Classroom Resources: Energy & Thermodynamics
Filter by:
1 – 25 of 56 Classroom Resources
-
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.
-
Colligative Properties, Boiling Point Elevation, Freezing Point Depression, Concentration, Solute & Solvent, Boiling Point, Freezing Point, Phase Changes, Molecular Motion, Graphing, Physical Properties, Heat, Temperature | High School
Simulation: Colligative Properties Mark as Favorite (33 Favorites)
In this simulation, students will investigate the effects of different solutes, and different amounts of those solutes, on the boiling point and freezing point of a solution. Students will see particle-level animations of boiling and freezing with different types and amounts of solutes, as well as graphical representations of the results of each trial.
-
Colligative Properties, Boiling Point Elevation, Freezing Point Depression, Concentration, Solute & Solvent, Boiling Point, Freezing Point, Phase Changes, Molecular Motion, Graphing, Physical Properties, Heat, Temperature | Middle School, High School
Activity: Simulation Activity: The Effect of Solutes on Boiling and Freezing Point Mark as Favorite (40 Favorites)
In this activity, students will use a colligative properties simulation to investigate the effects of different solutes, and different amounts of those solutes, on the boiling point and freezing point of a solution. Students will see particle-level animations of boiling and freezing with different types and amounts of solutes, as well as graphical representations of the results of each trial.
-
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 (41 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.
-
Galvanic Cells, Half Reactions, Anode, Cathode, Reduction, Oxidation, Redox Reaction, Electron Transfer, Electrons, Electricity, Spontaneous Reactions , Spontaneous vs. Non-spontaneous Reactions, Electrolytic Cells | High School
Activity: Animation Activity: Galvanic Cells Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
In this activity, students will view an animation that explores how a galvanic cell works on a particulate level. Copper and zinc are the chemicals depicted in the spontaneous reaction. The transfer of electrons and involvement of the salt bridge are highlighted, in addition to the half reactions that take place for Zn (Zn → Zn2+ + 2 e-) and Cu (2 e- + Cu2+ → Cu).
-
Heat, Physical Properties, Physical Change, Molecular Structure, Monomer, Polymers | High School
Activity: Ingenious: The World Has a Receipt Problem Video Questions Mark as Favorite (6 Favorites)
In this activity, students will answer questions while watching the video The World has a Receipt Problem from the Ingenious series produced by the American Chemical Society. Each episode investigates a different topic related to how leading-edge chemistry is taking on the world’s most urgent issues to advance everyone’s quality of life and secure our shared future. This episode investigates the process of thermal printing on receipts, and the limitations related to the paper that currently prints using leuco dyes. This heat-sensitive ink appears when it reacts with an acid developer embedded in the paper. Scientists are working to develop a new kind of thermal receipt paper, that can use the same printers, however it offers many additional benefits and potential uses.
-
Heat, Physical Properties, Physical Change, Molecular Structure, Monomer, Polymers | High School
Video: Ingenious Video 7: The World has a Receipt Problem Mark as Favorite (8 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.
-
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.
-
Lab Safety, Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Interdisciplinary, Heat, Temperature, Polymers, Polymers | High School
Activity: Ingenious: This Sandwich Will Save Your Life in an Arc Flash Video Questions Mark as Favorite (8 Favorites)
In this activity, students will answer questions while watching the video, This Sandwich will Save your life in an Arc Flash, from the Ingenious series produced by the American Chemical Society. Each episode investigates a different topic related to how leading-edge chemistry is taking on the world’s most urgent issues to advance everyone’s quality of life and secure our shared future. This episode investigates the composite fabrics that protect lives of many people, like industrial workers, firefighters, and soldiers. When these workers encounter a fiery situation, they rely on protective clothing, designed using multiple layers of chemistry, to keep them safe.
-
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.
