Families of Elements Experiment

In this kit, students are asked to identify common metallic and non-metallic ions in zinc, cadmium, antimony, barium, sulfate, sulfide, sulfite, and carbonate. Through the identification process, students learn that each substance has distinctive properties. As a closing activity, students conduct chemical tests on four unknown substances. All test results are safe, clear, colorful,...

In this activity, students observe the color emitted when various metallic elements are heated in a flame. They then view the flame through a spectroscope and observe the spectral lines of the emission spectra of each of these elements.

This kit contains two activities. In Activity 1, students compare pre-selected data on physical and chemical properties of 14 elements and sort the elements into groups based on common properties. They then compare their classifications with groups - or families - of elements as defined by scientists. In Activity 2, students are introduced to the Periodic Table...

With this activity, students learn to predict the formula of a compound by comparing the amount of the compound produced when combining different ratios of reactant solutions. Students use a chemical analysis method to determine the ratio of each of the ions in the product substance’s composition. Knowing the ratio, students can...

A very important outcome of studying science is to acquire the ability to make and interpret observations. Students initially observe and describe seven different solutions. They then combine pairs of these chemical solutions and use their observations to determine whether or not a chemical reaction took place. Finally, they test an unknown solution and...

This activity extends student understanding of the arrangement of the Periodic Table of Elements. Clearly illustrated cards allow students to view important attributes of atoms of selected elements and to famil- iarize themselves with diagrams of atoms and the relationships of the diagrams to the physical attributes. Using the planetary models on the cards...

During the three investigations in this kit, students explore the structure of atoms and how this influences the properties of elements. Although atoms cannot be chemically split, there are smaller subatomic particles within each atom. Using an innovative model, students discover the basic arrangement of protons, neutrons, and electrons in atoms of a given...