Spring SAVY 2018, Day 4- It’s Elemental (1st/2nd)
We started It’s Elemental this week by reviewing some properties of elements. We learnt more about reactivity with an interesting demonstration using pennies. Pennies coined after 1982 are made by coating zinc with copper instead of using pure copper. Since zinc is more reactive with acid, new pennies with exposed zinc will react to form a hollow penny. Then we completed our activity where we identified an unknown solid based on its solubility in water and its reactivity with a vinegar. Next we learnt about electronegativity, which is how we know if an atom is going to take or give away its electrons when forming an ion. We then completed an activity where we put together puzzle pieces so we could see what ionic molecules would form when we have ions present. Basically, we learnt why water is called H2O. Then we moved onto density. We started by discussing why ice floats even through it is made of the same molecules as water. We then use the concepts of solubility and density to create a density column. If you would like to create your own density column at home there is a link with the instructions. Next week we will be focusing on chemical reactions, which means lots of cool observations to come.
Kristin Droege