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  Home > JCE Print > Journal of Chemical Education > Issues > 2006  > April  >
In the Laboratory
What Happens When Chemical Compounds Are Added to Water? An Introduction to the Model–Observe–Reflect–Explain (MORE) Thinking Frame
Adam C. Mattox and Barbara A. Reisner
Department of Chemistry, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807

Dawn Rickey
Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523

Cover
April 2006
Vol. 83 No. 4
p. 622
Abstract
This article describes a laboratory module designed to help students understand how different compounds behave when they are dissolved in water. Students measure the conductivities of various aqueous solutions using handheld conductivity testers with LED displays. By counting the number of LEDs illuminated, students can differentiate between electrolytes and nonelectrolytes and approximate the relative numbers of ions in solution. This enables students to discover how ionic compounds dissociate when dissolved in water. The laboratory module introduces the model–observe–reflect–explain (MORE) thinking frame, an instructional tool that encourages students to connect their macroscopic observations with their understanding of the behavior of particles at the molecular level. These activities are designed for college-level general chemistry courses, but have also been adapted to the high-school level.
Supplement
Student handouts for a college-level general chemistry course, required supplies, sample results, instructor notes, examples of student work, and suggestions for grading are available.
*  Contents JCE2006p0622W.doc (Microsoft Word)
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*  Citation
 Mattox, Adam C.; Reisner, Barbara A.; Rickey, Dawn. J. Chem. Educ. 2006 83 622.
*  Keywords
 Aqueous Solution Chemistry; Conductivity; First-Year Undergraduate / General; Hands-On Learning / Manipulatives; High School / Introductory Chemistry; Inquiry-Based / Discovery Learning; Ionic Bonding; Laboratory Instruction; Solutions / Solvents; Stoichiometry
*  History
 Created:
Last Updated:		 2/24/2006
3/6/2006
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