The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project

Clean Smoke

Clean Smoke

A 9-12th grade STEM lesson

Victoria Imhoff

Date: January 25th, 2024

Notes for teachers

• This lesson takes place in a laboratory classroom over one BLOCK class period.
• Students may work in small groups of 2-4.
• Identify a group leader to maintain lab space and supplies.
• Facilitate student reflection on analysis and conclusion questions as the assessment.

List of Materials (Per Group)

Per team of four students:

• Bromothymol blue (BTB),
• Bottle with dropper
• Burner with ethanol, 60ml
• Burner with kerosene, 60ml
• Permanent marker
• Sodium hydroxide (NaOH),
• Bottle with dropper

Per class:

• Paper towels
• Water, cold, tap

Per pair of students:

• (2) Empty soup can, with holes
• (2) Graduated cups, 30ml
• Graduated cylinder, 100ml
• Hot hand protectors
• Lab Apron
• LabQuest
• Lighter
• Plastic bottle with lid, 125ml
• Ring stand
• Ring,10cm
• Single hole stoppers
• Stirring rod, glass
• Temperature sensor
• Utility clamp

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Math Standards

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AgriScience Standards

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources Career Cluster

1. Analyze how issues, trends, technologies and public policies impact systems in the Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Career Cluster.

• AG 1.2: Describe current issues impacting AFNR activities.

2. Demonstrate stewardship of natural resources in AFNR activities.

• AG.4.1: Demonstrate evidence of interest and concern for natural resource stewardship.
• AG.4.2: Explain the environmental considerations of decision making in AFNR management.

Power, Structural and Technical

1. Apply physical science principles and engineering applications related to mechanical equipment, structures, and biological systems to solve problems and improve performance in AFNR power, structural, and technical systems.

• AG-PST 1.1: Select energy sources for power generation.

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Objective:

Students will be able to compare the energy content of two common fuels used for energy production (ethanol and kerosene).

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Agenda (120 minute, 1 Block Class Period)

Bellwork Question: How are diesel and gasoline similar?

Answer: Both are internal combustion engines, that convert chemical energy into mechanical energy. They are both derived from crude oil. However, the differences are that gasoline is thinner than diesel which makes gasoline burn faster and it produces more power.

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Part 1: Predictions (5-7 minutes)

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Part 2: Carbon Dioxide Emissions (30 minutes)

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Part 3: Heat Released (30 minutes)

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Part 4: Comparison Fuel (30 minutes)

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Part 5: Particulate Matter (10 minutes)

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Part 6: Analysis & Conclusion (10 minutes)

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Clean Up

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Popcorn Read

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Cleaner burning. Energy-efficient. Environmentally friendly. E85, 85% ethanol blended with petroleum gasoline. The labels and promotion of vehicles make many of these claims. But what do they mean? Is ethanol better for the environment than gasoline?

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Most energy is produced by burning a combustible material and harnessing the heat energy. Unfortunately, burning combustible materials releases harmful gases and soot into the air. Typically, fuels producing more soot tend to be more damaging to the environment.

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There are many methods to compare the efficiency and the environmental impact of fuels. The heat released during the combustion process is measured to determine efficiency. The particulate matter, or soot, released into the air and the amount of carbon dioxide produced are two environmental imparts that can measure. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas found in the lower atmosphere that can cause global temperatures to rise.

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Scientists use indicators to determine the presence of particular substances. Indicator solutions change color in the presence of the material you are testing. For example, Bromothymol blue (BTB) turns yellow in an acidic solution and blue in a basic solution. Carbon dioxide suspended in water forms carbonic acid causing BTB to turn yellow. The amount of a basic solution such as sodium hydroxide needed to neutralize acidity will indicate the concentration of carbon dioxide in the solution.

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Part 1: Predictions

Goal: Work with a partner to investigate the efficiency and environmental impacts of two combustible fuels – kerosene and ethanol. Then compare the amount of heat released from combustion, particulate matter produced, and carbon dioxide emitted for each fuel source by collecting qualitative and quantitative data.

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Step 1: In complete sentences in your journals or a blank sheet of paper, using the provided definitions, predict what you believe will occur in terms of heat released, soot production, and carbon dioxide emissions for each fuel source.

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Kerosene is a petroleum-based fuel used as a heat source

Ethanol is a biofuel produced from plant matter used as a gasoline alternative

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Example: “I predict that kerosene will produce more heat and matter because Kerosene is known for being used as a heat source”

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“I predict that ethanol will not produce a significant amount of heat because it is derived from plant matter, however, it may give off more carbon dioxide emissions.

