Professional Documents
Culture Documents
www.earthscienceeducation.com
The Earth Science Education Unit
Copyright is waived for original material contained in this booklet if it is required for use within the laboratory or classroom.
Copyright material contained herein from other publishers rests with them.
Every effort has been made to locate and contact copyright holders of materials included in this document in order to obtain their
permission to publish it. Please contact us if, however, you believe your copyright is being infringed: we welcome any information that
will help us to update our records.
The Creative Science initiative has been funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Department for Education and Skills. The Earth Science
Education Unit is very grateful for their support for the Science in an Earth Context project
Chemistry of me at 16:
Teaching KS4 chemistry
Contents
Teachers
Support
Pack
Participant
Cards
Technicians
List
KS4 Starter
KS4 Activity 1
KS4 Activity 2
KS4 Activity 3
KS4 Activity 4
KS4 Activity 5
KS4 Activity 6
KS4 Plenary
activity
4
6
10
11
12
14
16
18
All Activities
All Activities
Summary
Start by looking through the window to spot the elements and compounds you can see
which form the environment around us. Then consider in Activity 1 what elements we are
made of and compare our composition with the lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere.
Discover the calcium in our bones in Activity 2 and the carbon we contain in Activity 3.
Activity 4 looks at the iron in food that our body needs and Activity 5 investigates the air
we breathe. If we added up the value of all the elements in our body, what would we be
worth? Find out in Activity 6, before Putting it all together in the plenary activity.
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
1.
Chemical make-up
Fe plus C, Cr, Co, Nb, Mo, Ni, Ti, W, V, Zr
2.
Material
Lead, in flashings (edgings) on roofs
Copper in pipes or, unusually, as a roof
covering
Element/symbol
Lead Pb
Copper - Cu
Zinc - Zn
3.
Constituent(s)
Common alloys are iron with
carbon, chromium, cobalt,
niobium, molybdenum, nickel,
titanium, tungsten, vanadium
or zirconium
Spot that element. Which elements (uncombined) from the periodic table above can
you see? Circle the elements you can spot
answers are shown on the periodic table
above.
Comment
Often is dull due to a lead carbonate coating
Pure copper is usually not visible, it is usually coated
with a weathering veneer of green copper carbonate
compounds
This usually has a surface coating of zinc carbonate
minerals
Aluminium - Al
NaCl
4.
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Element
Oxygen
Silicon
Aluminium
Iron
Calcium
Sodium
Potassium
Magnesium
Titanium
Hydrogen
Phosphorus
Manganese
Sulfur
Carbon
Chlorine
Nitrogen
Chemistry of me at 16
Percentage in the
lithosphere*
46.6
27.7
8.1
5.0
3.6
2.8
2.6
2.1
0.6
0.1
0.1
0.1
Less than 0.1
Less than 0.1
Less than 0.1
Less than 0.1
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
Time: 20 minutes
Pupil learning outcomes: Know how a few
elements, including calcium, can be identified in
their compounds by use of the flame test. Know
that a major role of calcium in the human body is
as a component of bones, and that phosphorus
and oxygen are also needed for bones.
Understand why regular intake of calcium
compounds is essential in the diet, and how this
fits into the recycling of calcium compounds in
nature.
Resource list:
Participant Card
Small thin bones from e.g. rabbit or chicken.
Immerse the bones in the acid about one hour
before the activity takes place. It would also
be sensible to set up a bone in acid some time
earlier, eg. the day before.
Hydrochloric acid (1M)
Tweezers
Any calcium salt
Crushed limestone
Bunsen burner and heat proof mat
10 cm lengths of clean thin nichrome wire
(NB It is not necessary to mount these in glass
rod holders if they are long enough they can
be held between the fingers at the far end
from the flame, and the other end can be
snipped off between tests to ensure a fresh
piece of wire for each test). Also the wires are
The Earth Science Education Unit
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
11
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
Time: 10 minutes
Pupil learning outcomes: Know that iron is an
essential element in the human body, and
therefore in the diet. Understand why iron is
needed for haemoglobin in the blood and why
some sources of iron in the diet are better than
others.
Resource list:
Participant Card
Any fortified cereal e.g. Special K
Water
Large beaker (1000 ml)
Magnetic stirrer with stirrer bar (preferably a
clean white one)
Tweezers
Lead-in: What is iron doing in the human body?
Iron is a common element in the Earths crust, so
perhaps it is not surprising that it is found in the
body, but what is its role - what does it do?
12
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
13
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
14
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
Gas(es)
These three constituents of volcanic gas either form the water of the oceans or
dissolve in the ocean waters.
