Apologia Chemistry and Physical Science

The Chemistry class is in the midst of moles.  Two weeks ago they did a lab in which they prepared a series of 1M (one molar or one mole per liter) solutions for the Physical Science class' precipitate lab while the Physical Science class used Flinn's Putting the Ions in Their Hands activity, previously mentioned in earlier blog pages.  Yesterday, the Chemistry kids prepared more solutions for the Physical Science kids.  One of the students had been absent two weeks ago and I wanted him to have this experience.  Besides, two weeks is a long time to remember a relatively new skill; I decided it would be good for them to prepare some more solutions.  The Chem kids made 1M solutions of copper II sulfate, magnesium sulfate (Epson salts), sodium chloride (table salt), potassium chloride (fake table salt), calcium chloride (Driveway Heat), and silver nitrate.  I have small 50 mL vials which were donated.  The kids have to calculate the respective molar masses and then combine 0.1 moles in a total of 100 mL.  The key is to combine the salt with about 50 mL of water in a flask and then add water to make a total of 100 mL of solution.  If the kids measure a volume of 100 mL of water and then add the salt, the total concentration won't be 1 M.  The kids ran into a hitch when they learned there wasn't enough silver nitrate powder to prepare a total of 100 mL and had to set up a proportion to determine how much total volume they could prepare with the amount of silver nitrate they had on hand.  See why I like this lab activity?

Meanwhile, the Physical Science kids were reviewing nomenclature.  Last week, they had used similar solutions to observe precipitates.  This week, I had the kids write the names of the compounds formed when they observed a change.  I added a wrinkle.  We wrote calcium or sulfate instead of
Ca +2or SO4 -2 on the vials.  The kids had to look on their ion charts to determine if the species was a cation or anion.  They were instructed to combine cations with anions.  After they combined the ions, they wrote the names and formulas for the combinations that reacted or changed.  The kids had the idea to write the names on craft sticks next to the reaction plates.

Just as a note, I have been bidding on Labpaq kits on Ebay and Shop Goodwill.  One of the Labpaq kits, LP2598- CK 01 had lead nitrate, extra reaction plates and a small digital scale.  I had purchased
another scale previously.  This one is a fraction of the price.  More on Labpaqs in the next post.