Alchemy Unit
Investigation I:
Defining Matter
Lesson 1: Penny for Your Thoughts
Lesson 2: Whatsa Matter?
Lesson 3: Tools of the Trade
Lesson 4: All That Glitters
Alchemy Unit – Investigation I
Lesson 1:
Penny for Your Thoughts
ChemCatalyst
Long ago, early scientists tried to turn
ordinary things into gold. This pursuit
was called alchemy and the people who
engaged in alchemy were called
alchemists.
• Do you think the alchemists were
successful in turning things to gold?
Explain your thinking.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
The Big Question
• Can we turn a penny into gold?
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
You will be able to:
• Follow a procedure using lab
equipment and describe your
observations.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Activity
Purpose: In this activity you will be
transforming a copper penny and
discussing what happens.
Safety Note: You must weat safety
goggles at all times. DANGER! Sodium
hydroxide will burn skin, eyes, and
clothing.
(cont.)
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
(cont.)
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Making Sense
• Do you think you made real gold?
• How could you find out?
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Check-In
• No Check-In
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Wrap-Up
• No Wrap-Up
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Alchemy Unit – Investigation I
Lesson 2:
Whatsa Matter?
ChemCatalyst
Modern chemistry is defined as the study
of matter.
• What do you think matter is?
• Name two things that are matter and
two things that are not matter.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
The Big Question
• What is matter?
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
You will be able to:
• Describe some properties of matter
and classify things as "matter" or "not
matter."
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Activity
Purpose: In order to study matter, it is
important to understand what matter is
and what qualities all matter possesses.
In this lesson you will work to come up
with a definition for matter.
(cont.)
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
(cont.)
Matter
Unsure
Not Matter
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Making Sense
• Pick one of the items that you consider
to be “not matter”.
• State why you believe that particular
item is something other than matter.
• Show how it doesn’t fit your definition
of matter.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Notes
Here are some textbook definitions of
matter:
• Matter is anything that has mass and
volume.
• Matter is anything of substance in the
known universe.
• Matter is anything that takes up space.
(cont.)
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
(cont.)
• Energy is the ability of a system to do
work or supply heat.
• Energy is not considered to be matter
because it does not take up space nor
does it have mass.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Check-In
Which of the following can be classified as
matter according to our definition?
a) a beam of sunlight
b) an autmobile
c) an idea
d) your breath
e) rain
f) sadness
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Wrap-Up
• Matter is everything that takes up
space.
• Matter exists in many forms.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Alchemy Unit – Investigation I
Lesson 3:
Tools of the Trade
ChemCatalyst
• Matter is defined as anything that has
mass and occupies space. Make a list
of at least 4 tools or pieces of
equipment you think a chemist might
use in order to measure the mass and
volume of some matter.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
The Big Question
• What tools do chemists use when
studying matter?
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
You will be able to:
• Name and explain the uses of some of
the equipment used in studying
chemistry.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Activity
Purpose: In this lesson you will be
introduced to the many different
laboratory tools that chemists use. You
will become acquainted with the layout of
your lab and with the location and use of
safety equipment within your lab.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Making Sense
• What tools did you use in the penny
lab on the first day of class?
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Check-In
Where are these items located in your
classroom? (Sketch or describe)
• graduated cylinder
• test tube rack
• eye wash
• Erlenmeyer flask
• scale or balance
• fire extinguisher
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Wrap-Up
• Chemists have a set of tools that are
useful for studying matter.
• Chemistry laboratories have a number
of potential hazards. It is important that
you behave responsibly and know how
to use the safety equipment.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Alchemy Unit – Investigation I
Lesson 4:
All That Glitters
ChemCatalyst
In the year 1 B.C., King Hiero
commissioned the creation of a golden
crown. However, he didn’t believe that
the goldsmith used all gold. He asked
Archimedes to determine if the crown
was solid gold.
(cont.)
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
(cont.)
• Do you think Archimedes can
determine if the crown is solid gold by
putting it under water? Why or why
not?
• What happens to the level of the water
if you submerge a crown in the water?
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
The Big Question
• How can we use mass and volume to
prove whether or not a substance is
gold?
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
You will be able to:
• Find the mass, volume, and density of
solid objects.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Notes
• Mass is the amount of stuff or
substance. We measure mass by
measuring weight on a scale or
balance.
• Volume refers to the amount of space
occupied by a substance.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Activity
Purpose: It is not always easy to tell one
form of matter from another. This activity
will show you how to differentiate
between different forms of matter by
examining density, one of the physical
properties of matter.
density = mass ÷ volume
(cont.)
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
(cont.)
Data and Calculations
Metal
Mass
(g)
Volume of
water
(mL)
Volume of
water with
metal (mL)
Volume of
metal
(mL)
2-inch long
gold-colored rod
2-inch long
silver-colored rod
4-inch long
silver-colored rod
(cont.)
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
(cont.)
Densities of metals
copper
9.0 g/mL
zinc
gold
aluminum
brass
7.1 g/mL 19.3 g/mL
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Making Sense
• Could you use density information to
determine if the golden penny you
made in class is gold? Why or why
not?
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Notes
• Density is defined as the mass per unit
volume or how much “stuff” there is in a
certain space.
d=mv
• The intrinsic property of a substance is a
property that doesn’t depend on size and
shape (for the same temperature).
• It is generally not possible to deduce the
density of a substance from its appearance.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Check-In
In 1999 the United States Mint produced
a coin called the Golden Dollar. It
features an image of Sacagawea, the
famous Native American guide for Lewis
and Clark. It has a mass of 9.8 g and a
volume of 1.1 mL.
• What is the density of this coin?
• The density of gold is 19.3 g/mL. Is this
coin truly gold? Explain.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I
Wrap-Up
• Density is an intrinsic physical property
of matter. It is a measure of the mass
per unit of volume of a substance.
• One substance can be distinguished
from another by examining its intrinsic
physical properties.
© 2004 Key Curriculum Press.
Unit 1 • Investigation I