Classroom Resources: Energy & Thermodynamics
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Electromagnetic Spectrum, Molecular Structure, Chemical Bond, Molecular Structure | High School
Video: Ingenious Video 2: What Birds Know About Color that You Don't Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)
We’ve been using pigments and dyes for thousands of years, but they’re not the whole story when it comes to making color. “Structural” color occurs when tiny nanostructures interact with light waves, amplifying certain colors and canceling others. From brilliant bird feathers to butterfly wings, mole hairs to octopus skin, structural color is everywhere in the natural world. Researchers have tried for years to harness this incredible natural phenomenon in a useful way. Because these colors are so small and complex, and therefore hard to copy, their efforts have met with little success. But novel research using a computer model based in repeated random sampling — a so-called “Monte Carlo” model — is showing promise. Using this approach, scientists have been able to mimic the gorgeous blue of the mountain bluebird in a thin film of reflective beads, leapfrogging millennia of evolution.
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Lab Safety, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Interdisciplinary, Heat, Temperature, Polymers, Molecular Structure | High School
Video: Ingenious Video 3: This Sandwich Will Save Your Life in an Arc Flash Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
It’s never fun when your clothes catch on fire. And while “stop, drop, and roll” may be a good idea sometimes, in more extreme cases, you need a better plan. Every day, industrial workers, firefighters, and soldiers risk fiery situations that might seem hard to imagine. In an arc flash event, for one, temperatures can jump to metal-melting levels in milliseconds. How can anyone possibly survive that? Well, take a tip from a club sandwich, because it’s all about the layers. The composite fabrics that protect life and limb in these situations rely on some incredible, multilayered chemistry, including the ability to quickly form a protective carbonaceous crust around the wearer.
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Heat, Physical Properties, Physical Change, Molecular Structure, Monomer, Polymers | High School
Video: Ingenious Video 7: The World has a Receipt Problem Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
The receipts you take home from the store – or stuff in your bag, or lose in your car -- employ a printing method that’s been around since the 1970s. Thermal printing involves heat-sensitive inks called leuco dyes that show up when they react with an acid developer embedded in the paper. Not only do these inks fade easily, but receipts that use them aren’t recyclable, and could even be dangerous to your health. Taking a cue from a failed experiment, scientists are developing a new kind of receipt paper that will use the same thermal printers without leuco dyes. Instead of acid developers, this paper is coated in reflective microspheres that collapse under heat, allowing regular ink underneath to show through.
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Mixtures, Solute & Solvent, Intermolecular Forces, Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Formula, Molecular Structure, Polymers, Electromagnetic Spectrum | Middle School, High School
Video: What is Paint? Video Mark as Favorite (9 Favorites)
This video investigates the composition of paint, while analyzing the fundamental chemistry principles of its main components. Students will learn about the differences between three common paint types, water colors, oil-based and acrylic paint as well as the chemistry of each.
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Renewable Energy, Culminating Project | High School
Project: Sustainable Energy Evaluation Mark as Favorite (31 Favorites)
In this project, students will develop a presentation to compare the pros and cons of a sustainable resource. The explanation will involve researching the cost and benefits of the resource and analyzing if the resource should continue to be used.
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Exothermic & Endothermic, Law of Conservation of Energy, Temperature, Bond Energy | High School
Project: Thermochemistry Infographic Mark as Favorite (49 Favorites)
In this project, students will apply the principles of thermochemistry and thermodynamics to explain real world phenomena by creating an infographic using web based tools.
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Entropy | High School
Activity: Entropy Mark as Favorite (22 Favorites)
In this activity, students will define entropy and be able to recognize entropy changes in chemical reactions.
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Entropy, Kinetic Molecular Theory, Molecular Motion, Intermolecular Forces, Density, Volume | High School
Activity: Connecting States to Entropy Mark as Favorite (14 Favorites)
In this activity, students use blocks to model different states of matter and the Kinetic Molecular Theory to understand the concept of entropy. This is a concept mandated by SAT level or AP level high school chemistry class.
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Heat, Temperature, Specific Heat, Law of Conservation of Energy, Enthalpy, Calorimetry, Exothermic & Endothermic, Balancing Equations, Chemical Change, Measurements, Mole Concept, Dimensional Analysis, Culminating Project, Interdisciplinary, Review, Graphing, Observations, Chemical Properties, Physical Properties | High School
Project: Handwarmer Design Challenge Mark as Favorite (61 Favorites)
In this project, students will use their knowledge of thermodynamics to design a handwarmer for a manufacturing company that can maintain a temperature of 30-40°C for at least 5 minutes and is designed for the average human hand. Students will create a final product after rounds of testing and an advertising poster that summarizes the results of their testing and promotes their design.
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Exothermic & Endothermic, Law of Conservation of Energy, Heat, Temperature | High School
Activity: Endothermic & Exothermic Reactions Mark as Favorite (17 Favorites)
In this activity, students observe industrial-strength snap sticks and chemical cold packs and discuss processes of endothermic and exothermic reactions.
