Spectrum Chemistry 4D Homework

Spectrum Chemistry 4d Homework

Special note: You will have a quiz next Monday covering the material listed on page 27 plus some from this week (see Friday). In addition, you will have a couple of questions on the Periodic Table. You will be allowed to use your Periodic Table for the quiz. Before the quiz, I will go over what information you may write on your Periodic Table. You will use this table all year and you will only be allowed to use whatever you write on it, so you don't clutter it up with information that you can study easily - you won't have space for important information later! Also, I don't allow just anything to go on the table, so wait until class before you add anything!

Tuesday

____ Complete the handout, "Coloring the Periodic Table",* we worked with in class. (there's a copy posted in the Resources column if you've lost yours.)

Wednesday

While you are being introduced to the Periodic Table, it is a good time to consider what the elements that comprise the table are composed of. You will spend part of this week learning about what’s known as the Atomic Theory. Some of this is review from earlier science classes, but it’s worth re-reading to keep our exploration of all-things-chemistry in context.

____ Read pp. 40-44 in Spectrum Chemistry. (Note: We are skipping pp. 36-39)

____ Complete the Exercise* on page 44. It might help you to take notes on vocabulary words.

____ On a separate piece of paper, write Dalton's Atomic Theory* in your own words!

Thursday

____ Open the file called “ChemQuests” found in the Resources column. You will need a username and password to access this file. They are:

Username: ChemStudent

Password: Honesty

(Any of the password protected files on my website will have this same username and password. I do this to honor the copyrights of others’ work. I have permission to use this work with my students but not to publish it freely to the entire cyber-world.

IF you come to class and tell me you couldn’t open the file, I will know it is because you don’t read my homework assignment page!!)

____ Go to and complete pp. 24 -27* in ChemQuests. You only need to print out those pages. This information precedes the presentation in the book, but I think it connects us from the beginnings of Atomic Theory to the Periodic Table nicely.

____ Read pp. 45 – 52 in your text.

Part of the point of that reading – What you probably learned about the Bohr Planetary Model of atoms, is wrong. Forget that image. An atom is really far more multi-dimensional.

Friday

We talked about scientific notation and significant figures briefly. Let me reiterate the important points in preparation for the quiz on Monday:

The easiest way to determine the number of significant figures in a number is by converting it into scientific notation with one numeral before the decimal.

E.g.

24, 013 would be 2.4013 x 104 and would have 5 significant figures

73.00 would be 7.300 x 101 and has 4 significant digits (the trailing zeroes indicate specificity)

0.013 would be 1.3 x 10-2 and would have 2 significant figures (the preceding zeroes merely set the decimal point)

Conventionally, when you multiply and divide, your answer can be specific to only the value with the least number of significant digits in the problem.

And when you add and subtract, the number of significant figures includes the number of the last common digit that occurs furthest to the right in all the numbers. What? Look at the examples:

This addition and subtraction bit may be new to you. I am trying to figure out a way to de-mystify sig figs and I think these three rules will enable you to do any problem in your scientific career and are easy enough to remember.

____ Compete the Scientific Notation and Significant Figures Activity found in the Resources column.

____ Go to one of the two extra resources I’ve posted in the Resources column. The Alkali metals video is funny and will cement the characteristics of Alkali metals in your mind. The Interactive Periodic Table is a production of the University of Nottingham and an excellent site. Pick a couple of the elements and learn more!

____ Go to the Discussion page on my website (linked from the Resources column and also hyperlinked here in blue). We’ll be using the discussion site more in the future, but for now I’d like you to find it, and apply for membership. Then, add a comment to the Elementary Ideas Discussion answering these questions:

Which site did you go to?
List two specific things you learned from the the site.
What was your favorite part of the site?

____ For the quiz, in addition to what's listed on page 27, know Dalton's Atomic Theory, and the terms protons, neutrons, electrons, nucleus, period, family, group, ion, cation, and anion.

Monday

____ Turn in for homework:

"Coloring the Periodic Table"

Exercise* on page 44

Dalton's Atomic Theory* in your own words

pp. 24 -27* in ChemQuests

I will also be checking to see when you did the online Sig Fig Activity and that you’ve participated in the discussion by answering the three questions.

Wednesday

____ Bring to class:

Coloring the Periodic Table handout

Exercise* on page 44

"Placing All Your Elements on the Table" worksheet, page 2