1. Scaffolding a Conceptual Understanding of the Gas Phase in General Chemistry Enriched with Technology Scott A. Sinex and Barbara A. Gage Department of Physical Sciences and Engineering Prince George’s Community College Presented at the 230 th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, DC on 28 August - 1 September 2005.

2. Your objectives in gases… Behavior and properties of gases Introduce the ideal gas law and combined gas law Finding molar mass and gas density Kinetic-molecular theory Real gas behavior...but we don’t want to lecture! Liquids and IMF’s

3. What & Why? Discovery laboratory experience Build and extend qualitative into quantitative mathematical relationships Extend knowledge from ideal gases into real gases after covering liquids and intermolecular forces All steps enriched by using technology Student- or learner-centered activities

4. How? or Technology involved... Webpage with links and pdf handouts Multi-layered Interactive Excel Animations as –Flash from OdysseyOdyssey –NetLogo Java appletNetLogo –Movie from SnagIt (screen-capture software)SnagIt The complete package of materials: http://academic.pgcc.edu/psc/chm101/ideal_gas

5. Laboratory activity (<2.5 hours) Macroscopic behavior Mostly qualitative relationships P-V experimental data collected The Behavior of Gases P V PV = k Our complete General Chemistry I lab manual.General Chemistry I lab manual

6. Discovery-based laboratory activity Post-laboratory student- centered computer-based activity with discussion The scaffold...

7. Interactive Excel spreadsheet –Graphical analysis and interpretation –Quantitative symbolic relationships (P-V-T-n) –Influence of error html document with animations –pdf printable version as handout –Microscopic aspects incorporated using Odyssey® converted to Flash files and NetLogo Java applet –Dropdown menu with selected numerical answers The Ideal Gas Law Link to web activity

8. Outcomes for students... Many experimental observations and predictions Relating macroscopic and microscopic behavior via animations Symbolic relationships derived Many “what if” scenarios via numerical experimentation Effects of “constant variables” and error

9. Student responses… Survey students on the use of the technology Pre- and post- assessment of concept understanding

10. For further information… The complete activity online - click hereclick here Constructing an interactive Excel spreadsheet – click hereclick here Scott Sinex –ssinex@pgcc.edussinex@pgcc.edu –http://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinexhttp://academic.pgcc.edu/~ssinex Barbara Gage –bgage@pgcc.edubgage@pgcc.edu –http://academic.pgcc.edu/~bgagehttp://academic.pgcc.edu/~bgage