Why Are Electrons Important? Brandon, Larry L.

Thornwood High School 339-7800 x 2785

Objectives: The student will be able to write the electron configuration of any element, given the atomic number. Given the location of an element on the periodic table, the student will be able to give the highest energy level the valence electrons are on, and how many valence electrons it has. Materials: 1-Hole rubber stopper, #4, 4 or 5 rubber bands, 2 paper clips. Strategies: Stringing the rubber bands together to make one continuous cord, it is run through the hole in the rubber stopper and a paper clip is attached to each end (to keep everything together). This simple apparatus can be used to simulate the space-filling property of an electron. It is better than the analogy of a fan, because this model fills a 3dimensional space. Simply moving the hand rapidly in a random motion will quickly cause the rubber stopper to soon occupy a spherical volume. It will bang the knuckles from time to time, so it is not advisable to use a stopper larger than a #4. Also shown was the diagonal rule for filling orbitals. This takes the form: 1s 2s 3s 4s 5s 6s 7s 2p 3p 4p 5p 6p 7p

3d 4d 5d 6d 7d

4f 5f 6f 7f

Draw diagonal lines from top right to bottom left. Following the lines, when correctly drawn, will give the following order of filling: 1s, 2s, 2p, 3s, 3p, 4s, 3d, 4p, 5s, 4d, 5p, 6s, 4f, 5d, 6p, 7s, 5f, 6d and 7p. These orbitals will account for all the elements now known. This diagonal rule can help account for the octet rule, as well. These are two simple activities to help the chemistry teacher discuss electrons and their relation to the periodic table. Elements, Compounds, and Mixtures Marcea Anderson Thornton Township High School 150th & Broadway Ave. Harvey, Ill. 60426 708-596-1000

Objectives: To distinguish and describe the three types of matter: elements, compounds,

mixtures. Apparatus: Helium balloon, beaker of salt, taco salad appetizer, petri dishes, nuts, bolts, washers, overhead projector. Strategy: Before class begins, set out a beaker of salt, tie a helium balloon to the desk and bring out a taco salad with chips. When the students get to class have them wash their hands. Ask the students why you would have these three items out on the desk and ask them to come up and sample the taco salad. Instruct the students to form their mini-groups and discuss the three items. Each group should make a list comparing and contrasting their three items. Discuss their lists. Hopefully, one group will determine that the helium balloon is an element, the salt is a compound, and the taco salad is a mixture. Define the three types of matter on the board or overhead. To show the difference between each type of matter use nuts, bolts and washers in plastic petri dishes. Set these up in advance for use with an overhead projector. For elements use the following: Dish A 8 washers B 8 bolts C 8 Nuts For compounds use the following: Dish D combine 1 nut with 1 bolt making several sets E combine 2 nuts with 1 bolt making several sets F combine 1 bolt, 2 washers and 2 nuts making several sets For mixtures use the following : Dish G 2 washers, 2 bolts, 2 compound D and 1 compound F H 5 washers, 6 nuts and 4 bolts I 4 compound D, 3 compound E and 5 compound F Show each dish and explain why it is like its type of matter. Use these to review the concept of each type of matter. Have the students form their groups again. This time, ask them to make an analogy of the concept of elements, compounds, and mixtures from their daily life.

Element Names and Symbols

Directions: In the following lesson you will be asked to match a statement to the element that it describes. The element names will be used for the answers. The correct answers will come from the list of elements provided. However the element list provided will be in symbols only. You must know the name that goes with the symbol to answer correctly. A sense of humor is also required to have any hope of getting the correct answers. After you are done you go to the answer page by clicking on the link at the bottom of the page.

Teachers: You may want to provide periodic tables or not depending on your students knowledge of elemental symbols. This is intended to be a fun activity and is one that I have used as part of an emergency lesson plan, since it can be done at any time of the year.

Example:

Ba

What you do with dead animals _________________

Ans. Barium (get it, bury 'em ) I love this stuff!

Lesson: The answers in the left column are not in order with the statements.

