Home > Iowa Academy of Science > Journals & Newsletters > Iowa Science Teachers Journal > Volume 37 > Number 3 (2010)
Article Title
A Balancing Act: Helping Students Understand the Mole Relationship for Balancing Equations
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Stoichiometry can be one of the more challenging topics to teach in high school chemistry. Students often struggle until they realize the ratio from the balanced chemical equation represents mole ratios rather than the mass of each component. The activity presented here provides students with an inquiry based experience with a chemical reaction. During the activity, students seek evidence as to what the coefficients in a balanced chemical equation mean. With teacher guidance, these activities help students (1) connect chemical equations to observations, (2) gain evidence that mass ratios are not useful, and (3) understand the relationship between moles and balanced chemical equations. This article promotes National Science Education Standards A, B, and G, and Iowa Teaching Standards 2, 3, and 4.
Publication Date
Fall 2010
Journal Title
Iowa Science Teachers Journal
Volume
37
Issue
3
First Page
10
Last Page
13
Copyright
© Copyright 2010 by the Iowa Academy of Science
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Goldsmith, Karl and Jaschen, Matt
(2010)
"A Balancing Act: Helping Students Understand the Mole Relationship for Balancing Equations,"
Iowa Science Teachers Journal: Vol. 37:
No.
3, Article 4.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/istj/vol37/iss3/4