A WebQuest

for

High School

Chemistry
Designed by

Kelly Rupp and Jeremy Smith

krupp@ycstech.org, jsmith@ycstech.org

Max Planck
“Scientific discovery and scientific knowledge have been achieved only by those who have gone in pursuit of it without any practical purpose whatsoever in view.”
Introduction || Task || Process || Evaluation || Resources || Conclusion || Credits

Introduction

If you were asked to draw the structure of an atom, what would you draw? Throughout history scientists have accepted five atomic models. Our perception of the atom has changed from the early Greek model because of clues or evidences that have been gathered through scientific experiments. As more evidence was gathered old models were discarded or improved upon. Your goal is to trace the atomic theory through history.

 Task

You and your partner will use the sources provided to develop a briefing that outlines the key scientists and experiments associated with the development of modern atomic theory. The briefing should include the names of the scientists, a description of the accomplishments, pictures of experimental equipment or atomic models, and description.

Process

  1. Read the entire WebQuest!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. Begin your research by using your textbook (chapter 5 and 13) and the links provided in the resource section of the webquest to complete a research data sheet for each of the following 24 scientists, experiments, and atomic models:
    Democritus
    J.J. Thomson
    Lise Meitner
    Gold Foil Experiment
    Cathode Ray Tube
    Law of Definite Proportions
    Plum Pudding Atomic Model
    Bohr Planetary Model
    		 Robert Millikan
    James Chadwick
    Erwin Schrodinger
    Eugen Goldstein
    Law of Conservation of Mass
    Dalton's Atomic Theory
    Rutherford Model
    Quantum Mechanical Model
    		 Antoine Lavoisier
    Ernest Rutherford
    Dmitri Mendeleev
    Niels Bohr
    Henry Moseley
    Marie Curie
    Joseph Louis Proust
    John Dalton

  3. Prepare a timeline:
    1. It should include information from your research data sheets presented in chronological order and pictures to illustrate your information.
    2. In 1-2 sentences tell the importance of the discovery that relates to the structure of the atom (some of these people did many types of research)

      A timeline is in chronological order – earliest time to latest time. Because you are going to keep your comments to 1-2 sentences, a graph or report will not be appropriate. If you would prefer to do a PowerPoint presentation or chart, please discuss with the teacher and get pre-approval.

      Example:
      Food Timeline
      http://www.foodtimeline.org/

      Timeline Tool
      http://timeline.thinkport.org/
      This tool is wonderful

Evaluation

Atomic Theory Webquest Grading Rubric

Resources

netTrekker
http://school.nettrekker.com/frontdoor/
This resource is available to users with a User ID and Password. Please see the Media Specialist for this information.

Biography /reference Bank @ Power Library
http://vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com/hww/advancedsearch/advanced_search.jhtml;hwwilsonid=C5NHUDGJZED3ZQA3DINCFGGADUNGIIV0?prod=BIORB

Atom - The Incredible World
http://library.thinkquest.org/19662/low/eng/index.html

Atomic Structure Table of Contents
http://www.dbhs.wvusd.k12.ca.us/webdocs/AtomicStructure/AtomicStructure.html

List of Historical Contributors and Developments Related to Atomic Theory
http://www.hometown.aol.com/eilatlog/taxons/history.html

Encarta - Atom
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761567432_9/Atom.html

The History of Atomic Theory
http://www.lancs.ac.uk/ug/cooked1/index.htm
(info about Thomson's Plum Pudding under Modern Atomic Theory section)

The Atom - Info and Democritus, Plum Pudding, Rutherford Models
http://www.lbl.gov/abc/wallchart/chapters/02/1.html

Plum Pudding and Bohr Model
http://www-outreach.phy.cam.ac.uk/camphy/nucleus/nucleus1

History of the atom - Info and Plum Pudding, Rutherford, Bohr models
http://www.broadeducation.com/htmlDemos/AbsorbChem/HistoryAtom/page.htm

History of the electron
http://www.aip.org/history/electron/jjhome.htm

JJ Thompson
http://www.aip.org/history/electron/jjelectr.htm

Atomic History
http://www.atomicmuseum.com/tour/atomicage.cfm

Timeline
http://www.rsc.org/Chemsoc/Timeline/index.asp

Brainpop
http://www.brainpop.com/science/matter/atomicmodel/

Atomic Theory 1: The early days
http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=50

Atomic Theory 2: Electrons in Atoms
http://www.visionlearning.com/library/module_viewer.php?mid=51

Google Image Search
http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en

Schrodinger quantum mechanical model
http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Sciences/Chemistry/Generalchemistry/Atomic/Electronicstructure/Atomicstructure/Schrodinger/Schrodinger.htm

The Bohr Model
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/light/bohr.html

The Bohr Atom. N. De Leon
http://www.iun.edu/~cpanhd/C101webnotes/modern-atomic-theory/Bohr-model.html

The Nuclear Atomic Model. © 1996 R.H. Logan http
Logan http://members.aol.com/profchm/rutherf.html

Leucippus and Democritus
http://www.thebigview.com/greeks/democritus.html

Dalton's Atomic Theory. Hal Bender
http://dl.clackamas.cc.or.us/ch104-04/dalton's.htm

Dalton's Atomic Theory. N. De Leon
http://www.iun.edu/~cpanhd/C101webnotes/composition/dalton.html

Rutherford atomic model, © 1997 Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.
http://www.britannica.com/nobel/micro/514_59.html





Conclusion

After completing your projects you should be able to: 1) Demonstrate an understanding of the present model of the atom by identifying the parts of the atom, the subatomic particle charges, and the relative location of each particle. 2) Demonstrate your knowledge of the history of the atomic theory by constructing a chronological order of events.

Credits

Thank you, Mrs. Runkle, for your encouragement while developing this webquest. And, also, thank you to the great chemistry students at Tech who challenge, question and learn to be the best they can be everyday !!

If you have any comments or recommendations concerning this web site,
please contact Kelly Rupp at krupp@ycstech.org or Jeremy smith at jsmith@ycstech.org.

Last update - 1 February 2006