do You Know?15.4Viewing Constellations: Moving Patterns in the Sky15.5The Gyroscopic Effect: Spacecraft Navigation15.6Space Shuttle Orbits: Holding Onto Your Marbles15.7Gravity and Space Instruments: Writing in Space15.8Visible Light: A Blend of Colors15.9Infrared Red Light: Feel the Heat15.10Star Magnitude: The Brightness of Stars15.11Inertia in Space: Objects Keep Moving15.12The Parallax EffectEarth in the solar system16.1Planetary Revolutions: Birthdays on Mercury and Jupiter16.2Jupiter’s Atmosphere: A Stormy Planet16.3Orbiting the Earth: Earth’s Trip Around the Sun16.4Planet Formations: How the Planets Were Made16.5Surviving on the Moon: Lunar Trek16.6Solar Eclipse: Blocking the Sun16.7Astrolabe: Medieval Measurements16.8Precession of Earth: Spinning on the Axis16.9Lunar Surface Regolith: After the Meteorites Hit the Moon16.10Weight and Gravity: Weighing In on the Earth, Moon, and Sun16.11Auroras: Party Lights in the Sky16.12Moon Face: The Moon’s Revolution and RotationNature of ScienceScience in history3.4Newton’s First Law of Motion: Inertia—the Magician’s Friend3.5Law of Conservation of Momentum: Marble Collisions3.7Newton’s Second Law of Motion: Acceleration and the Coffee Mug3.9Newton’s Third Law of Motion: What Is a Reaction?7.5Mendel’s Law of Segregation: Cystic Fibrosis8.1Natural Selection: Life as a Peppered Moth8.6Adaptive Radiation: The Beaks on Darwin’s Finches13.4Continental Drift: Puzzling Over the Continents15.4Viewing Constellations: Moving Patterns in the Sky15.11Inertia in Space: Objects Keep Moving16.7Astrolabe: Medieval MeasurementsScience as an endeavorAll

UNIT I

Physical Science

SECTION ONE

Organization of Matter

The physical sciences focus on the nature and structure of matter and energy. In this section we offer students activities that help them investigate and understand key concepts related to matter. All matter is made up of smaller particles. Materials, or particular types of matter, may be pure substances, such as elements or compounds, or mixtures. On the simplest level, everything on Earth, from the human body to the entire biosphere, is made up of elements. The particles of matter have physical and chemical properties that help us characterize them. Physical properties include hardness, strength, density, and melting point. Chemical properties of matter refer to the way matter interacts with other substances. Particles may exist as solids, liquids, or gases. Experiments in this section examine gas laws, buoyancy, density, volume, chemical changes, and the periodic table of elements.

1.1. BOYLE’S GAS LAW

Marshmallow Under Pressure

Boyle’s Law states that when temperature is held constant, the volume—the amount of space occupied by matter—of a gas is inversely proportional to its pressure, the force per unit area. This simply means that if the pressure increases and temperature remains the same, the volume decreases. The opposite is also true (if the pressure decreases and the temperature remains the same, the volume increases). This activity will demonstrate Boyle’s Law using a marshmallow and a syringe.

Materials

Large plastic syringe (without a needle); Large marshmallow; Felt-tip pen

Activity

1. Draw a face on one side of the marshmallow and place it in the plastic syringe so the face can be seen from the side.

2. Place your thumb over the end of the syringe where the needle is usually located. Holding your thumb in place, push in the plunger. Observe what happens to the marshmallow as you do so.

FIGURE 1.1. Boyle’s Gas Law: Plunger In

3. With your thumb still in place, pull the plunger out and observe what happens.

FIGURE 1.2. Boyle’s Gas Law: Plunger Out

Follow-Up Questions

1. Marshmallows have bubbles of air trapped inside. What happened to the marshmallow when you pushed in the plunger? What happened when the plunger was pulled out?

2. Relate this demonstration to the definition of Boyle’s Law. How did this demonstration verify the accuracy of that law?

Extension: Try to think of a real-life example of Boyle’s Law in action.

1.2. BUOYANCY

Ketchup Packet Cartesian Divers

Objects either float or sink in water because of their buoyancy. An object placed in water pushes aside, or displaces, some of the water. If the weight of water displaced exceeds the weight of the object in the water, the object floats. A ketchup packet in a bottle of water can act as a Cartesian diver (named for René Descartes), floating or sinking as the outside of the bottle is squeezed. Changes in pressure on the bottle affect the sizes of the air bubbles inside the packet, changing the amount of water the packet displaces. As a result, the ketchup packet moves up and down in the bottle.

