Red Bull Chemistry (Allison Shiff)

Author

Allison Shiff

Principle(s) Illustrated

Signs of a Chemical Change include the formation of a solid when two liquids are combined.

Standards

NGSS

PS1B: Chemical Reactions

Substances react chemically in characteristic ways. In a chemical process, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants. (MS-PS1-2),(MS-PS1-3),(MS-PS1-5)

8th Grade California State Standards

Reactions

5. Chemical reactions are processes in which atoms are rearranged into different combinations of molecules. As a basis for understanding this concept:

• • a. Students know reactant atoms and molecules interact to form products with different chemical properties.

Questioning Script

Prior knowledge & experience:

Students have already learned to identify some signs that a chemical reaction has occurred. One of the signs is the formation of a precipitate. They have learned that if you add two different liquids together and a solid is formed within the liquid that is evidence that a chemical reaction has happened.

Root question:

"Make a prediction - What do you think will happen if I combine RedBull with Milk?"

Target response

"You get milky RedBull"!

What is the correct answer:

A Chemical Reaction will take place that forms a precipitate!!

Common Misconceptions:

Students expect that when you add one liquid to another liquid that what you end up with is just a mixture of the two liquids. They base this expectation on their own personal experience of mixing two things together.

Photographs and Movies

This is a picture of a precipitate forming which is a sign of a chemical reaction

References

1. E is for Explore!

2. Hooked on Science!