Modeling and Comparing Fossil Fuel and Biofuel Combustion
Students should understand the costs and trade-offs of various decisions. In Part A of this activity, students use Lab-Aids® Molecular Models to build methane, ethanol and octane molecules then "combust" them with oxygen molecules. "Combusting" the model molecules helps students determine the balanced chemical equations for the combustion reactions and compare the amount of carbon dioxide released when these three fuels are burned. In Part B students use standard bond energies to calculate and compare the amount of energy released during the combustion reactions they modeled in Part A. They are then asked to use their data about the energy released and the CO2 produced to choose which fuel they think is better.
Details at a Glance
- 1 Day | 1 ~50 minute class period
- 2 Activities
- Accommodates unlimited classes, each with 12 groups of 2 students
- Meets our criteria for supporting literacy
- All materials are non-consumable
- Includes digital resources
Scientific Concepts
• A compound is formed when two or more kinds of atoms bind together chemically.
• The physical properties of compounds reflect the structure of the molecule.
• Carbon atoms can bond to one another in chains, rings, and branching networks.
• Complex chemical reactions occur all around us, for example in processes used to produce energy, such as combustion.
• Chemical reactions may release or consume energy. Some reactions such as the burning of fuels release large amounts of energy by losing heat and by emitting light.
Guides & Student Sheets
Our kits and modules provide you with everything you need so you can open, review, and teach the material confidently the next day.
- Comprehensive Teacher Guide with background information, detailed instruction, example data and answers
- Student Sheets with age appropriate background information, full procedure(s), and analysis items
- Materials necessary for the investigation (beyond common classroom items)
- Safety Data Sheets
Kit Components
- 12 Molecular modeling set: 45 Bonds (white tube) / 26 Oxygen atoms (red with 2 pegs) / 20 Hydrogen atoms (white with 1 peg) / 10 Carbon atoms (black with 4 pegs)
- Downloadable pdfs of student and teacher literature
Need to order refills for this Kit?
Order RefillsRelated Products
-
Kit #39SBiofuelsThis activity includes three major parts. In Investigation One, Part A, you demonstrate fermentation of corn and cane sugar, the two sources used most commonly in production of ethanol fuel. In Investigation Two, each group of students investigates the energy released by combustion of ethanol or kerosene, and the class compares the results. In...
$276.30 View Details -
Kit #71DNA Model
The two activities in this kit introduce students to the structure of the DNA molecule and how its structure allows it to replicate. Using a unique Lab-Aids modeling set, students first build an 8-rung DNA double helix and learn the base-pairing rule. Then starting with a 4-rung segment, they unzip the ladder and create...
$120.95 View Details -
Kit #72Protein Synthesis Model
The purpose of this kit is to model the production of proteins and compare the structure of DNA and RNA. Activity 1 models the structure of DNA from its nucleotide to double helix and its replication. Activity 2 introduces RNA and its nucleotides and simulates the process of transcription in the nucleus and translation in the...
$255.30 View Details -
Kit #505Molecules of Life
This kit is devoted to the study of the chemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, all important components of living organisms. Through the building of models and the drawing and analysis of chemical and structural formulas, students learn about similarities and differences among key organic “molecules of life,” including how they are...
$170.80 View Details -
Kit #513Nucleic Acid Model
Students use a molecular modeling set to build molecules of ribose, deoxyribose and five different nitrogen bases. They use this modeling experience as a basis for visualizing and understanding some of the major differences between DNA and RNA.
$162.15 View Details
