Wednesday, November 20, 2013

The Atom: PhET Simulation and YouTube videos

All homework is due in class on Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2013.
Happy Thanksgiving!! Please return safely to school.
 
READ: Trefil texbook
Chapter 8: The Atom: Why are there so many different materials in the world?
Chapter 9. Quantum Mechanics: How can the electron behave like both a particle and a wave?
 
1. Individually, complete the PhET Simulation handout (dropbox) using the Models of Hydrogen Atom activity: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/hydrogen-atom.
Answer the questions and submit to the dropbox.
Come prepared to discuss what you've observed.
 
2. Homework Assignment: Each team has been assigned a set of YouTube videos on a historical, groundbreaking experiment in the 19th and 20th century. The videos provide a visual synopsis of the experimental ideas palatable for a broad audience.
 
Each team will conduct research on their assigned experiment to develop expertise associated with the experimental concept. In class, you will be re-assigned to a new group to teach the new group about this historical experiment and its significance to the development of our current understanding of the nature of the atom.
 
By the beginning of class, you should be able to:
a.       Identify the name of the experiment and the chief scientists involved
b.      Explain the key elements of the experimental set-up; instruments and/or equipment involved; what was measured; how measurement occurred; and why it was measured
c.       Distinguish clearly between
a.       the experimental data generated
b.      the evidence drawn using the experimental data, and
c.       the inference made using prior knowledge about the nature of the atom
d.      What conclusion(s) did the experimenter draw?
e.       Describe the significance of the experiment to the development of current understanding of the nature of the atom
 
 
Team 1: Kymberly, Michelle, Dylan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GTCus7KTb0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmq_FJd1oUQ
Team 2: Will, John, Anna
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MG4h0z8zvv4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qKrOF-gJZ4
Team 3: Lamees, April, Brandon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xKZRpAsWL8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUJPyQtoB5E
Team 4: Lindsey, Hayden, Ryan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBqHkraf8iE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecsgC1wSp5I

In-class Assignment: Each member of a team will be assigned to a group during class. Your function will be to communicate your knowledge about your historical experiment to the group. Your group will be given a handout that identifies a series of question to turn in during class.
Group A: Kymberly, Will, Lamees, Lindsey
Group B: Michelle, John, April, Hayden
Group C: Dylan, Anna, Brandon, Ryan

3 comments:

  1. Anna Trull, Ryan Etheredge, Dylan Schulte, Brandon Crockett
    Historical Development of the Atom
    Through the historical development of the model of the atom the nature of the science behind these discoveries shows us how one concept is built off a prior concept: the building blocks that make up this world also make up the world of science. By the early 20th century Thompson conducted the Cathode Ray experiment and was able to discover that atoms are made of parts which are known as electrons. Thompson concluded the billiard ball model of the atom was incorrect. Around 1910, Rutherford conducted an experiment that fired ionized alpha particles at a sheet of foil and found that some of the particles bounced back. This was because some of the alpha particles directly hit a solid center in the atom which is known as the nucleus while most of the alpha particles went directly through the atom. This discovery of the atom disproved the plum pudding model of the atom, which was used before the discovery of the nucleus. After the discovery of the electron, scientists tried to understand the strange behavior of the electron. Through the Photoelectric Effect experiment it was shown that a photon acts as a particle, but it is actually a wave. This was shown through use of high frequency light and a metal surface which suggested that photons have the ability to dislodge electrons from a metal surface. Through further research, it was discovered that particles and wavelengths both have velocity and energy. However, particles have mass yet waves do not. This proves the particle and wave like nature of a photon. Through the continuing discoveries, the model of the atom continued to improve. In the field of science it is important to build off the work of others to constantly advance the nature and field of science itself.

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  2. Michelle, April, John, Hayden
    The science of atoms is the combination of several different theories and experiments that have led us to our current understanding of the existence of atoms. With each model, new developments were made and old understandings were expressed in order to experiment and come to conclusions about atoms and their relationships. For example, Thompson discovery of electrons proved that atoms were made of parts including the protons and electrons. Proceeding Thompson, Rutherford started out attempting to prove the plum pudding model to be correct, but after conducting his research his discoveries proved previous models were inaccurate. Rutherford found that electrons can be deflected using his gold foil experiment. In addition to Rutherford’s findings, the photo-electric effect proved that the higher intensity of light emitted more electrons from a metal surface. Not only, did the intensity affect matter but also the light frequency.

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  3. Lindsay Moneypenny
    Lamees Asami
    Kymberly Hrossowyc
    Will Callaway
    The historical developments of models of the atom tell us that science builds upon itself. These experiments are taking previous theories and adjusting or building upon them to form new theories. For example, Rutherford’s experiment was intended to prove JJ Thompson’s theory of the atom. During his experiment, the data he found did not correlate with Thompson’s theory. Rutherford was able to infer further evidence of Thompson’s findings. Rutherford started with Thompson’s theory and built upon it. Nothing in science can exist without everything else in science; it is all dependent on each other. Scientists were unable to explain how precisely electrons moved. They discovered that electrons had the properties of particles and waves. Heisenberg furthered the investigation of the phenomenon. Based on his evidence of his data, Heisenberg inferred that particles and waves have similar properties. Particles can exist outside of waves. However, waves are made up of particles; ergo, without particles waves cannot exist. Science is like a building in that it builds on itself and without a foundation expansion cannot be made.

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