Materials

Empty two-liter clear plastic bottle and cap (all outside labels removed) Small packet of ketchup Water

Activity

1. Place the ketchup packet in the empty bottle. You may need to bend the packet to get it through the neck of the bottle.

2. Fill the bottle so it is almost completely full of water.

3. Tighten the cap on the bottle.

4. Squeeze the sides of the bottle and see what happens to the packet.

5. Release the sides of the bottle and watch what happens.

Follow-Up Questions

1. What happened when you squeezed the sides of the bottle?

2. What happened when you released the sides of the bottle?

3. Explain in your own words how buoyancy caused the ketchup packet to act as it did.

Extension

Try using other condiment packets as divers. Also try a clear soy sauce packet. Watch carefully and see if you can actually see the change in the size of the air bubble within this packet as you squeeze the outside of the bottle.

1.3. COUNTING MOLECULES AND ATOMS

Number of Molecules of Chalk in Your Signature

Chemists often work with large numbers of small particles. To make counting easier, they use a unit called a mole. One mole of anything is equal to 6.02 × 1023. Chalk is calcium carbonate: CaCO3. One mole of calcium carbonate has a molar mass of 100 grams. Using this information, you can mathematically calculate how many molecules of chalk you use when signing your name on the board.

Materials

Triple beam or electronic balance; Access to a chalkboard; Piece of chalk; Calculator

Activity

1. Use the balance to weigh and record the mass of the piece of chalk.

2. Sign your full name on the chalkboard.

3. Reweigh the piece of chalk and record the mass.

4. Subtract the new mass from the original mass to get the number of grams of calcium carbonate you used to write your name.

5. Convert the grams of chalk to moles of chalk by dividing the grams of chalk used by 100 grams, the molar mass of calcium carbonate.

6. Convert the number of moles of chalk used to the number of molecules of chalk used by multiplying the number of moles by 6.02 × 1023. This tells you the number of molecules of calcium carbonate required to write your name.

7. If time allows, compare your calculations with your classmates’ results.

Follow-Up Questions

1. How many moles of calcium carbonate did you use to sign your name?

2. How many molecules of calcium carbonate did you use to sign your name?

Extension

If you want to determine the number of atoms of calcium carbonate you used when signing your name, multiply the number of molecules by 5. What number did you get? Why do you think you had to multiply by 5 to get this?

1.4. IDENTIFYING AND NAMING ISOTOPES

“EggCeptional” Isotopes

The nucleus (central core) of an atom consists of protons (positively charged particles) and neutrons (particles that don’t have any electrical charge). Electrons (negatively charged particles) are found in levels, or orbitals, outside the nucleus. An electrically neutral atom has an equal number of protons and electrons. Some atoms occur as isotopes—two or more atoms with the same atomic number but different numbers of neutrons. When writing the name of an isotope, you write the name of the element, a hyphen, and the sum of the number of protons and neutrons found in the nucleus of that atom. For example, bromine-80 is an isotope with 35 protons, 35 electrons, and 45 neutrons.

Materials

Plastic egg isotope (prepared by the teacher; see Teacher’s Notes); Periodic table

Activity

1. Obtain an egg isotope from your teacher. This represents one of the isotopes of an element on the periodic table.

2. Examine the egg carefully and identify which structures inside the egg represent protons, neutrons, and electrons. The egg itself is the nucleus of the atom.

3. Use the periodic table to identify the element your egg represents.

4. Determine the specific isotope of the element.

Follow-Up Questions

1. Which part of the egg represented each of the following? How many of each did you find?

a. Protons

b. Neutrons

c. Electrons

2. Which element did your egg represent?

3. Write the correct isotope name.

Extension

Obtain the eggs of five of your classmates. Write down the names of the isotopes of those five eggs. Compare your answer with your classmates’ answers. Did you agree or disagree with their determinations?

1.5. CHEMICALAND PHYSICAL CHANGES

Examining Paper for Change

Substances can undergo changes that do not always involve chemical reactions. When ice melts and changes to water, the appearance of the substance changes but its chemical composition remains the same. As ice or water, the substance is still H2O. Melting is an example of a physical change. During a chemical change, such as the formation of rust (iron oxide) from iron, a new substance is formed. The following activity will test your ability to differentiate between chemical and physical changes that might occur in a piece of paper.