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Activation Energy, Temperature, Exothermic & Endothermic, Heat, Equilibrium Constants, Establishing Equilibrium, Le Châtelier's Principle, Reaction Quotient | High School
Activity: Reversible Reactions Simulation Mark as Favorite (45 Favorites)
In this activity, students will investigate how temperature, activation energy, initial amounts of products and reactants, and type of reaction (exo- or endothermic) effect the equilibrium position of a reaction using a simulation.
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Atomic Theory, Law of Conservation of Energy, Electrons, Electromagnetic Spectrum | High School
Activity: Simulation Activity: Exciting Electrons Mark as Favorite (105 Favorites)
In this simulation, students will explore what happens when electrons within a generic atom are excited from their ground state. This is a qualitative investigation, not meant to mimic any particular atom.
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Electromagnetic Spectrum, Radiation | High School
Activity: Investigating Infrared Light Mark as Favorite (4 Favorites)
In this activity, students will use a phone camera to see the infrared light emitted by a television remote. They will use the electromagnetic spectrum to compare the energy of infrared light to visible light and make conjectures related to other types of light.
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Renewable Energy, Electricity, Galvanic Cells, Cathode, Anode | High School
Video: Hybrid and Electric Cars Video Mark as Favorite (13 Favorites)
This video explores the chemistry in the batteries that power hybrid and electric cars.
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Culminating Project, Interdisciplinary, History, Renewable Energy | High School
Project: Understanding Renewable Energy Mark as Favorite (5 Favorites)
In this project, students will conduct research in order to become an “expert” on a specific type of renewable energy source. Students will produce a media presentation and a poster board as well as participate in a symposium focused on renewable energy sources.
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Atomic Mass, Subatomic Particles, Law of Conservation of Energy, Conservation of Mass | High School
Activity: Building a Nuclide Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)
In this activity, students will construct a model of a nuclide and use this model to investigate why the mass of the nuclide is less than the summative mass of the individual nucleons (protons and neutrons). Additionally, the constructed nuclide will be used to help students conceptualize and differentiate between key lesson terminology (mass defect, strong nuclear force, and nuclear binding energy).
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Periodic Table, Elements, Introduction, Temperature | High School
Activity: An Element Fill-In Puzzle Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
In this activity, students will solve a puzzle by using element symbols from the periodic table to fill-in missing letters in familiar chemistry terms related to energy and thermodynamics.
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Calorimetry, Specific Heat, Heat | High School
Activity: Heat Flow Process Engineering Optimization Mark as Favorite (23 Favorites)
In this activity, students will use a team-based approach to solve the problem of upscaling a chemical process from lab scale to production scale for a hypothetical reaction. The project involves thermochemistry concepts of heat and calorimetry, along with conversion factors. The students will use a team-oriented problem-solving approach. The emphasis is placed on data driven decision making.
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Temperature, History, Physical Properties, Measurements, SI Units, Accuracy | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Activity: Temperature Guys Video Questions Mark as Favorite (37 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer questions about how both the thermometer and the concept of temperature evolved over time
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Introduction, Interdisciplinary, History, Heat, Renewable Energy, Polymers, Molecular Structure | Middle School, High School
Activity: The Frontiers of Chemistry: Video Questions Mark as Favorite (21 Favorites)
In this activity, students will answer questions while watching a video about several exciting scientific developments, including solar cells, 3D printing and micro machines. This video will help students understand that fundamental chemistry concepts are essential to the advancement of science and technology.
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Electricity, Anode, Cathode, Galvanic Cells, Heat, Renewable Energy | High School
Activity: Alternative Fuels Video Questions Mark as Favorite (6 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer related questions about the alternatives to petroleum-based fossil fuels such as biofuels and hydrogen fuel cells. Students will learn about the pros and cons of various fuel sources, as well as possibilities for the future of fuels.
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Electricity, Anode, Cathode, Galvanic Cells, Redox Reaction, Renewable Energy | High School
Activity: Hybrid and Electric Cars Video Questions Mark as Favorite (11 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer related questions about the chemistry of batteries as they are used to power hybrid and electric cars. Students will learn about the basics of electricity, as well as how batteries function as a source of electricity.
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Heat of Combustion, Heat, Exothermic & Endothermic, Combustion, Polymers, Molecular Structure | High School
Activity: The Internal Combustion Engine Video Questions Mark as Favorite (15 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer related questions about the mechanical and chemical processed used in the internal combustion engine. Additionally they will learn about reactions and fuel types as well as the history and evolution of the combustion engine.
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Mixtures, Solute & Solvent, Intermolecular Forces, Intermolecular Forces, Molecular Structure, Polymers, Electromagnetic Spectrum | Middle School, High School
Activity: What is Paint? Video Questions Mark as Favorite (13 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer related questions about the composition of paint. During the video, students will learn about the differences between three common paint types, water colors, oil-based and acrylic paint as well as the chemistry of each.
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Electromagnetic Spectrum, Molecular Structure, Mixtures | Middle School, High School
Activity: What are Pigments? Video Questions Mark as Favorite (5 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer related questions about the chemistry of pigment molecules and how they are used to give paints their specific color. During the video, students will learn about the importance of a pigment’s molecular structure, how they are physically suspended to create a paint color, as well as how they interact with light.