1. Gas Laws and how they relate to
Scuba Diving
Sheila Christel: COM
Cranston West High School, Cranston RI
Steve Rubenstein:
William Tennent High School, Warminster, PA
To be used as a practical introduction to the gas laws.

2. Introduction These units will cover topics related to Gay Lussac Law,
Boyles’ Law and Charles’ Law.
They will enhance these traditional units through molecular
Simulations.
Students will have the opportunity to observe molecules in
Motion as opposed to conceptualizing this movement.
This simulation applies the practical application of scuba diving
To stimulate student interest in the topic.

3. Intended Audience
This unit is intended for students enrolled in College Prep
Chemistry or higher.
This unit will satisfy many State Standards:
1.Apply concepts of models as a method to predict and understand science
and technology.
2. Assess and apply patterns in science and technology.
3. Analyze scale as a way of relating concepts and ideas to one another by
some measure.
4. Analyze and use the technological design process to solve problems.
5. Apply concepts about the structure and properties of matter.
6. Apply and analyze energy sources and conversions and their relationship
to heat and temperature.
7. Apply the principles of motion and force.

4. While the unit will take additional time, the visualization of
Molecular interactions, the real life application, and the inquiry
Approach all justify the use of extra time.
Adoption of this unit will provide a clear basis for understanding
For all students.
This unit will enhance what is presently done in the classroom and
Is meant to be hands on though, can be adapted for use as an
Instructional tool using a projector.
This unit is intended to peak student interest and curiosity leading to
a better appreciation of nature.

5. Adjustment/Adaptation
This introduction could readily be used to introduce the topic
higher level students; both they an higher level students will
respond to the relevant and interesting nature of the material.
If a single computer with linkage to a large format projection
Device is available, the simulations could be used. The
Students would be able to obtain the data from a single
Presentation. Independent research using the web would
Distributing hard copies of the articles; alternative
Assignments would need to be found for the group
Extension research projects using VMDL.

6. Placement in the Curriculum
This unit fits very nicely into the larger curriculum of the science
Program. It seeks to have students understand nature in a
Fundamental way; through the interaction of atoms and molecules.
Simulations will explain, at the molecular level, what occurs in
Wet labs. This simulation is not meant to replace wet labs.
Students should have prior knowledge of matter, elements,
compounds, phases of matter and metric units.
Since this unit is meant to introduce gas laws, prior experiences
should not be needed to use this simulation successfully.

7. Time This introduction could be accomplished in approximately
Days depending on the schedule followed in you school.
Several of the suggested projects could be eliminated to save
Time if that were desired.

8. Resources High School Text
astronauts/overview/looking/neemo/youth/gases/nitro
_abs/default.asp

9. Electronic Equipment 200 Mega hertz processor
32 migabites or more is preferrable
PC or Mac computer(s)
1 computer with projector and large screen for instructional
use only or,
1 computer for every 2-4 students.

10. Goals and Objectives
Students will be able to draw and explain the difference
between the molecules of a solid, a liquid and a gas.
Students will be able to draw the difference between, a gas
dissolved in liquid, at depth, in the ocean vs upon ascent at
lower pressure and relate this to biological processes during
scuba diving.
3. Students will be able to verbally and in written form, describe
the interactions between pressure, temperature and volume of
a gas.

11. Goals and Objectives
4. Students will demonstrate how a gas comes out of solution when
pressure is reduced using a soda bottle.
5. Students will demonstrate a method of collecting air through
water displacement to measure the amount of air in one breath
and use a formula to calculate the working capacity of their lungs.
6. Students will demonstrate their increased knowledge of scuba
diving and its dangers through reading supplementary
materials and reporting on their findings.
7. Students will demonstrate their ability to simulate molecular
motions and interactions through the use of the VMDL program
and use it to make predictions about macroscopic events.

12. Assessment: Embedded assessments: Homework:
Students will answer a variety of questions as they proceed
through the unit.
Questions range from description and drawings of observations to hypothesis
formation to data analysis. Alternatively, more formal lab write
Up could be required for some sections.
Printed versions of the questions will facilitate their responses.
Homework:
Homework will include reading and responding to
Questions from their texts, writing up some portions of the lab
Work and written responses to supplementary articles that they will
Obtain from the internet.

13. Extensions of Learning
Students will be demonstrate their understanding of the effects of the solubility principles for gasses by developing programs to illustrate this using alternative VMDL programs or by manipulating data within the program we have suggested.
Formal Assesment
As this unit is intended as an introduction to the gas laws, formal
Testing on the concepts would probably be delayed until the unit is
Completed. Brief quizzes should test student knowledge of the unit objectives.
Brief research projects from net sources are suggested in the project.