Chemical Reactions
Project: Travel On, Carbon
Why is a tree during the Devonian Period a logical place and time to start a carbon timeline?
Redwood Forest
Organic materials, such as these redwood trees and ferns, contain carbon.
Teacher Note
The purpose of this summative project is to have students relate structure to function. The structure of carbon-14 relates to its function in this use.
In small groups, have students complete the project. If time allows, students can discuss ways to adapt their research to compensate for much of the information on their timeline occurring relatively recently.
Have you ever heard of carbon dating? Scientists can use carbon atoms that have been in an organic material for millions of years to approximate how old the material is.
Create a timeline for a carbon atom as it moves through different molecules and different chemical reactions. Start at the point where the carbon atom was part of a plant during the Devonian Period and end with its being involved in a combustion reaction in the engine of a modern-day car.
- Use tools that measure length and your knowledge of proportions to help make your timeline accurate.
- Where appropriate, include the role of humans in this timeline.
- Include a short analysis and conclusion report that explains any problem you might have encountered and how you solved it.
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<div tinymce="true" use-dimensions="false">Objective: Describe what you are trying to find out.<br></div>Objective: Describe what you are trying to find out.Press Space or enter key to Enter Text
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<div tinymce="true" use-dimensions="false">Materials: Provide a detailed list of the materials you will need.<br></div>Materials: Provide a detailed list of the materials you will need.Press Space or enter key to Enter Text
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<div tinymce="true" use-dimensions="false">Procedure: Provide a detailed description of the procedure you will use. Be sure to describe how you will determine how long your timeline should be and how you will locate each event on the timeline.<br></div>Procedure: Provide a detailed description of the procedure you will use. Be sure to describe how you will determine how long your timeline should be and how you will locate each event on the timeline.Press Space or enter key to Enter Text
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<div tinymce="true" use-dimensions="false">Results: Attach your timeline.<br></div>Results: Attach your timeline.Press Space or enter key to Enter Text
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<div tinymce="true" use-dimensions="false">Analysis and Conclusion: Provide an analysis of any problems you encountered and your solutions to these problems.<br></div>Analysis and Conclusion: Provide an analysis of any problems you encountered and your solutions to these problems.Press Space or enter key to Enter Text