1. Name of a girl ________________

2. What she got after the divorce ________________

Ni

3. Storage place for street cars ________________

Si

4. What some school courses do (not this one) ________________

Cu

5. Night rider for Helen of Troy ________________

He

6. Half of a dime ________________

7. The Lone Rangers horse ________________

8. Not fat ________________

Rh

9. A man who gives admission slips to traffic court ____________

Sb

10. Donnie and Marie ________________

Hg

11. Gin with water in it ________________

12. What I do when I am hungry ________________

Pd

13. Male of the Ganese tribe ________________

14. What torpedoed ships do ________________

Zn

15. Messenger of the gods ________________

Os

16. What he did to a bucking horse ________________

Ag

17. Big English theater (or theatre) ________________

Sn

18. What would be done to a wounded person ________________

Te

19. A crazy inmate ________________

Mn

20. Why she wears "My Sin" perfume ________________

Answer Page
H 1. Name of a girl fluorine

2. What she got after the divorce antimony

Ni

3. Storage place for street cars carbon

Si

4. What some school courses do (not this one) boron

Cu

5. Night rider for Helen of Troy nitrogen

He

6. Half of a dime nickel

7. The Lone Rangers horse silver

8. Not fat tin

Rh

9. A man who gives admission slips to traffic court copper

Sb

10. Donnie and Marie osmium

Hg

11. Gin with water in it hydrogen

12. What I do when I am hungry iodine

Pd

13. Male of the Ganese tribe manganese

14. What torpedoed ships do zinc

Zn

15. Messenger of the gods mercury

Os

16. What he did to a bucking horse rhodium

Ag

17. Big English theater (or theatre) palladium

Sn

18. What would be done to a wounded person helium

Te

19. A crazy inmate silicon

Mn

20. Why she wears "My Sin" perfume tellurium

Objectives
Students will Explore transition metals. Explain why transition metals are used in coins. Describe why oxides such as rust and tarnish form on metals.

Materials
Periodic Table of the Elements: Transition Metals II program Measuring cup 1/4 cup vinegar Pinch of salt Clean glass jar 10 dirty pennies (from before 1982) Paper towels

Two new, untarnished iron nails Small bowl of water

Procedures
1. After watching the video, ask students to name examples of transition metals. (iron, nickel, titanium, copper, silver, gold, chromium, iron, zinc ) Point out the transition metals on a periodic table. Ask students to identify some properties of most transition metals. (hard, dense, shiny, high melting and boiling points, good conductors of heat and electricity, malleable, and ductile ) 2. Tell the class that they?re going to conduct an experiment with the transition metal copper in the form of old pennies. Explain that today pennies contain just a coating with 2.5 percent copper, but pennies made before 1982 contain 95 percent copper. Divide students into teams of three or four and give each team the materials listed above. 3. Have each team pour 1/4 cup of vinegar into a glass jar. Add a pinch of salt and stir. Put 10 dirty pennies and one of the nails into the jar. Let sit for 10 minutes. 4. While waiting, explain that copper isn?t the only transition metal in coins. In fact, all metals tin U.S. coins are transition metals. Challenge students to name the three transition metals that are found in all current U.S. coins. (copper, zinc, nickel ) What additional metal is found in the new golden dollar? (manganese ) Which three coins have the exact same composition, including the percentage of each metal? (dime, quarter, half dollar ) You may want to share and discuss the chart below about the composition of today?s U.S. coins. Half Dollar 8.33% Ni Balance Cu Dollar (Susan B. Anthony) Golden Dollar (Sacagawea) 88.5% Cu 6% Zn 3.5% Mn 2% Ni

Penny 2.5% Cu Balance Zn

Nickel 25% Ni Balance Cu

Dime 8.33% Ni Balance Cu

Quarter 8.33% Ni Balance Cu

12.5% Ni Balance Cu

5. Talk about why transition metals are ideal for coins. (They are malleable; they can be shaped or imprinted without breaking. Other materials might be crushed or shattered under the pressure. Also, they are strong enough to resist the wear of everyday use .) 6. After 10 minutes, have teams remove five pennies and place them on a paper towel. Then have them remove the other five pennies, rinse them in the bowl of water, dry them, and place them on another paper towel. Explain that the nail stays in the vinegar mixture for 10 more minutes. 7. Ask students to describe the pennies. (They look bright and shiny.) To understand why this happens, talk about what causes pennies to tarnish.(A chemical reaction takes place between the copper and oxygen. The copper atoms and oxygen atoms form molecules called copper oxide. An oxide is a compound that forms when oxygen reacts with a metal .The copper oxide is the tarnish on the penny.) Other examples of oxide are the rust on an iron gate or the tarnish on a silver cup; these oxides occur because oxygen reacts with iron and silver just as it does with copper.