These two constituents of volcanic gas are not very reactive and so remain in the
atmosphere and their percentages have built up over geological time
This gas is found in varying amounts in the atmosphere, depending on the
temperature and the balance between such processes as evaporation and
condensation
During photosynthesis by plants, this gas is released. The process has added an
important gas to the atmosphere that is not found in volcanic gas
This constituent of volcanic gas not only dissolves in the oceans but is also used by
plants during photosynthesis
This constituent of volcanic gas has very low density and so is easily lost from the
atmosphere to outer space. It is a gas that has low atomic mass and so is found
early in the periodic table
Cloud
letter
c
Water vapour
Carbon dioxide
Sulfur oxides
Nitrogen
Argon
Water vapour
Oxygen
Carbon dioxide
Hydrogen
b
f
15
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
Resource list:
Participant Cards
Geological map of the UK
Mass of element in a
70kg person
42.7kg
16.1kg
7.0kg
1.8kg
1.4
1.1
0.2
0.2
0.14
0.13
0.03
0.006
1.0kg
770g
140g
140g
98g
95g
21g
4.2g
Calcium
Phosphorous
Potassium
Sulfur
Sodium
Chlorine
Magnesium
Iron
Total value
16
Price per kg
Value of element in 70
kg person
146.46
272.09
1173.69
2.88
3.43
16.90
167.67
1.60
144.00
21.00
790.00
9.40
82.40
198.23
34.90
49.50
1877.80
144.00
16.17
110.60
1.32
8.07
18.83
0.73
0.21
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
17
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
Resource List:
Participant Cards
Element
Calcium
Chlorine
Nitrogen
Nitrogen in air
Nitrate in soil water
Nitrogen in bacteria in soil
Nitrogen in protein in plants
Nitrogen in protein in animals
Nitrogen in urea
Sodium
Carbon
18
Sphere where it
is found
L
H
B
B if living,
L if dead
H
H
L
B
B
L
A
H
B
B
B
B if in animal
L if in soil
H if in sewage
B
H
L
B
B
H
L
L
L
L
L
H
A
B
B
B
B
A
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Chemistry of me at 16
Oxygen
Iron
H
A
A
H
L
B
B
L
B
L
L
L
H
B
B
L
Calcium
Sphere
where it is
found
L
Sphere it can
be cycled to
H
H
B
B
L
H
L
Deposited in stalactites
Dissolved by water after burial
Buried to form limestone
Process
www.earthscienceeducation.com
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Human body
Plants
Constituent(s)
Kaolinite contains:
Montmorillonite contains:
Illite contains:
Chemical make-up
Al, Si, O, H
Na Ca, Al, Mg, Si, Al, O,
H
K, Al, Si, O, H
Ca, O, Si
Ca, O, Si
Ca, O, Al
Ca, O, Al, Fe
CaSO4
H, C, N, S, O
O, Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Na, K,
Mg, Ti
SiO2
Na2CO3
CaCO3
MgCO3
C, H, O, Si
C, O, H
TiO2
Fe2O3
Cr2O3,
Pb3O4
O, C, H, N, Ca, P
O, C, H, N, P, S, Si
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Element
Oxygen
Silicon
Aluminium
Iron
Calcium
Sodium
Potassium
Magnesium
Titanium
Hydrogen
Phosphorus
Manganese
Sulfur
Carbon
Chlorine
Nitrogen
Percentage in the
lithosphere
Activity:
Put the jig-saw together correctly
Write the information from the jigsaw into the table below to compare
the percentage of elements in your
body with the percentage of
elements in the Earths lithosphere
Percentage in the
human body
46.6
27.7
8.1
5.0
3.6
2.8
2.6
2.1
0.6
0.1
0.1
0.1
Less than 0.1
Less than 0.1
Less than 0.1
Less than 0.1
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Activity
Hold a potato crisp (with a high fat
content) with tongs. Light it in a
Bunsen flame and place the burning
crisp under a boiling tube half-full
of water.
Watch for condensation forming on
the tube and dripping onto the food
sample it might put out the flame.
Wait until the food has burnt out.
How much soot has been deposited
onto the test tube?
Burn different food types e.g. one
high in protein, and one high in
carbohydrate. Do they all give the
same results?
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Gas description
These three constituents of volcanic gas either form
the water of the oceans or dissolve in the ocean waters.
These two constituents of volcanic gas are not very
reactive and so remain in the atmosphere and their
percentages have built up over geological time.
This gas is found in varying amounts in the atmosphere,
depending on the temperature and the balance between
such processes as evaporation and condensation.
