administration student task rubric student work technical quality
 
Classifying Materials
Task with Student Directions
Contributed by: Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO)

TO THE STUDENT

Carefully read through these directions and the directions on the next page before you begin to work.

You may be part of a group for the first part of this exercise. If you are, the group should carry out the experiment and collect the data together, but each student must record the data in his or her own booklet. Be sure to record the data exactly as you observe them. After the data have been collected, each student should answer the questions independently.

After you have finished your experiment and have recorded all of the data, you will be asked to answer some questions about the experiment and the data you recorded. Your answers must be written in this test booklet in the space provided. Make sure that you understand each question before you begin to write. At any time while you are writing your answers, you may look back at the directions for the experiment and the data you collected. Be sure that your answers are written as clearly and neatly as possible.

Before you begin the exercise, read the list of materials given below and check to make sure that your group has everything listed.

Materials in the Kit

  • Sample of aluminum
  • Sample of iron
  • Sample of lead
  • Sample of copper
  • Sample of nickel
  • 10 ml graduated cylinder
  • magnet
  • safety gloves
  • triple beam balance
  • water
  • paper towels
  • 50 ml beaker or paper cup


Classifying Materials

Chemical elements are substances that cannot be made into simpler substances by chemical means. Each element has properties that distinguish it from other elements. Each element also has properties that can be used to place it in a group with other elements.

You are studying the elements in school. Your teacher gives you samples of several elements and instructs you and your partners to determine some properties of these elements. You will study each element's magnetic property (how the element responds to the field of a magnet) and density (the amount of mass in a given volume of the element).

Note: For each of the following procedures, be sure to wear your lab apron, safety gloves, and safety glasses.

To determine if the material is attracted to a magnet:

  1. Touch the material with the magnet. If the material is pulled toward the magnet, write 'yes' in the appropriate space in Table 1. If the material is not pulled toward the magnet, write 'no' in the appropriate space in Table 1.

    Table 1

    Material Attracted to magnet
    Aluminum  
    Iron  
    Lead  
    Copper  
    Nickel  

To find the density of each material:

  1. Use the balance to find the mass of your sample. Record the mass in Table 2, Column A.
  2. Add approximately 5.0 cm3 of water to the graduated cylinder, and read the volume of water that you added to the nearest 0.1 cm3. Record the volume in Table 2, Column C. (Note: 1 ml is exactly 1 cm3; density is customarily reported in g/cm3.)
  3. Completely submerge the metal in the water, being careful not to spill any water.
  4. Read the new volume of the water to the nearest 0.1 cm3, and record your result in Table 2, Column B.
  5. Subtract the original volume of water from the new volume of water. The difference is the volume of the sample in cm3. Record the difference in Table 2, Column D.
  6. Determine the density of your sample by dividing its mass by its volume. Record the result in Table 2, Column E.

Material A. Mass of
Material (g)
B. Volume of
water with
material
added
(1 ml=1 cm3)
C. Volume of
water added
(cm3)
D. Volume of
material
(cm3)
E. Density of
material
(g/cm3)
Aluminum          
Iron          
Lead          
Copper          
Nickel          

Questions

Please answer the following questions by yourself.

  1. Based upon the experiments you have completed, group the elements according to their relative magnetic properties and their densities. Explain the basis for your classification system.

    ___________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________

  2. On an exploration of the Appalachian Mountains, suppose you find a solid material. When you break the material apart, you see that the inside of the material is silvery and shiny. Your teacher tells you that the shiny material consists of a single element. Using your knowledge of the Periodic Table and of investigative techniques, describe a procedure that you would use to classify and identify the shiny material.

    ___________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________________________________

 


©1997-2005 SRI International. All rights reserved. Terms of Use