Contextualization

Chemistry is a practical science that surrounds our daily lives, from the food we eat to the air we breathe and the medications we take. In the world of Chemistry, many transformations occur and are designated as chemical reactions. There are several types of chemical reactions, each with distinct characteristics and results.

To understand how substances interact and transform into each other, it is essential to understand the types of chemical reactions. These processes are fundamental to explain natural phenomena, the production of new materials, and the generation of energy, for example.

Types of chemical reactions are classified according to the changes that occur in the molecular structure of substances. Reactions can be synthesis or combination, decomposition, displacement or single replacement, double replacement, and combustion. Each of these reactions is unique and has specific applications, whether in industry, medicine, or the environment.

We live in a world where chemical transformations happen all the time, whether in burning paper, digesting food, producing medications, among many other situations. Therefore, understanding the types of chemical reactions is essential, not only for the formation of a good professional but also for the development of citizens aware of their role in the world.

Chemistry helps us understand the world around us in a deeper way. Therefore, learning about these reactions is not just a matter of passing a test, but also about how you will understand and interact with the world around you.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: Designing and Representing Chemical Reactions

Project Objective

This project aims to understand the types of chemical reactions and their applications in the real world, through the planning and execution of safe and home experiments, development of a documentary, and writing an academic report.

Detailed Project Description

Students will be divided into groups of 3 to 5, and each group will be tasked with planning, executing, and documenting at least four safe and home experiments that demonstrate different types of chemical reactions: synthesis (or combination), decomposition, displacement (or single replacement), and double replacement.

Each group should research appropriate and safe experimental procedures, collect or acquire the necessary materials, perform the experiments, document each step of the process through photographs or videos, and share their results and conclusions.

Next, the groups should produce a 15 to 20-minute documentary explaining each experiment, including the theory behind each reaction, the execution of the experiment, the observation of the results, and the conclusions drawn.

Finally, each group should write a detailed report following the suggested structure: introduction, development, conclusions, and bibliography. This report should include a detailed discussion of the chemical concepts involved, the methodology used for each experiment, and an analysis of the results obtained.

Required Materials

The necessary materials will vary according to the experiments chosen by the groups. They should be easily obtainable and safe to be handled by the students.

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Execution

1. Divide the class into groups of 3 to 5 students.
2. Each group should research and plan an experiment for each type of chemical reaction (synthesis, decomposition, displacement, and double replacement).
3. The groups should collect or acquire the necessary materials for each experiment.
4. The groups should perform each experiment, documenting each step of the process through photographs or videos.
5. The groups should analyze their results and discuss their conclusions.
6. Each group should produce a 15 to 20-minute documentary explaining each experiment and its conclusions.
7. Finally, each group should write a detailed academic report, including all the points mentioned above.

Project Deliverables

Each group must deliver the following items:

1. Documentary: A 15 to 20-minute video explaining each experiment, the theory behind each reaction, the execution of the experiment, the observation of the results, and the conclusions drawn.
2. Academic Report: It must follow the structure of introduction, development, conclusions, and bibliography.
   • Introduction: It should contextualize the theme, justify its relevance and application in the real world, and state the project's objective.
   • Development: It should discuss the theory behind each type of chemical reaction explored, detail the methodology used for each experiment, present the results obtained, and discuss the conclusions drawn.
   • Conclusions: They should be derived from the results obtained, consider the limitations of the project, and suggest possible directions for future research.
   • Bibliography: Sources consulted during the project.

In both deliveries, the documentary and the report, students must demonstrate that they can connect theory to practice, understand the relevance of chemistry in everyday life, and work as a team to plan, execute, and document scientific experiments.

It is expected that students invest more than twelve hours in each group participant, totaling planning, execution, documentation, and writing time.