1. Systems and Scale Unit Activity 5.3 Organic vs. Inorganic
Carbon: Transformations in Matter and Energy
Environmental Literacy Project Michigan State University
Systems and Scale Unit Activity 5.3 Organic vs. Inorganic
Image Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
PROPANE

2. Driving questions
Photo Credits:
Ethanol: FableVision
Water Glass and Logs Burning: Hannah Miller, Michigan State University
Why can some things burn while other things cannot burn? Why does ethanol behave more like wood than like water?

3. Why does ethanol behave more like wood than water?
Organic and Inorganic Materials
Why does ethanol behave more like wood than water?

4. What we see… Macroscopic Scale
Photo Credits:
Ethanol: FableVision
Water Glass and Logs Burning: Hannah Miller, Michigan State University
Ethanol
Water
Wood

5. Zooming out… Large Scale
Water
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Petroleum
Wood

6. Zooming in… Microscopic and Atomic-Molecular Scales
Photo Credits:
Water Droplet: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Ethanol Droplet: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Paper Fibers: Courtesy of Maria Carbajo and FEI
Water droplet
(Atomic-Molecular)
Paper Fibers (Microscopic)
Ethanol droplet (Atomic-Molecular)

7. Zooming in… Atomic-molecular Scale Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
Water molecule (H2O)
Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
Cellulose: an important part of wood (C6H10O5)n
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University

8. What ATOMS are found in these materials?
Water molecule (H2O)
Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
Cellulose (C6H10O5)n
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University

9. What ATOMS are found in these materials?
Water molecule (H2O)
ATOMS FOUND IN EACH MOLECULE:
Water: Hydrogen, Oxygen
Ethanol: Hydrogen, Oxygen, Carbon
Wood: Hydrogen, Oxygen, Carbon
Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
Cellulose (C6H10O5)n
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University

10. Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
What BONDS are found in these materials?
Water molecule (H2O)
Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
Cellulose (C6H10O5)n
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University

11. Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
What BONDS are found in these materials?
Water molecule (H2O)
BONDS FOUND IN EACH MOLECULE:
Water: H-O
Ethanol: H-O, C-O, C-H, C-C
Wood: H-O, C-O, C-H, C-C
Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
Cellulose (C6H10O5)n
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University

12. What BONDS are found in these materials?
Water molecule (H2O)
Chemical Energy
Energy found in the bonds of molecules.
C-C and C-H bonds means molecules have available chemical energy.
So which materials have available chemical energy?
Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
Cellulose (C6H10O5)n
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University

13. MATTER AND ENERGY Every molecule has both ATOMS and BONDS
ATOMS TELL YOU ABOUT MATTER
BONDS TELL YOU ABOUT ENERGY
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University

14. Materials That Do NOT Burn
Materials That Burn
Materials That Do NOT Burn
WOOD
WATER
SALT
BUTANE
CARBON DIOXIDE
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
PROPANE
OXYGEN
NITROGEN
ETHANOL

15. How are these different?
What makes these burn?
How are these different?
WOOD
WATER
SALT
BUTANE
CARBON DIOXIDE
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
PROPANE
OXYGEN
NITROGEN
ETHANOL

16. Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
Water, Ethanol, and Wood
Ethanol and wood both have C-C and C-H bonds.
Water molecule (H2O)
Ethanol molecule (C2H5OH)
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
Cellulose (C6H10O5)n

17. ORGANIC INORGANIC --means the molecule has C-C and C-H bonds
--means the molecule does not have C-C and C-H bonds
WOOD
WATER
SALT
BUTANE
CARBON DIOXIDE
Photo Credit: Craig Douglas, Michigan State University
PROPANE
OXYGEN
NITROGEN
ETHANOL

18. What Makes Up Living Things?
Average Human
Average Apple
Average Chicken
Water
Carbo-hydrate
Protein
Fat
Minerals
Average human
60% 1%
15%
23%
<1%
Average apple
85%
14%
0.5%
Average chicken
62%
30% 8%
Inorganic: Water, minerals; Organic: carbohydrates, fats, proteins