During photosynthesis by plants, this gas is released.
This process has added an important gas to the
atmosphere that is not found in volcanic gas.
This constituent of volcanic gas not only dissolves in the
oceans but is also used by plants during photosynthesis.
This constituent of volcanic gas has very low density and
so is easily lost from the atmosphere to outer space. It
is a gas that has a low atomic mass and so is found early
in the Periodic Table.
Gas(es)
Cloud
letter
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
The Activity
Set-up the apparatus well in
advance, as shown in the diagram
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Activity
You are provided with a data table
giving market prices for twelve
important elements in your body.
The table also shows the mass of each
element in a typical 70kg adult human
body, and the percentage of body mass
this represents.
For each element, calculate:
EITHER: the value of the typical 70 kg
human body as follows:
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Oxygen
Carbon
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
Calcium
Phosphorous
Potassium
Sulfur
Sodium
Chlorine
Magnesium
Iron
Total value
% of body mass
from each
element
61
23
10
2.5
1.4
1.1
0.2
0.2
0.14
0.13
0.03
0.006
Mass of
element in a
70kg person
42.7kg
16.1kg
7.0kg
1.8kg
1.0kg
770g
140g
140g
98g
95g
21g
4.2g
Price per kg
Value of
element in 70
kg person
3.43
16.90
167.67
1.60
144.00
21.00
790.00
9.40
82.40
198.23
34.90
49.50
Oxygen
Carbon
Hydrogen
Nitrogen
Calcium
Phosphorous
Potassium
Sulfur
Sodium
Chlorine
Magnesium
Iron
Total value
% of body
mass from
each element
61
23
10
2.5
1.4
1.1
0.2
0.2
0.14
0.13
0.03
0.006
Calculation
of mass of
element in
me, in kg
61/100 x X
23/100 x X
10/100 x X
2.5/100 x X
1.4/100 x X
1.1/100 x X
0.2/100 x X
0.2/100 x X
0.14/100 x X
0.13/100 x X
0.03/100 x X
0.006/100 x
X
Mass of
element in
me, in kg
Price per kg
3.43
16.90
167.67
1.60
144.00
21.00
790.00
9.40
82.40
198.23
34.90
49.50
Value of
element in
me
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Lithosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Element
Calcium
Chlorine
Nitrogen
Sodium
Carbon
Oxygen
Another example? -
Sphere where it is
found
L
Participant Cards
Chemistry of me at 16
Iron
Another example? -
Then draw a table like the one below and complete it for one of the elements
above. An example shows you how to do this.
Element
Calcium
Calcium carbonate in
limestone and marble
Sphere
where it is
found
Sphere it
can be
cycled to
Process
Technicians List
Chemistry of me at 16
Technicians List
KS4 Starter activity - Spot the Periodic Table
through the window
Participant Cards
A room with a reasonable view from the
window
KS4 Activity 1 - What am I made of?
Participant Card
PowerPoint or OHT slides showing the
Earths four spheres (lithosphere,
atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere).
Jig-saw of the elemental composition of the
human body, copied onto card and cut into
pieces
Participant Card
Small thin bones from e.g. rabbit or chicken.
Hydrochloric acid (1M).Immerse the bones in
the acid about one hour before the activity
takes place. It would also be sensible to set
up a bone in acid some time earlier, eg. the
day before.
Tweezers
Any calcium salt
Crushed limestone
Bunsen burner and a heat proof mat
10 cm lengths of clean thin nichrome wire
(NB It is not necessary to mount these in
glass rod holders if they are long enough
they can be held between the fingers at the
far end from the flame, and the other end can
be snipped off between tests to ensure a
fresh piece of wire for each test. Also the
wires are best cleaned in preparation for each
test by dipping in 5M HCl on a watchglass,
then flaming them off - but pupils will have to
make do with 1M HCl for safety reasons)
Wirecutters/tinsnips
Watch glasses, 5 cm diam
Participant Card
Any fortified cereal, e.g. Special K
Water
Large beaker (1000 ml)
Magnetic stirrer with stirrer bar (preferably a
clean white one)
Tweezers
Participant Card
Bench mat
Stand and clamp
Boiling tube
Cold water and measuring cylinder
Tongs (mounting pins can be used instead)
Several different foods to burn. Include
potato crisps, which have a high fat content
and work well. Other foods could include one
high in protein (a meat product), and one high
in carbohydrate, although these can be
difficult to ignite. Avoid nut-based products in
case of allergies.
Technicians List
Chemistry of me at 16
Participant Cards
Geological map of the UK