Relating Science to the World Around Us

1
Relating Science to the World Around Us
Hydrothermal Vents
Jeff Spraggins Kevin Madigan
Funded by National Science Foundation Graduate
Teaching Fellows Program in K-12 Education
(GK-12) DGE 0538555.
2
Motivation
The Project
blank
Learning Goals

• Motivation
• Student interest generated by research
  presentation.
• Highlight real-world application of course
  material
• Interesting way to address specific Delaware
  State Standards
• Learning Goals

3
The Process
The Project
blank
Project Wiki

• The Process
• Project Wiki
• Development of Written and Visual communication
  skills
• Allows students to work from home
• Learn unfamiliar software
• Teachers are able to track the development
  (history) of the product

4
The Process
The Project
blank
Getting to Know Hydrothermal Vents
Discovery Education
5
The Process
Hydrothermal Vents found to be Global
blank
Alison Cheng, Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Scientists exploring the
world's sea floor have discovered new super-hot,
mineral-rich geysers belching from the southern
Atlantic, Arctic and Indian oceans. The
findings are significant because they show that
such hydrothermal vents are a global phenomena,
which may help shed light on Earth's geological
development and the origins of simple
life. Thermal vents teeming with exotic
creatures were once thought to exist only in the
Pacific ''Ring of Fire'' because of its high
volcanic activity and fast-spreading sea floor.
But the discovery of boiling hot springs in the
slower-growing Mid-Atlantic Ridge 20 years ago
opened new avenues of exploration.. The
latest deep-sea vents, which spew water heated up
to 750 degrees Fahrenheit , were discovered along
a submerged volcanic mountain range
interconnecting ocean basins. Venting occurs
when cold water seeps into cracks in the sea
floor rock, is heated by contact with the Earth's
interior and shoots up to meet the frigid ocean
water. The newfound undersea geysers are known as
''black smokers'' because of the soot-colored
water they spout..
05 December 2005
6
The Process
Geochemistry
blank
WebQuest
Hydrothermal Environments on the Ocean Floor -
part of a resource developed by Wayne County
regional educational service agency on extreme
environments Key chemical in life creation -
ammonia - created at hydrothermal vents - a
summary of an article published in Nature, from
Spacenews Scientists Discover Novel Type of
Hydrothermal Vent - short article from Scientific
American News An anatomy of a Hydrothermal Vent
- diagram and explanantion of a hydrothermal vent
from Scientific American

• Use the information provided by the internet
  links (look to the right) to answer these
  questions specifically related to geochemistry
• Outline the role of a geochemist.
• What is the smoke?
• Describe in terms of atoms, ions and molecules.
• Describe the chemical bonding and reactions that
  occur.
• Where does the smoke come from?

7
The Process
Geochemistry
blank
Hands On
MSDS Standard Solutions Iron Chloride Zinc
Chloride Cadmium Chloride Sodium
Sulfide Products Iron Sulfide Zinc
Sulfide Cadmium Sulfide  

• Qualitative inorganic analysis a way of
  identifying ions in aqueous solution (water). The
  solution is then treated with reagents to test
  for reactions characteristic of certain ions,
  which may cause color change, solid forming and
  other obviously visible changes.
• Before you begin....
• Define the following terms...
• Soluble
• Insoluble
• Precipitate
• Determine the oxidation numbers for Fe, Zn, Cd,
  Na, Cl, and S.
• Think in terms of chemical bonding.
• Hint Use the MSDS links (look to the right).

8
The Process
Geochemistry
blank
Hands On

• Step 1 Standard Solution Reactions
• You have four 1.5ml vials
• There are four stations, each with a different
  standard solution.
• SEPERATLY, fill each vial HALF WAY with each of
  the 4 standard solutions.
• Pipette a few drops of the sodium sulfide
  solution into the Fe, Zn, and Cd vials.
• Observe what happens.
• Record what you see on your wiki page.
• Step 2 Use what you learned from Step 1 to
  identify the unknown solution provided.
• Now that the lab is complete, lets connect it to
  what we have been learning about the chemistry
  that takes place near hydrothermal vents.
• Relate the observations made during the lab to
  the pictures of hydrothermal vents you have
  collected.
• What are the ions present in the 'smoke' for each
  of your pictures.

9
Student Perception
Assessment
blank
Student Performance

• Student Perception of the Project
• Student Performance

of Students
Student Response
10
Assessment
Student Performance

• Student Perception of the Project
• Student Performance
• Question 3 From the view of a geochemist,
  describe the smoke that comes out of
  hydrothermal vents.
• Question 4 Using the chemical formula CuCl2,
  determine the oxidation state of copper (Cu).

of Students
Student Response
11
Questions
Acknowledgements

• Dr. Ridge
• Kevin Madigan
• GK-12 Advisors
• GK-12 Fellows