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Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor?

(Complete Item Description)

Abstract:: In the first part of the activity, each student chews a piece of gum until it loses its flavor, and then leaves the gum to dry for several days before weighing it to determine the amount of mass lost. This mass corresponds to the amount of sugar in the gum, and can be compared to the amount stated on the package label. In the second part of the activity, students work in groups of four to design and conduct new experiments based on questions of their own choosing. These questions arise naturally from observations that occur during the first experiment, and from students' own experiences with and knowledge of the many varieties of chewing and bubble gums available.

Subject:: Mathematics and Statistics, Science and Technology
Grade Level:: Primary, Secondary
Collection:: TeachEngineering

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How Many Drops?

(Complete Item Description)

Abstract:: In this lesson and its associated activity, students conduct a simple test to determine how many drops of each of three liquids can be placed on a penny before spilling over. The three liquids are water, rubbing alcohol, and vegetable oil; because of their different surface tensions, more water can be piled on top of a penny than either of the other two liquids. However, this is not the main point of the activity. Instead, students are asked to come up with an explanation for their observations about the different amounts of liquids a penny can hold. In other words, they are asked to make hypotheses that explain their observations, and because middle school students are not likely to have prior knowledge of the property of surface tension, their hypotheses are not likely to include this idea. Then they are asked to come up with ways to test their hypotheses, although they do not need to actually test their hypotheses. The important points for students to realize are that 1) the tests they devise must fit their hypotheses, and 2) the hypotheses they come up with must be testable in order to be useful.

Subject:: Mathematics and Statistics, Science and Technology
Grade Level:: Primary, Secondary
Collection:: TeachEngineering

Read the Fine Print

How Much Sugar is in Bubble Gum?

(Complete Item Description)

Abstract:: Most of the flavoring in gum is due to the sugar or other sweetener it contains. As gum is chewed, the sugar dissolves and is swallowed. After a piece of gum loses its flavor, it can be left to dry at room temperature and then the difference between its initial (unchewed) mass and its chewed mass can be used to calculate the percentage of sugar in the gum. This demonstration experiment is used to generate new questions about gums and their ingredients, and students can then design and execute new experiments based on their own questions.

Subject:: Mathematics and Statistics, Science and Technology
Grade Level:: Primary, Secondary
Collection:: TeachEngineering

No Strings Attached

Keyboard Shortcuts for Controls

(Complete Item Description)

Abstract:: In this lesson, you will learn how to use and assign keyboard shortcuts.

Subject:: Science and Technology
Grade Level:: Post-secondary
Collection:: Connexions

Read the Fine Print

Students As Scientists

(Complete Item Description)

Abstract:: This curricular unit contains two lessons that let students actually do the work of scientists as they design their own experiments to answer questions they generate. In the first lesson and its associated activity, students conduct a simple test to determine how many drops of each of three liquids can be placed on a penny before spilling over. The three liquids are water, rubbing alcohol, and vegetable oil; because of their different surface tensions, more water can be piled on top of a penny than either of the other two liquids. However, this is not the main point of the activity. Instead, students are asked to come up with an explanation for their observations about the different amounts of liquids a penny can hold. In other words, they are asked to make hypotheses that explain their observations, and because middle school students are not likely to have prior knowledge of the property of surface tension, their hypotheses are not likely to include this idea. Then, they are asked to come up with ways to test their hypotheses, although they do not need to actually conduct these tests. The important points for students to realize are that 1) the tests they devise must fit their hypotheses, and 2) the hypotheses they come up with must be testable in order to be useful. In the second lesson, students chew bubble gum until it loses its flavor, and after allowing the chewed gum to dry for several days, they determine the amount of mass lost. From the mass lost, they calculate the percentage of sugar that was in the gum originally. This teacher-led activity causes students to generate new questions about the varieties of chewing gums and their ingredients, and it also points out the need for controls. Students then design and execute new, controlled experiments based on their own questions. When students ask their own questions and devise ways to answer them scientifically, they begin to truly understand and appreciate the scientific method.

Subject:: Mathematics and Statistics, Science and Technology
Grade Level:: Primary, Secondary
Collection:: TeachEngineering

Read the Fine Print

Wet Pennies

(Complete Item Description)

Abstract:: Students conduct a simple test to determine how many drops of each of three liquids can be placed on a penny before spilling over. The three liquids are water, rubbing alcohol, and vegetable oil; because of their different surface tensions, more water can be piled on top of a penny than either of the other two liquids. However, this is not the main point of the activity. Instead, students are asked to come up with an explanation for their observations about the different amounts of liquids a penny can hold. In other words, they are asked to make hypotheses that explains their observations, and because middle school students are not likely to have prior knowledge of the property of surface tension, their hypotheses are not likely to include this idea. Then they are asked to come up with ways to test their hypotheses, although they do not need to actually conduct these tests.

Subject:: Mathematics and Statistics, Science and Technology
Grade Level:: Primary, Secondary
Collection:: TeachEngineering

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Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor?

How Many Drops?

How Much Sugar is in Bubble Gum?

Keyboard Shortcuts for Controls

Students As Scientists

Wet Pennies

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Browse: Keyword: Controls

You searched for:

Refine Your Search

Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor?

How Many Drops?

How Much Sugar is in Bubble Gum?

Keyboard Shortcuts for Controls

Students As Scientists

Wet Pennies

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