Pre-Lab 14B: Atomic Challenge

Purpose During the middle ages, people believed you could turn lead into gold if you followed the right procedures. Later, we learned that lead and gold are different elements with different kinds of atoms. You have to change the atoms inside to make lead into gold. Lead atoms have 82 protons in the nucleus. Gold atoms have 79 protons.

Key Question How were the elements created?

Background Define: isotope ion atom

Drawing

Section 2: Read the 3 rules

About 13 billion years ago, when the universe was much younger, the only atoms in existence were hydrogen, helium, and a small amount of lithium. These are the three lightest elements. Today, we find carbon, oxygen, iron, and even uranium atoms. Where did these heavy atoms come from? All the elements were created in the super-hot cores of stars. Stars get their energy by combining hydrogen atoms together to make other elements, such as helium. Along the way, a few protons get converted into neutrons and electrons. In this investigation, you will learn how these subatomic particles are arranged to make up the structure of an atom by playing the game of Atomic Challenge.

Section 3: This game simulates how the heavy elements were created inside stars. The winner of the game is the first player to run completely out of marbles. Each player takes turns adding 1 - 5 marbles, but not more than 5 match one of the naturally occurring elements: all the isotopes listed may be used If it’s NOT on the red periodic table you have to take your marbles back and lose your turn. A player can trade marbles with the bank INSTEAD of taking a turn Complete 2-3 games. WINNERS GET EXTRA CREDIT!!! Have Mr. Speich sign-off each lab for each game.

Post Lab 14B: Atomic Challenge

Purpose During the middle ages, people believed you could turn lead into gold if you followed the right procedures. Later, we learned that lead and gold are different elements with different kinds of atoms. You have to change the atoms inside to make lead into gold. Lead atoms have 82 protons in the nucleus. Gold atoms have 79 protons.

Key Question How were the elements created?

Background Define: isotope ion atom

a. What four elements make up almost all of the mass in your body? b. How many stable isotopes does oxygen have? c. Find one element on the chart that has no stable isotopes. d. What element has atoms with 26 protons in the nucleus? e. On most periodic tables, a single atomic mass is listed instead of the mass numbers for all the stable isotopes. How is this mass related to the different isotopes?