8. Using what they?ve just learned, students should describe what happened to the pennies in the vinegar. (The salt and vinegar wore away the oxide layer, or tarnish, on the pennies .) 9. If time permits, talk about the harmful affects of oxidation. For example, over time rust or tarnish can cause metals to corrode. What are some ways that people prevent oxidation? 10. After the 10 additional minutes, remove the iron nail and place it on a paper towel. Compare it to the nail left out of the vinegar solution. What happened to the nail? (It should have a sticky brown coating .) What is the brown substance? (copper ) Where did the copper come from? (copper oxide from the pennies ) Explain that when the copper ions from the pennies were released into the vinegar, they reacted with the iron in the nail to produce the copper coating. 11. Have students hypothesize what the nail might have looked like if they had used pennies made after 1982. 12. Now observe and compare the two sets of pennies. Ask students to turn the pennies over and observe both sides. How do the two sets look different? (Those rinsed and dried should look bright and shiny. A faint, blue-green coating will be visible on the others .) The blue-green coating is a compound called malachite that formed from a reaction between the copper, salt, and oxygen. The vinegar solution on the pennies promotes this reaction. (NOTE: Some malachite will begin to appear by the end of the class period, and it will be much more noticeable the following day. If possible, leave the pennies out and observe them again.) 13. To conclude the lesson, have students write a short paragraph to describe an example of where to find an oxide, including an explanation of why it formed. Back to Top

Evaluation
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson. Three points: Students shared several examples and properties of transition metals; identified the transition metals used in coins and explained why these metals are used; wrote a clear and accurate explanation of why oxides such as rust and tarnish form on metals. Two points: Students shared a few examples and properties of transition metals; identified at least one transition metal used in coins and explained why these metals are used; wrote a satisfactory explanation of why oxides such as rust and tarnish form on metals. One point: Students shared few or no examples and properties of transition metals; could not identify the transition metals used in coins or explain why these metals are used; wrote an unclear or inaccurate explanation of why oxides such as rust and tarnish form on metals. Back to Top

Vocabulary
alloy Definition: A solid substance made by mixing a metal with another substance, usually another metal Context: The U.S. Mint's a new dollar coin is made with an alloy of copper, nickel, zinc, and manganese. conductor Definition: A material through which electric current flows easily

Context: Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity and heat, making it useful for electrical equipment and cookware. ductile Definition: Able to be drawn into a wire Context: Like most transition metals, gold is ductile and can be flattened. malleable Definition: Able to be hammered or pressed without breaking Context: The malleable nature of the transition metals makes them ideal for coins. metal Definition: An element that is a good conductor of heat and electricity and is usually shiny and hard at normal temperature Context: Silver is a popular metal for use as jewelry, coinage, and household objects. Back to Top

Academic Standards
Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) McREL?s Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks,click here. This lesson plan addresses the following national standards: Science?Physical Sciences: Understands the structure and properties of matter Technology: Understands the nature of technological design

National Academy of Sciences The National Academy of Sciences provides guidelines for teaching science in grades K?12 to promote scientific literacy. To view the standards,click hereto visit the Web site. This lesson plan addresses the following national standards: Physical Science Science and Technology

Student Objectives

Describe the atomic structure of an element. Organize the first 18 elements of the periodic table according to their atomic mass, number of electron shells, and valence electrons, then compare their order within the periodic table. Identify common physical properties and uses of elements within a family.

Materials
Elements of Chemistry: The Periodic Table video Computer with Internet access Periodic table Index cards

Procedures
1. Create a card for each of the first 18 elements of the periodic table. Include the following information at the top of each card, leaving at least half of the card empty so that students can fill in more information: Atomic number Element symbol Atomic name Atomic mass

Make enough copies of these cards so that small groups of students will each have one set. Also, make sure that all classroom periodic tables are put away or covered up. 2. Review the definition of an element and an atom. Next, review the basic structure of an atom, including the nucleus, protons, neutrons, and electrons. Choose one of the first 18 elements on the periodic table. Show the class how to draw a model for that element using the element's atomic number and atomic mass. Point out how many electron shells are in the model, as well as the number of valence electrons, or electrons in the outermost shell. 3. Divide the class into small groups. Give each group one set of element cards (one for each of the first 18 elements on the periodic table.) Based on the facts on the card, ask groups to fill in the bottom of each card with the following information: Number of protons, electrons, and neutrons A model of an atom of that element Number of electron shells in the atom Number of valence electrons

4. Next, ask each group to arrange their cards in order using the following rules: Cards must be placed in the order of their atomic number. All cards in the same column must have the same number of valence electrons. All cards in the same row must have the same number of electron shells.