Materials

Envelope prepared by the teacher (see Teacher’s Notes) that contains the following four pieces of paper (all the pieces were originally of equal size):

Burned paper Paper that has a circle cut out of the middle Paper folded over three times into a square Paper that has been soaked in water and dried

Activity

1. Remove the four papers from the envelope and examine each one. All four papers were the same size before they experienced the changes you now see.

2. Examine each paper closely and consider what you know about physical and chemical changes.

Follow-Up Questions

1. Which of the pieces of the paper do you think experienced chemical changes? Explain your answer.

2. Which of the pieces of paper do you think experienced physical changes? Explain your answer.

3. In your own words, write a sentence that differentiates chemical from physical change.

Extension

If you were asked to prepare an envelope of items for another student so he could identify physical and chemical changes, what items would you select, and how could you modify each one to show these types of changes?

1.6. PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF MATTER

Tootsie Roll Properties

Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Different types of matter are characterized by unique chemical and physical properties. We can observe the physical properties of a substance without knowing anything about its composition. One physical property of water is that it has a density of 1 g/ml. Density is a property of matter equal to its mass per unit volume. An object with a density less than 1 g/ml will float on water, but an object with a density greater than 1 g/ml will sink. In this activity you will calculate the density of a Tootsie Roll to see whether it will sink or float in water.

Materials

Snack-size Tootsie Roll; Cup of water; Ruler

Activity

2. Judging by your calculations, do you expect the Tootsie Roll to sink or float in water?

3. Place the Tootsie Roll in the cup of water to see whether your calculations were correct.

Follow-Up Questions

1. According to your calculations, what was the density of the Tootsie Roll?

2. Did you expect it to sink or float in water? Were you right?

Extension

Density is one physical property of a Tootsie Roll. Look at the Tootsie Roll and list three other physical properties it has. List three physical properties of water. How do they compare?

1.7. DENSITY

Can’t Hold a Good Ping-Pong Ball Down

Materials

Large beaker or glass jar Bag of dried pinto beans Ping-Pong ball Metal ball (same size as Ping-Pong ball)

Activity

1. Place the Ping-Pong ball in the bottom of the beaker or glass jar.

2. Pour the pinto beans into the beaker with the Ping-Pong ball so the ball is completely covered.

3. Place the metal ball on the top of the pinto beans.

4. Gently shake the beaker or jar from side to side and watch what happens.

Follow-Up Questions

1. What happened to the Ping-Pong ball after you shook it? What happened to the metal ball after you shook it?

2. What does this demonstration suggest about the density of the pinto beans?

Extension

1.8. ATOMIC SIZE IN PICOMETERS

Cutting Paper to Atom Size

Atoms are extremely small. The specific size of an atom is shown by its location on the periodic table. However, all atoms range in size from 32 picometers to 225 picometers. A picometer is one-trillionth of a meter, or 1 × 10 - 12 m. To put this in perspective, the width of an atom is about one-millionth the width of a human hair. The width of a human hair is one-tenth of a millimeter. In this activity you will visualize atomic dimensions by cutting a strip of paper in half as many times as possible.

Materials

28 cm × 2.5 cm strip of paper (prepared by the teacher) Scissors

Activity

1. Use your scissors and cut the strip of paper in half.

2. Keep one half and throw the other half away.

3. Cut this strip of paper in half again. Discard one half and retain one half.

4. Continue this process, keeping count of the number of cuts you have made, until you can no longer make any additional cuts in the paper.

Follow-Up Questions

1. How many cuts were you able to make in the paper?

2. How many cuts do you think you would have to make to get a piece of paper the exact width of an atom?

3. Do you think you can see an atom with the naked eye?

Extension

How many cuts would you have to make to get the paper to the size that is equal to the width of a human hair? Pluck out a piece of hair and devise a technique that would allow you to figure this out.

1.9. SURFACE TENSION

Why Some Insects Can Walk on Water

Water tends to form beads or drops. This ability of water molecules to stick together, a property known as surface tension, is due to the mutual attraction of water molecules. One side of each water molecule has a slight positive charge; the other side has a slight negative charge. The attraction of two molecules is maintained by a hydrogen bond. The high surface tension of water forms a kind of “skin” on the top of water. Lightweight insects such as water striders can scoot across the water’s surface without sinking. In the following activity, you will examine the property of surface tension.

