Gold Seal Lesson:
Reactivity Of Metals With Acids

Copernicus Education Gateway

Subject:

Science

Grade:

9-12

ICLE Standards:

Mathematics:
Mathematical Connections - Use and value the connections between mathematics
and other disciplines.

Science:
Science as Inquiry - Develop the abilities of scientific inquiry.
Physical Science - Develop an understanding of chemical reactions.

Performance Task:

Juanita is a materials engineering technician with a large chemical company that produces environmentally resistant alloys for use in aircraft and other machine parts. As a part of her job, she has to determine how certain metals will react with acids commonly found in the atmosphere. Juanita places an equal sample of sodium, magnesium, copper, aluminum, tin and iron in separate solutions of 25% sulfuric acid, 25% carbolic acid, and 25% hydrochloric acid. She notes the reaction rates by observing the amount of gas produced.

1. Perform Juanita's experiment under supervision. Caution: the exposing of pure metals to acid, water or longtime exposure to air produces a violent reaction. Proper personal protection is required.
2. Utilizing stoichiometry, find the products produced by each reaction.
3. Graph the theoretical yield of gas produced on a line graph.

Knowledge / Skills:

Understand the concepts and uses of matrices in modeling (i.e., finite graphs (structures) can be represented geometrically and interpreted algebraically in the form of a matrix).  (m51)

Know and apply the principles of scientific inquiry.  (s114)

Use stoichiometry to compute quantitative relationships implied by chemical formulas (e.g., find the percent composition by mass of an element in a compound and the simplest ratio in which the atoms combine to form a compound) and chemical equations (e.g.

Understand the historical development of the periodic table and that the atomic number is the basis of the arrangement of the periodic table.  (s78)

Rubric:

4 Points  =  The student makes a complete response to all parts of the task. He/she can accurately and safely perform the experiment. The student is able to calculate the theoretical yield of all products, and able to accurately represent his/her results on a line graph. The student is able to analyze his/her work and make two conclusions about the reactivity of metals with acids based on data collected.

3 Points  =  The student shows some lack of understanding of the concepts and mathematical principles involved, but can realize success with a little coaching. He/she shows lack of skill in conducting the lab experiment safely and properly. The student can make only one reasonable conclusion based on data collected.

2 Points  =  The student has gained very little knowledge and techniques necessary to complete the task. He/she must rely on others for support. The student's mathematical calculations contain errors and the graph is poorly constructed. No reasonable conclusions can be made based on data obtained.

1 Point  =  The student does not complete the task and shows no major understanding of the concepts. His/her work is disorganized, inaccurate and incomplete. The student does not construct the line graph required and makes no conclusions based on the data.

Keywords:

GENERAL SCIENCES
SCIENTIFIC METHOD
SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

PHYSICS
LAB EXPERIMENTS

Grades:

Kg [] - 1 [] - 2 [] - 3 [] - 4 [] - 5 [] - 6 [] - 7 [] - 8 [] - 9 [X] - 10 [X] - 11 [X] - 12 [X]

ICLE Application:

D

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