Elements and Compounds

What To Do

Polymer Beads

This activity requires the beads to sit for half an hour. Start this activity at the beginning of the workshop to allow enough time for the beads to sit. 

Part 1

• Discuss the physical properties of the beads.
• Add the beads to the cup and pour four times the amount of water over the beads.
• Place the cup in a safe spot for half an hour.

Part 2

• The polymer beads should be swelled up. Show the beads to the students.
• Explain to the students that the beads are super absorbent, like the diaper powder. 
• Explain that if the beads are left out to dry, they will shrink back to their original size.

Activated Carbon as a Filter 

In this activity, students will set up the experiment and make the initial observations. They will continue to make observations for two days as the reaction progresses. 

• Place a table cloth on the tables and give each student a vial of activated carbon.
• Give students time to read through the passage on slide 3 of the Elements and Compounds Presentation, or read the passage to the class. 
• Have students guess what element the passage is referring to. 
• Ask students to define carbon and describe the properties of the carbon in the vial.
• Add water to the conical tube with food colouring in it. Shake the tube to distribute the food colouring.
• Fill one of the cups of water about half full with water.
• Add the coloured water from the conical tube to the cup of water and swirl it a bit to distribute the food colouring. 
• Once the food colouring is distributed, pour roughly half the water into the empty cup so they have two cups of water the same colour.
• Put the carbon into one of the cups.
• Have students make observations about the cups. 
• Place the cups in an area in the classroom where they can stay for a few days. Students will continue to make observations over the next few days.

Magnesium Sulfate and Water

• Tell students that the next experiment will involve a salt that consists of three elements. Give them time to read through the passages on slides 5, 6 and 7, or read the passages to the class. 
• Show the slide of the periodic table of elements and have them locate each element.
• Show the magnesium sulfate in the conical tube. What are some physical properties of magnesium sulfate?
• Instruct students to add the magnesium sulfate to a half cup of water and stir. 
• Have students make observations. Is dissolving a physical or chemical change?

Diaper Powder/Sodium Polyacrylate Power

• Ask students to name compounds that are highly absorbent.
• Tell students that we have discussed three of the elements involved in this compound already. Give them time to read through the passages on slides 9 and 10 to try to figure out the next two, or read the passages to the class.
• Show the slide of the periodic table of elements with the formula for sodium polyacrylate and have them locate each element.
• Instruct students to put 1-2 tsp. of sodium polyacrylate powder into a cup and add water.
• Have students make observations. What happens when you turn the cup over? What happens when you add more water?

Slime

• Show slide 12, with the chemical formula for the reaction between sodium alginate and calcium lactate. 
• Pour the calcium lactate into the cup.
• Using the eye dropper/pipette, students will add sodium alginate into the cup. 
• Have students make observations as they add drops to the cup. 
• Inform students that is it safe to put their hands in the cup. What does it feel like?
• Ask students to describe a chemical change. 
• Allow students to explore with the slimes. 
• Discuss polymerization. 

Wrap-up

• Review the topics discussed in today's workshop.
• Discuss possible careers related to the topics covered and what students would need to do (schooling, experience, etc.) to get into those careers.