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Unit 2.6:
Experience and Evidence
This unit shows how to use light-related phenomena,
such as fireworks and fluorescence to develop concepts of
atoms and molecules.
Video program cues: 35:40 — 45:35
Gaining experience
Teachers' Forum
“I think one of the advantages
that we have as chemistry teachers is that our subject nature
lends to always being able to show them something interesting,
or something that does not make sense — discrepant
events — and we try to ask them — why? And getting
from there down to molecules interacting with each other
and the forces between them. We could always pull something
out of the hat, I mean, a lot of what we are doing in demonstrations
in chemistry is like magic for the kids, and kids are fascinated
by magic, anyway. And it’s getting that to draw their
interest, and to go on from there and talk about the level
of what is really going on and get down to the chemistry
of it. We can always show them something fun and interesting.”
Caryn Galatis
Thomas A. Edison High School, Virginia
“So much of the stuff
you do on the tabletop is somewhat inconclusive: you show
them something green changing into something yellow and
you tell them this is a compound and this is an element.
How do they know that it is not the other way around? And
so I think that the idea of smallest and smallest piece
is not something that you could show them on the tabletop,
and that’s kind of the point.”
Al DeGennaro
Westminster High School, Maryland
Readings
Beall, H. (1996)' Report on the WPI Conference "Demonstrations
as a Teaching Tool in Chemistry: Pro and Con", 'Journal
of Chemical Education, Vol. 73, pp: 641.
Light and color demonstrations
Al DeGennaro presents light and color as tools for teaching
about electron energy levels.
Activity
Link
- Links to chemistry resources, including demonstrations,
from Professor Bassam Shakhashiri, University
of Wisconsin.
Readings
Trupp, T. (2001)' ‘Putting UV-Sensitive Beads to the
Test’, 'Journal of Chemical Education, Vol.
78, No. 5 pp. 648A
Anthony. G. (1997)' Housing Electrons: Relating Quantum
Numbers, Energy Levels, and Electron Configuration, 'Journal
of Chemical Education, Vol. 74, pp: 709.
Did You Know? The chemistry of fireworks
Link
| Proceed
to Unit 2.7 |
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