Why go to college? What do you expect to get out of a college education? Nine goals from AAC. Academic Assessment at Rivier College.

The next set of activities reinforce the necessity of logical reasoning and provide experience with the process. At the same time they introduce concepts for later in the course.

Groups:

• Is reasoning used in each discipline represented by the people in your group?
• Use of reasoning in science.
• Chapter three of the text. Structure of logical arguments. Truthful premises.

Lycopodium powder:

• What is needed for a fire - oxygen, fuel, "spark"
• Observe fireball and write an argument with the observation as the conclusion.
• Predict result of burning on a spatula. Observe. Write an argument for observation.
• Extend to coal mines and flour factories.

Optical illusion cards:

• Answer question on card and write an argument for your answer using measurments as premises.
• Verify logic structure and truthfulness of premises (introduce experimental uncertainty).

Forks:

• Write argument with "forks will not fall" as the conclusion.
• Concept of balance. Balance in two dimensions.
• Complex arguments.

Think-a-ma-jig:

• Draw a model.
• Modeling things that cannot be seen.
• Criteria for a good model. (Agreement with observation.)

Sliding box:

• Write an argument with the conclusion "The box stops at the edge".
• Motion and unbalanced forces in two dimensions.

Three Story Intellect:

• Interpret handout and decide the level that this class should operate on.
• How would the class be taught if at the bottom level, etc.
• Review course objectives. Science as a means of improving reasoning.

Antifreeze balls:

• One person from each group makes observations. A ball floats in one, sinks in the other.
• Develop a theory.
• Identify questions and other experiments to verify/prove theory.
• Have a rational for each experiment.
• Directly and inversely proportional.
• Class criteria for determining relative densities. What are the variables for density? Derive d=m/V.
• Concept of density. d = m/V is directly related to physical observations.

Density of aluminum:

• Calculate density from experimentally determined mass and volume. Different groups use different balances to find mass. Use graduated cylinders for volume by displacement. Use aluminum foil (often captures air). Do at least twice.
• Determine uncertainty in mass measurement. Ask for uncertainty of reported density.
• Determine class average, median, range. Suggest method for reporting uncertainty.
• Discuss how the data could be improved.
• Redo experiment using same electronic balance and Al shot.
• Redo statistics, compare with known value.

Bell and Dropper in Tropicana bottle:

• Develop theories.
• Each group think about and perform critical experiments to prove/disprove theory.
• Narrow theories as a class.
• Use cartesian divers (droppers in plastic bottles filled with water) to model system.
• Relate back to density.

NASA activity and writing assignment

Having provided experiences in science reasoning and introduced some concepts for future reference, the next two areas are a transition to beginning to develop the concept of intermolecular forces.

Mary Budd Rowe:

• Nature of science as an evolving discipline.
• Facts often constrained to specific conditions.

Richard Feynman and why we may not "understand" science:

• Personality or external factors.
• Language.
• Nobody knows why.
• Don't believe it.

Homework Set #1

Periodic table, first visit:

• Matter and elements.
• Physical and chemical changes.
• Li, Na, K reaction with water, conductivity, etc.

Atoms:

• Make a model of an atom. Come to a group concensus, draw on blackboard.
• Protons, neutrons, electrons.
• Good model?

Historical development of atomic theory:

• Computer program of major developments.
• Raisin pudding model and the gold foil experiment.

  Homework: Write an argument with the following conclusion: The raisin pudding model is false.

• Planetary model and energy levels.
• Quantized energy levels for electrons and spectroscopy.
• Demonstrations of quantization. Line spectra, black lights, AA, IR, etc.
• Quantum mechanics and probability.

Creating charges and charge interactions:

• If something moves in an atom it will be the electron.
• Charges produced by transfering electrons.
• Like charges repel.
• Unlike charges attract.

Temporary dipoles:

• Pith balls.
• Electroscopes.

More charge interactions:

• Electroscopes.
• Ring floating above the rod.
  Homework Set #3

Creating charges without using friction:

• Making salts.
• Ionic compounds.
• Acids and bases.

Review the concept of a dipole:

• Rice Krispie experiment.
• Charged rods always attract neutral objects due to formation of a temporary dipole.
• Like charges repel.

Permanent dipoles:

• Polar and non-polar molecules.
• NaOH, Mg(OH)₂, Al(OH)₃

Intermolecular forces:

• charge-polar, polar-polar interactions
• Charged rod next to stream of water, stream of oil
• Water over top of container - surface tension
• Evaporation of water vs alcohol - polarity and mass
• Boiling point at constant temperature
• Space marbles, marbles
• Velcro models
  Homework Set #5

• Density and polarity experiment
• Detergents
• Polar and nonpolar people
• Soap bubbles
• Detergent boats
• Paper chromatography
• Half & half vs skim milk
• Meniscus up or down
• Water beading on waxed car
• Some kinds of tape stick better than others
• Insects walking on water
• Biodegradeable plastics
• Hair spray for spots
• Peanut butter of gum in hair
• Why doesn't a duck get wet?
• Why doesn't water help with spicy food?
• Painters drink milk
• DMSO, skin to mouth
• Eskimos have yellow skin (vitamin A)
• Benzene
• Garlic on feet
• Geocko sticking - read from article.

Graphing and quantitative reasoning:

• Graphs of directly and inversely proportional
• Ball experiment
  volume of sphere is half of the volume of the corresponding cube predict graphs for circumference, mass, volume, bounce, density measure and graph

• Potential energy - derive from experiment
• Kinetic energy
• Conservation of energy - KEi + PEi = KEf + PEf+ W
• Conservation of energy - pendulums
• Conservation of energy - ball rolling down an incline
• Conservation of energy - air track experiment
• Conservation of momentum Homework Set #6