Materials

Penny; Medicine dropper; Cup of water; Paper towel

Activity .

1. Place the penny on a paper towel so the head side of the penny faces up.

2. Using the medicine dropper, slowly add small drops of water to the penny. Count the number of drops as you add them.

3. Notice what happens to the water as more and more drops pile up on top of the penny.

4. Continue this process until water finally spills over the side of the penny.

Follow-Up Questions

1. How many drops of water were you able to place on the penny before it ran over the side?

2. Describe the appearance of the water on top of the penny just before it spilled over the side.

3. What finally caused the water to break through the “skin”?

Extension

Stir a small amount of hand soap into the cup of water. Dry the penny and repeat this activity using the soapy water. Count the number of drops the penny can hold. Write a statement about how soap affects the surface tension of water. How would it affect the water strider’s ability to walk on water?

1.10. BIRDS IN FLIGHT

How Birds’ Wings Enable Them to Fly

Birds’ wings, like airplane wings, have a specific shape that makes them perfect for flight. Air travels faster around the upper curved surface of the wing than it does around the lower flat surface. This reduces the air pressure on top of the wing. The greater air pressure below the wing lifts the bird upward in flight. The differences in air pressure above and below a wing are explained by Bernoulli’s Principle, which states that as air speed increases, air pressure decreases. This activity will demonstrate how Bernoulli’s Principle allows birds to fly.

Materials

Two empty soda cans

Activity

FIGURE 1.3. Bernouilli’s Principle

1. Place two empty soda cans on their sides on a table so that the bottoms of the cans are facing you. Position both cans with only a small space between them.

2. Predict what will happen if you blow in the space between the cans.

3. Blow in the space between the cans so the stream of air travels along the length of the cans. Notice what happens to the cans.

Follow-Up Questions

1. What did you predict would happen if you blew in the space between the cans?

2. What actually happened when you blew between the cans?

3. How does this activity demonstrate what happens to air that travels around the bird’s wings when it is in flight?

4. What are the similarities between an airplane’s wings and a bird’s wings?

Extension

Not all birds are able to fly. Do some research and find out why some birds can fly, but other birds cannot. Base your explanation on Bernoulli’s principle.

1.11. MENDELEEV’S PERIODIC TABLE

It Was All in the Cards

The modern periodic table of elements, which is based on chemical properties and increasing number of protons, or atomic number, is different from the first periodic table developed by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869. Mendeleev wrote the names, atomic weights, and physical and chemical properties of each element on a separate card, then arranged the cards to show trends or patterns. He discovered that the elements, when arranged in order of atomic number and by similar properties, formed a repeating periodic pattern. The patterns were so clear that Mendeleev predicted the locations on the table of undiscovered elements. In this activity you will simulate Mendeleev’s technique of arranging cards into patterns.

Materials

Nine element cards (prepared by the teacher; see Teacher’s Notes) Scissors

Activity

1. Cut out the nine cards and shuffle them.

2. Pretend these are nine of the elements Mendeleev was attempting to arrange into a pattern.

3. Based on the information on the cards, place the cards so that they form a pattern that makes sense.

Follow-Up Questions

1. How did your group or arrange the cards?

2. Based on your arrangement, where would you put a card for an element that is a liquid with an atomic mass between 9 and 13? What would its atomic mass actually be?

Extension

Look at the modern periodic table and find the elements that would not have fit correctly in Mendeleev’s periodic table of increasing atomic mass. Explain why they do fit correctly in the modern periodic table.

1.12. VOLUME OF A CYLINDER

The Long and Short of Volume

Materials

Two overhead transparencies “ × 11”); Packing tape; Aluminum pie plate; Sand

Activity

FIGURE 1.4. Volume of a Cylinder

1. Make a cylinder from one of the transparencies by rolling it, starting at one long end so it stands at the tallest height possible. Do not overlap the ends of the transparency. Use tape to hold the cylinder in place.

2. Make a cylinder from the second transparency in the same way, but this time roll the cylinder from one of the short ends so it is shorter and fatter than the first one you made.

3. Look at the two cylinders and predict which one has the greater volume.