-
Molecular Structure, Chemical Bond, Electromagnetic Spectrum, Molecular Structure | High School
Activity: Ingenious: What Birds Know About Color that You Don't Video Questions Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
In this activity, students will answer questions while watching the video, What Birds Know about Color that You Don’t, from the Ingenious series produced by the American Chemical Society. Each episode investigates a different topic related to how leading-edge chemistry is taking on the world’s most urgent issues to advance everyone’s quality of life and secure our shared future. This episode investigates structural color, its complexities as well as how it differs from pigments and dyes.
-
Heat, Specific Heat, Phase Changes, Intermolecular Forces | High School
Activity: "It's a Phase" Puzzles Mark as Favorite (2 Favorites)
In this activity, students will complete either a crossword puzzle or a word search puzzle for common vocabulary terms related to the topics of phase changes and heat transfer. This activity provides an opportunity for students to increase their familiarity with the terms that they will be expected to use when learning about thermochemistry.
-
Atomic Mass, Subatomic Particles, Law of Conservation of Energy, Conservation of Mass | High School
Activity: Building a Nuclide Mark as Favorite (7 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).
-
Specific Heat, Heat, Temperature | High School
Simulation: Understanding Specific Heat Capacity Mark as Favorite (73 Favorites)
In this simulation, students will play the role of engineer. They will calculate the specific heat capacity of various materials to determine which ones meet stated criteria and then perform a cost analysis to determine which material to use.
-
Specific Heat, Heat, Temperature, Experimental Design | Middle School, High School
Activity: Simulation Activity: Understanding Specific Heat Mark as Favorite (31 Favorites)
In this simulation, students will play the role of engineer in deciding which materials are the best candidates for a building project. They will calculate the specific heat capacity of various building materials to determine which ones meet the criteria for building an energy efficient home. Students will also do a cost analysis to determine which material to use in their building project. On the student activity sheet, they will answer additional conceptual and numerical questions related to specific heat capacity.
-
Electromagnetic Spectrum, Interdisciplinary | Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Activity: Animation Activity: Electromagnetic Spectrum Mark as Favorite (38 Favorites)
In this activity, students will view an animation that explores the electromagnetic spectrum, with a focus on the visible spectrum. The animation addresses the relationship between color, wavelength, frequency, and energy of light waves, as well as how an object absorbs and reflects certain wavelengths of light to contribute to the color we perceive.
-
Electromagnetic Spectrum, Interdisciplinary | Middle School, High School, Elementary School
Animation: The Electromagnetic Spectrum Animation Mark as Favorite (73 Favorites)
This animation explores the electromagnetic spectrum, with a focus on the visible spectrum. It addresses the relationship between color, wavelength, frequency, and energy of light waves, as well as how an object absorbs and reflects certain wavelengths of light to contribute to the color we perceive. This animation was featured in the May 2020 issue of Chemistry Solutions. **This video has no spoken audio**
-
Electromagnetic Spectrum, Identifying an Unknown | Middle School, High School
Activity: Color Matching Paint Video Questions Mark as Favorite (5 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer related questions about how technology, specifically focusing on spectrophotometry, can be used for paint matching. During the video, students will learn how the spectrophotometer interacts with the spectrum of visible light in order to match or reproduce specific paint colors.
-
Molecular Structure, Molecular Geometry, Polymers, Electronegativity, Heat, Temperature, Electricity | Middle School, High School
Activity: Future of Paint Video Questions Mark as Favorite (3 Favorites)
In this activity, students will watch a video and answer related questions about the fascinating and innovative scientific advancements of paint. During the video, Students will learn how the molecular components in paint are helping to evolve in the world around them.
-
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.
-
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 (10 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.
-
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.
-
Electricity, Anode, Cathode, Galvanic Cells, Heat, Renewable Energy | High School
Activity: Alternative Fuels Video Questions Mark as Favorite (5 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.
-
Introduction, Interdisciplinary, History, Heat, Renewable Energy, Polymers, Molecular Structure | Middle School, High School
Video: Frontiers of Chemistry Mark as Favorite (17 Favorites)
This video explores new scientific developments that were made possible by the application of fundamental chemistry concepts. Students will learn about exciting advances in science and technology focused on three main topics: Solar Cells, 3D Printing and Micro Machines.
-
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.