Compounds take on different properties than their elemental components. How can scientists determine those elements? A lab-based activity has learners explore several double replacement reactions to analyze compounds qualitatively. They...

Melting and burning might seem like opposites, but both exist as common examples of exothermic reactions. Scholars work with three different exothermic chemical reactions to determine the enthalpy changes. They measure and mix chemicals,...

More than 70 percent of people and 90 percent of businesses use spreadsheets regularly. While many courses overlook the important skill, the simple water lab focuses on entering spreadsheet data, formatting it, and printing plots based...

How do we distinguish between the number of things touching our skin? Scholars explore an interesting lesson through an experiment. They learn that there must be an unstimulated sensory unit between two touches to distinguish them. They...

As the most abundant element on the earth, hydrogen requires no replacement. Yet scholars learn to replace hydrogen with a metal to liberate the hydrogen gas. A simple procedure and data table include the necessary information and...

Anyone that lives around snow knows that adding salts to water increases its melting point. Are there solutes that affect the boiling point as well? A scientific experiment has learners add different solutes to water and then...

What variables change heart rate? Young scientists observe the beating heart in Daphnia to understand these variables. They make changes in temperature, chemicals, and other factors as they graph the heart rates. Analysis questions help...

Immerse your chemistry class in the world of organic chemistry! Science scholars isolate acetaminophen from an over-the-counter sample during an intense and interesting lab. Groups use many different separation and analysis techniques to...

Mass and density — aren't they the same thing? This activity has groups use balance beams and water displacement to measure several objects. The pupils use the measurements to calculate the density of the objects. 

Don't overreact! A simple experiment demonstrates chemical reactions as scholars mix chemical solutions and metals in a large well plate. They note all changes to the metals, solutions, precipitate, colors, and more. A full data table...

During this lab activity, chemists discover the reactivities of chlorine, bromine, and iodine as examples of the halogens. They use a displacement reaction as a test by adding other compounds and observing for a color change. The lab...

How does temperature affect lipase activity? Young scholars conduct an experiment to collect data on the interaction of lipase at different temperatures. They add lipase to a solution of milk, sodium carbonate, and phenolphthalein and...

Step-by-step laboratory instructions are listed so that chemistry explorers can consider the solubility of potassium nitrate. They combined their results with other lab groups' results and then graphed the data to display the solubility...

Because of the work of John Dalton, we are able to write formulas for compounds. The hands-on experiment has scholars prepare a compound from its elements. Using mass data, individuals write the empirical formula for the compound.

What do your vital signs tell your doctor? An engaging hands-on lesson plan has your learners monitor their own lung capacity, blood pressure, and heart rate. They then connect the vital measures to the workings of the circulatory and...

Model and explore osmosis using squash and potatoes. Young scientists expose chunks of potatoes to different concentrations of a squash solution. They compare the weights of the chunks before and after exposure to the solution and use...

Cell size is limited by the surface area to volume ratio, but why is this true? Scholars measure the surface area and volume of cubes before placing them into liquid. After a set amount of time, they measure the uptake by diffusion for...

Does the crystal structure of a hydrated solid determine the proportion of water absorbed, or does the application of heat change the absorption? Scholars experiment with both variables to determine the answer. They add their collected...

Water filtration — that's pure genius! Groups test the ability of a water filter to purify water by running chlorine contaminated water through a filter and measuring the chlorine concentrations as they filter the water. They then graph...

Watch as acids and bases put smiles on their faces. Young chemists learn the concept of acid-base titration firsthand in a microscale experiment. Working groups collaborate, titrate, then use their data to determine the concentration of...

Investigate the migration of the nanoparticle from land to water! A lab investigation asks budding scientists to simulate runoff. Testing water samples before and after the simulation leads individuals to make conclusions about pollution...

Why do athletes load up on carbohydrates the evening before a competition? The lesson helps answer this question as it relates the type of food to the amount of energy it contains. After a discussion, scholars perform an experiment...

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...

In this enthalpy of reactions learning exercise, students use a known amount of copper (II) sulphate solution and an excess of zinc powder to calculate the reaction's enthalpy change. Students measure the temperature change throughout...