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Parent's Notes to Unit 37: Lavoisier and Chemical Reactions

Preparation

Below are notes on the main points of each assignment.

• History Web Lecture: Lavoisier is particularly interesting for two reasons, one conceptual and one cultural: he broke with a tradition that wanted to limit the number of elements to few for the sake of simplicity, and he clearly benefited greatly from the interaction of the many chemists around him. Until Lavoisier, chemists continued to seek the three or four chief characteristics that would distinguish elements; after Lavoisier, people recognized that there were many elements, and a grand hunt for new elements began.
• Science Web Lecture: For the next two units, we focus on how elements combine to form molecules; we will get to the precise structure and nature of atoms later. Students need to understand the basic concept of a chemical reaction: this is a change that breaks the bonds holding molecules together and allows the atoms to rearrange themselves into new elements. Bonds range from covalent (equal attraction to electrons) to ionic (very disparate attraction to electrons).
• Homework: There are not a lot of questions on the homework section this time but students need to think clearly and carefully about the definition of the terms involved. Encourage answers that are not superficial, but that provide both details and examples.
• Discussion: We'll look at both the problem of proposing a radical change (lots of elements vs. only a few elements) and the importance of the exchange of information in science.
• Lab: The lab asks students to explore the nature of different types of reactions. It takes awhile to do -- so counsel patience!

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