Chemical Foundations Summary

Summary:

Students will explore the history of the atom from Democritus to the quantum atom.  Students should gain an understanding that science is fluid and these ideas, models, theories, and laws evolve through experimentation and research.

An introduction to how mass spectroscopy works will be leveraged as a lead into isotopic composition.  The average atomic mass of an element from its isotopic composition will be calculated.  This and other empirical evidence will be used to debunk part of Dalton's atomic theory and validate part of the modern atomic theory.

NGSS Alignment:

HS-PS1-3 Ions, Elements & Atoms

HS-PS1-3 Isotopes