5. When groups have completed this task, reveal a periodic table to the class. Ask them to compare the order of their cards with the order of the periodic table. 6. Point out that the periodic table is arranged according to the same rules they used. The rows of the periodic table are called "periods," and the columns are called "groups." Since elements in the same group have the same number of valence electrons, they react in similar ways. This is why elements in the same group have similar properties. 7. Point out the elements that fall in the center of the periodic table. They are called "transitional elements." The groups and periods of these elements follow the same basic rules, but their electrons are configured differently. All of the elements in this block have the same number of valence electrons because electrons are added to interior shells instead of the valence shell. 8. Identify the following families on the periodic table, and assign one to each classroom group: Halogens Noble gases Alkali metals

Alkaline Earth metals Transition metals

9. Have students work with a partner to determine the physical properties of one element in their assigned family: density, boiling point, melting point, and conductivity. In addition, ask them to name at least two common uses for that element. 10. Have partners share what they learned with their groups. Discuss and identify common physical properties of elements within their family. Were elements in that family used in similar ways? Back to Top

Assessment
Use the following three-point rubric to evaluate students' work during this lesson. 3 points: Students produced accurate cards for the first 18 elements of the periodic table, including all of the requested information; showed a clear understanding of atomic number, valence electrons, and electron shells by placing their cards in the correct order; worked well within their group to identify several common properties of elements within their assigned family. 2 points: Students produced adequate cards for the first 18 elements of the periodic table, including most of the requested information; showed a satisfactory understanding of atomic number, valence electrons, and electron shells by placing most of their cards in the correct order; worked well within their group to identify some common properties of elements within their assigned family. 1 point: Students produced inaccurate cards for the first 18 elements of the periodic table, including little of the requested information; showed an unsatisfactory understanding of atomic number, valence electrons, and electron shells and could not place their cards in the correct order; had difficulty working within their group and could identify few or none of the common properties of elements within their assigned family. Back to Top

Vocabulary
alloy Definition: A solid substance made by mixing a metal with another substance, usually another metal, to have specific properties that metals alone lack Context: The earliest metalworkers combined different elemental metals in search of the best alloys for weapons and tools. element Definition: A substance composed of one type of atom and cannot be chemically separated Context: Antoine Lavoisier was the first to define an element as a pure substance that cannot be broken down. group Definition: A column or group of columns in the periodic table; elements in one group have the same number of electrons in the outermost shell Context: Elements in each group share similar chemical properties. period Definition: A row of the periodic table; each row corresponds to the number of electron shells in an atom of the elements in that row

Context: The elements in the second period each have two electron shells, and the elements in the sixth period have six electron shells. periodic table of the elements Definition: An organization of Earth's elements arranged according to atomic number, the number of protons each element's nucleus contains Context: The structure of the periodic table corresponds directly to atomic structure. This makes the table an invaluable tool for determining the property and behavior of elements and predicting how they will interact. semiconductor Definition: An element that conducts electricity at higher temperatures, but stops electricity from flowing at lower temperatures Context: The temperature of silicon transistors determines whether they conduct or block electrical currents. valence electrons Definition: The electrons contained in the outermost shell in an atom of an element; the electrons available for chemical bonding Context: All the transition metals have the same number of valence electrons because electrons are added to interior shells instead of the valence shell. Back to Top

Academic Standards
National Academy of Sciences The National Science Education Standards provide guidelines for teaching science as well as a coherent vision of what it means to be scientifically literate for students in grades K-12. To view the standards, visit this Web site: http://books.nap.edu/html/nses/html/overview.html#content. This lesson plan addresses the following national standards: Physical Science: Structure and properties of matter Mid-continent Research for Education and Learning (McREL) McREL's Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education addresses 14 content areas. To view the standards and benchmarks, visithttp://www.mcrel.org/compendium/browse.asp. This lesson plan addresses the following national standards: Science - Physical Sciences: Understands the structure and properties of matter; Understands the nature of scientific knowledge Technology: Understands the nature of technological design