Unit 1 Product Challenge
Where do Elements Come From?
Setting the Stage
Look around. The world is a complex place. However, even in this complexity there is an
underlying structure shared by everything you see. Everything in the world around you is composed of
elements. Sometimes these elements are found in a “pure” form, like a bar of gold, or a piece of
aluminum. At other times elements are combined into compounds that are part of an even bigger
structure. For example, carbon and iron can be combined to make steel, which in turn can be used to
make a bridge. If you extend your view to the stars and space, you will find that even stars and the dust
in space are made up of elements.
But where did elements come from? How many different elements are there? Has the number
of elements changed over time? Is the number of elements found in a star the same as the number
found on Earth? During this unit, you will begin to answer these questions. You will explore how
elements are created in stars and how that process generates energy. You will discover that stars are
the nuclear furnaces where the elements and energy central to life are forged.
Preparing for the Challenge
Answer these questions prior to reading the Challenge and discussing the Criteria.
1. What elements is life on Earth made of?
2. Where did elements come from?
Unit Challenge
The matter that makes up your body comprises of elements that have traveled a long, long road. A
family road trip is a simple matter compared to the journey of a carbon atom travels from its starting
point in space to the time it is incorporated into your body. As with any road trip, getting from point A
to point B is easier if there is a route map to follow. In this unit’s challenge, you are to design a route
map for Carbon’s Ultimate Road Trip. Your map should be clear and easy to follow. It should include
any interesting side trips that are possible along the way. Your route map should provide details about:
 The starting point for the carbon atom,
 The basic structure of a carbon atom and how it can be created from other elements,
 The different “vehicles” that a carbon atom might use to move around through space toward its
final destination,
 The forces that might be involved in a carbon atom’s creation, its movement through space, and
its arrival at its ending point on Earth.
The layout of your route map can be like a simple road map, or it can take the form of a more
complex travel plan like those available from a guide book or Internet site. Be sure you highlight the
routes and include explanations. You should be creative with your design. Supplement your map with
drawings, cartoons, or images cut from magazines or printed from the Internet. When it’s completed,
your map for Carbon’s Ultimate Road Trip should be easy for others to follow without getting lost along
the way.
Rubric/Criteria
Criteria
Your work will be evaluated by the following criteria (100 points)
A. Describing the start point …………………………………………………………………………… (55 points)
1. Explaining carbon’s origins in space, including an understanding of:
 The creation of Hydrogen from the Big Bang. (5 pt)
 The creation of matter in stars (the process of nuclear fusion) (10 pt)
 The star life cycle and which stars are able to create which elements (understanding
of mass, energy, nuclear fusion) (10 pts)
 The creation of carbon from lighter elements (a possible equation for this reaction,
importance of hydrogen and helium, and conservation of mass) (5 pts)
2. Describing the basic structure of a carbon atom, including an understanding of:
 The underlying structure of all atoms (protons, neutrons, electrons and of their
relative positions within an atom; effects of electric charges of these particles;
significance of numbers of protons and neutrons in the nucleus; significance of the
number of electrons in the outer region of the atom) (10 pts)
 The specific structure of carbon (5 pts)
3. Describing the forces that affect a carbon atom at any one time, including an understanding
of:
 Electromagnetic and nuclear forces (10 pts)
B. Describing the journey………………………………………………………………………………… (40 points)
1. Explaining how most carbon comes to Earth as a result of the creation of the solar system;
including an understanding of:
 A supernova explosion (15 pts)
 How elements created in space are recycled in the formation of stars and other
solar system objects. (5 pts)
2. Explaining the “vehicles” that continue to bring carbon to Earth, including an understanding
of:
 Asteroids, comets, and meteors (15 pts)
3. Explaining what your study of micrometeorites can tell you about the journey of carbon
(5 pts)
C. Considering carbon for life………………………………………………………………………….. (5 points)
1. Speculating about how carbon on Earth can become part of living things, including an
understanding of:
 The idea that “we are all star stuff” (5 pts)
Discuss these criteria with your class and your teacher to be certain of each aspect of the project. Be
sure you know exactly what must be done to acquire all the points and produce a project of quality.
You may be working as a part of a team throughout this unit during activities and labs. However, each
student will create their own project and must be individual.