Inferring the Strength of Electrical Forces Pre-Lab Information:
Purpose Plan an investigation to explore the relationship between properties of substances and the electrical forces within those substances.
Question: What can properties of substances tell us about the electrical forces within those substances?
Summary In this activity, you will plan and conduct an investigation to compare a single property across several substances. You must select a measurable property, such as boiling point or surface tension. After your investigation, you will compare the results and use your data to make inferences about the strength of the electrical forces in each substance you tested.
Background Information:
Attractive forces within an atom hold the atom together. Attractive forces within a molecule hold individual atoms of the molecule together. Matter changes from one state to another as a result of changes in energy. As thermal energy is added to a substance, the particles within the substance gain energy and separate from one another. With enough additional energy, it is possible to overcome the attractive forces that hold molecules together. By measuring properties of substances such as melting point, boiling point, and surface tension, one can infer how strongly substances are held together.
Lab Procedure
Here is an outline of the steps you will follow to plan your investigation for this lab. Later in this guide, you will have space to develop your ideas, collect data, analyze and discuss results, and draw conclusions.
Step 1: Determine the types of data you will gather and the tools of measurement you will use to collect the data. How will you gather data for your investigation? If gathering quantitative data, you may want to devise a table in which you can record your results in an organized manner. Also, consider how you will record any qualitative or descriptive data in addition to your numerical results.
Step 2: Devise an investigation to explore the relationship between properties of substances and the electrical forces that hold those substances together.
Develop the main steps and describe how you will run the investigation. Write down the steps of your investigation and draw a picture of your investigational set up.
Step 3: Gather materials and set up your investigation. Now that you know what you will do, gather the necessary items. Besides the objects needed for your investigation, make sure you have the necessary equipment to take measurements. Check your setup and make sure everything is in order before you proceed.
Step 4: Run your investigation. As you proceed with your investigation, make sure you record all the necessary data. Make sure all elements of your investigation are complete.
Step 5: Use the High School Lab Report Guide to write your lab report.