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Part 2: Carbon Dioxide Emissions

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1. Put on your safety goggles, and disposable gloves, and tie back long hair.

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2. Label one 30ml cup with a C to be your control.

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3. Pour 10ml of water into each of the two graduated 30ml cups.

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4. Add two drops of bromothymol blue (BTB) to each cup.

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5. Swirl each cup gently to mix the liquids thoroughly.

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6. One group member, remove disposable gloves to perform Step 7-11.

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Part 2: Carbon Dioxide Emissions

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7. Remove the cap from the plastic bottle.

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8. Use the lighter to light the burner.

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9. Carefully place the opening of the bottle over the flame and hold it snugly against the metal casing of the burner until you extinguish the flame. See image for an example.

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10. With the bottle still inverted, raise the bottle just enough to screw on the cap.

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11. Turn the bottle right side up.

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12. Wearing disposable gloves, uncap the bottle and quickly pour one graduated cup of BTB mixture into the bottle while letting as little oxygen into the bottle as possible. Recap the bottle immediately.

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Part 2: Carbon Dioxide Emissions

13. Shake the bottle for 10 seconds to mix the solution with the gas.

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14. Pour the solution from the bottle back into the graduated cup.

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15. Observe the Color of BTB solution with carbonic acid compared to the control and record it in your journal.

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16. Add NaOH one drop at a time to the solution while your partner gently swirls the solution until the blue color returns and is the same as the control cup.

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17. Record the number of drops of NaOH required to neutralize and return the solution close to the original color in your journal. Dispose of the BTB solution and rinse the graduated cups.

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Part 3: Heat Released

1. Obtain a burner from your teacher.
2. Connect the temperature sensor to LabQuest and power it on.
3. Choose New from the File menu. On the Meter screen, select Rate on the touch screen.
4. Change the data-collection rate to 0.2 samples/second. Set the data collection length to 240 seconds.
5. Set up the apparatus as demonstrated by your teacher.
6. Use the graduated cylinder to measure and pour 100ml of cold tap water into the can.

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Part 3: Heat Released

1. Insert a stirring rod through the holes in the top of the can and hold it in place with two one-hole stoppers. Position the can 5cm (~2 inches) above the burner. 9.
2. Use a utility clamp to suspend the temperature sensor in the water. The sensor should not touch the bottom or side of the can.
3. Use the lighter to ignite the wick. Position the burner directly below the center of the water-filled can. Caution: Always keep hair and clothing away from open flames.

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Part 3: Heat Released

1. Tap the green start arrow to begin collecting data.
1. A real-time graph of temperature vs. time appears on LabQuest screen during data collection.
2. Temperature readings (in °C) are to the right of the graph.
2. Stir the water slowly and continuously using a stirring rod until data collection stops.
3. After data collection has stopped, move the burner from under the can and extinguish the flame using the burner cap.
4. Analyze the graph to find the maximum and minimum temperature of the water.

Part 3: Heat Released

1. Choose Statistics from the Analyze menu.
2. Record the Maximum (final) and Minimum (initial) temperature values recorded during data collection in your journals. Subtract the Initial Temperature from the Final Temperature and record the answer in your journals, change (Δ) in temperature = final temperature - initial temperature.

Part 4: Comparison Fuel

Goal: Exchange burners with the other pair in your group to test the fuel source you have not tested. Then repeat Part Two and Three with the second fuel source and a new soup can.

Part 5: Particulate Matter

1. Locate your two soup cans.
2. Compare the amount and color of particulate matter on the bottom of each can.
3. Record your observations in your journals.
4. Clean up as instructed by your teacher.

Assessment/Conclusion Questions

1. Why do you think gasoline is a more common energy source than other substances?

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2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of biofuels such as ethanol?

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Differentiation

One way to differentiate in this lesson is if the students are uncomfortable with using the labquests, you can use regular glass thermometers. I will use regular thermometers for my on level classes and then for advanced or honors, I will graduate them to the labquests and sensors.

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Remediation

Extension/Enrichment

Students can conduct a research experiment that includes conducting an experiment by creating biofuel from algae. This gives the students the opportunity to understand how biofuel is harvested and developed into fuel that we use for cars and other forms of transportation. There is a kit where you can take the oil from algae and convert it into biofuel.

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