It's an element, dear Watson!

"The density lab activity is an excellent assessment to determine whether students comprehend significant figures. The activity has several benchmarks to assist the teacher in determining whether the students are having difficulty with significant figures rules, particularly the addition/subtraction rules."

Koh Ikeda, Los Angeles Unified School District

Objectives

• Assess students' understanding of the physical properties of elements and the application of significant figures and percent error.
• Identify an unknown element by calculating its density using scientific instruments to obtain data.
• Explain the findings through a PowerPoint presentation to improve presentation skills and to substantiate conclusions.

Learning areas

• Science
• Chemistry

Levels

• 15 to 18 year-olds

Software

• Microsoft® Word
• Microsoft PowerPoint

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