Chemical Reactions

Activities

  • Use prepared index cards for this “Balancing Chemical Equations Activity.” 
  • Use the “Classic Chembalancer” to balance the equations on this worksheet
  • Then, use the “Review Chembalancer” to answer the questions on this review worksheet
  • Have students do this “Simple Chemical Reactions” crossword puzzle with answers
  • Then, do this “The Rates of Chemical Reactions” crossword puzzle with answers
  • Make an overhead projector transparency from this “Balancing Act” (pdf) blackline master and use it to introduce this “Balancing Act” (pdf) worksheet. 
  • Use this worksheet (pdf) for the “Snowman Challenge” game. Use this master (pdf) for the front of the cards and this one (pdf) for the back of the cards. 
  • Use this “Cartoon Chemistry” worksheet (doc) to identify types of chemical reactions. 
  • Try any of these worksheets: “Balancing” (doc), “Balancing Equations” (doc), “Balancing Equations 2” (doc), “Writing Chemical Equations” (doc) with key (doc), “Writing Chemical Equations 2” (doc) with key (doc), “Types of Reactions” (doc), “Classifying and Balancing Equations” (doc), “Chemical Equations 1” (doc), “Chemical Equations 2” (doc), or “Chemical Equations 3” (doc)
  • Igniting Chemistry With Fireworks” from Teacher’s Domain is a lesson plan that includes videos, interactive computer segments, and readings.  
  • Learn to balance equations with marshmallows and sugar cookies with Mrs. Bowling’s “Balancing Equations with Marshmallows and Sugar Cookies” (doc) worksheet. 
  • Show this video of “The Catalytic Decomposition of Hydrogen Peroxide, II.” 
  • David Katz’s “Writing Chemical Equations” (pdf) is a good tutorial and worksheet (pdf) for writing chemical equations.
  • The Science Spot provides good practice for balancing equations with “Balancing Act” (pdf), “Balancing Equations Practice” (pdf), and “Balancing Equations Challenge” (pdf).
  • Play “Bonding Jeopardy” (ppt) a game contributed by Alicia Johnson of Danville, CA.
  • Show your students this PowerPoint on “Teacher’s Guide to: Balancing Chemical Equations” that has been converted to a YouTube video.

Labs

  • Do “The Effects of Temperature on Rate“, “The Effect of Particle Size on Rate of Reaction“, “Effect of Concentration of the Reactants“, and “Factors which affect the rate of chemical reactions,” experiments, all of which use Alka-Seltzer. 
  • This, “Matter & Energy: Equations and Formulas” (doc) lab contains demos and labs as well as instructional material. 
  • Do these “Chemical Reactions” demos (doc) and “Chemical Reactions” lab (doc)
  • Explore rates of reaction with the “Iodine Clock Reaction” lab (doc)
  • Or try the Flinn Scientific, Inc. “Iodine Clock Reaction” lab (pdf).
  • Do this “Single Replacement Reactions” lab (doc)
  • Try these “Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions” labs and demos. 
  • Or try this “Exothermic or Endothermic” (pdf) lab using steel wool and Ziploc bags.
  • Or do this “Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions” (doc) lab that uses a TI® graphing calculator and Graph Link along with a Vernier® temperature probe and adapting cable.
  • Do the Flinn Scientific, Inc. “Magic Genie” (pdf) demonstration to display an exothermic reaction. 
  • Use the Flinn Scientific, Inc. “Sudsy Kinetics” (pdf) demonstration to illustrate an exothermic decomposition reaction that uses a catalyst. 
  • The Flinn Scientific, Inc. “Old Foamey” (pdf) demonstrates another decomposition reaction using a catalyst. 
  • Try this “Chemistry in a Bag” lab to demonstrate changes occuring in chemical reactions. It includes a student worksheet. 
  • Do this “Types of Chemical Reactions Design Lab” (doc)
  • Do this “Mass Relationships in Chemical Reactions ” lab. 
  • Or try the “Double Displacement Reactions” lab. 
  • Chemical Reactions of Metals in Solutions” is a virtual lab that uses this “Metals in Aqueous Solutions” animation. 
  • Try this “Combustion Demo” (doc) that uses isopropyl alcohol, a 2 liter soda bottle, and a wooden splint.
  • Have students explore the chemical reactions in a hotpack with “Make a Hotpack” (doc).
  • Flinn Scientific, Inc.’s “The Foating Tin Sponge” (pdf) demonstrates a single replacement reaction as well as an oxidation reduction reaction and the activity series of metals.
  • Your students will think you are the King or Queen of Chemistry when you do the Flinn Scientific, Inc. “Yellow and Blue Switcheroo” (pdf) demonstration, showing oscillating reactions and reaction mechanisms.
  • “Pickled Eggs Anyone?” (doc) is a lab where students design experiments for the chemical reaction between egg shells an vinegar.
  • The Flinn Scientific, Inc. “Keep Your Eye on the Ions” (pdf) is a double-replacement reaction demonstration.
  • Have student’s do “The Conservation of Mass” lab.
  • Or another “Conservations of Mass” (doc) lab.
  • Try the “Mentos + soda=?” (doc) lab and read “The Science Behind the Soda Geyser” (doc) and “How Does It Work?” (doc) articles.
  • Do this “Law of Conservation of Matter” (pdf) Lab.
  • Try this “Water-Wine-Milk-Beer” demonstration. All the chemical reactions involved are explained.
  • Demonstrate the relationship between surface area and the rate of reaction with this “Antacid Tablet Race” demo.
  • During the appropriate season, do Flinn’s “Winter Wonderland–Precipitation of Potassium Sulfate” (pdf) lab.

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