This virtual adaptation provides students the opportunity to engage in a process similar to the one Mendeleev used as he constructed the original version of the periodic table we still use today.
The purpose of a lab practicum is to assess a student’s understanding of the content by completing a hands-on challenge. These assessments focus more on problem-solving skills than technique.
In this Activity, students use their deductive reasoning skills as they identify formulas of unknown elements and compounds modeled by paperclips. Each color of paperclip represents a different element, with linkages between different paperclips in appropriate ratios representing 20 unknowns.
Aluminum chloride imparts no color to a flame.
Boric acid imparts a pale green color to a flame.
Calcium chloride imparts a yellowish-red color to a flame.
Cobalt(II) chloride imparts no color to a flame.
Copper(II) chloride imparts a bright green color to a flame.
Lithium chloride imparts a red color to a flame.
Magnesium chloride imparts no color to a flame.
