Beyond Benign
Stoichiometry Challenge
Have you been searching for environmentally friendly chemistry experiments to use in your high school laboratory? This stoichiometry experiment replaces a conventional aluminum to alum lab by using sodium carbonate and calcium chloride...
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lego Atoms and Molecules: Chemical Reactions
Show young chemists what a chemical reaction looks like with two parts of a hands-on experiment. First, learners conduct a wet lab where they observe the reactants (baking soda and calcium chloride, with phenolsulfonphthalein) before,...
American Chemical Society
Change in Temperature - Exothermic Reaction
Alone, or as part of the intended unit on chemical reactions, this activity allows learners to experience an exothermic reaction. Here, learners add calcium chloride to a baking soda solution and watch the temperature rise! They will...
Curated OER
The Transfer of Energy 1: Thermochemistry
Budding chemists achieve a basic understanding of the role of heat in chemical reactions. An online worksheet gives learners instructions and questions to answer as they investigate the Chem4Kids website and perform a hands-on lab...
American Chemical Society
Temperature and the Rate of a Chemical Reaction
Putting glow sticks in the freezer makes them last longer, but why is that? Lesson focuses on how temperature impacts the rate of a chemical reaction. It begins with a teacher demonstration, then scholars design their own experiments...
American Chemical Society
Exothermic, Endothermic, and Chemical Change
Scientists can't observe bonds breaking or forming, so how do they distinguish between exothermic and endothermic reactions? Young scholars complete two experiments to do just that. They monitor temperature change and calculate the...
American Chemical Society
Entropy and Enthalpy Changes
My room isn't messy — it's a scientific experiment in entropy! Scholars investigate entropy, enthalpy, and spontaneity through a guided procedure and set of questions. The lesson connects the Second Law of Thermodynamics, energy transfer...
Cornell University
Energy Changes in Chemical Reactions
The heat of solution measures how much thermal energy a dissolving substance consumes or gives off. The experiment demonstrates both endothermic and exothermic reactions. Scholars dissolve several substances, measure the temperature...
Nuffield Foundation
Working with Immobilized Enzymes or Microscopic Organisms
Let the lab be a catalyst to learn about enzymes. Scholars create alginate beads filled with yeast. As part of an investigation into enzymes, they see how these beads provide a catalyst to the reaction of glucose into ethanol.
NOAA
Please Pass the Salt
Salinity is the focus of two experimenters that work to answer the question, How does salt change the physical properties of water? Super scientists compare the freezing rate of salt and fresh water, combine the two waters to observe how...
Beyond Benign
Daphnia Bioassay LD50
De-icing materials may have a harmful effect on our environment; have your class perform an experiment to test the nature of these effects. Scholars monitor the survival rate of a sample of daphnia as the concentration of a de-icing...
Virginia Department of Education
Molar Volume of a Gas
What is a chemist's favorite plant? Stoichiome Tree! Scholars produce hydrogen gas by reacting magnesium with hydrochloric acid. Then they calculate the molar volume of the gas produced before answering assessment questions.
Curated OER
Composition of Ocean Water
Students experiment to determine the composition of ocean water. In this ocean water composition lesson, students color in a grid that shows the percentage of each of the components of ocean water which include chloride, sodium, sulfate,...
Curated OER
Physical and Chemical Reactions - Factors Which Affect Reaction Rate
A total of five experiments lead chemistry pros to understand the difference between physical and chemical change. They also experiment with exothermic reaction factors that affect rate of reaction. The procedures are not written in the...
Curated OER
Types of Chemical Reactions Lab
In this chemical reactions worksheet, students experiment with several different reactions and identify each as a single replacement, double replacement, synthesis, decomposition or combustion reaction. Students observe the changes in...
Chymist
Hydrates
What occurs when a hydrate is heated? Lead your class in exploring the answer to this question as they investigate the properties of a hydrated compound. They heat copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate and evaporate the water byproduct to...
Curated OER
Precipitate Lab
This lab guide gets chemistry students to determine the identity of five unknown solutions based on reactions with four known solutions. Pupils perform experiments, they write down their observations, they write net ionic equations for...
Pingry School
Solubility Product of an Ionic Compound
How do scientists determine when a solution is fully saturated? Scholars address the topic as they observe patterns of precipitation in various concentrations of ions. Using a well plate, pipette, and common chemicals, they collect data...
Curated OER
Science: Adding Solutes to Solvents
Students design experiments examining the effects of various solutes on water. They record results on graphs explaining any unexpected consequences of their experiments and determine if their hypotheses were correct.
Curated OER
Devising a Set of Experiments to Test Water for Dissolved Substances
Students work together to test water samples for pollutants. They design data tables to collect and record their observations. They complete discussion questions to end the lesson.
Curated OER
Salinity
Learners define and discuss salinity, conduct classroom experiment to determine salinity of water sample by using hydrometer, record predictions, and demonstrate understanding of how salinity influences object's ability to float in water.
Curated OER
Mystery of the Eleven Unknown Substances
Fourth graders identify eleven white substances that are commonly found in the household. They, in pairs, perform experiments on a variety of substances, and must identify them based on the reactions they observe.
Curated OER
Quality Control at Kality Krunchers Dill Pickle Factory
In a hypothetical scenario, food chemists use titration to concoct a brine solution for producing the crunchiest pickles. They also analyze store-bought pickle juices. In addition to reinforcing titration techniques, the lesson requires...
Pingry School
Flame Tests
Light a fire in your pupils! Scholars conduct a flame test and observe the emission spectra of several different salts in an enlightening hands-on investigation. They use their observations to make comparisons and conclusions about the...