Description
Great for small groups or for students who are learning at home!
Of all the naturally occurring metals, copper is one of the most useful and versatile. Evidence suggests copper has been used by humans for at least 10,000 years. Copper is used for architecture. It is used for electrical wiring, water pipes, and plumbing fixtures. It is found in automobiles and a variety of electronics and electronic devices. It is in electrical motors, generators, and turbines. It is an important part of heat exchangers found in refrigeration and air conditioning units. It is on circuit boards and in electromagnets.
While copper is typically extracted from copper-containing mineral ores that must be treated and refined to obtain the pure metal, copper also exists in nature in its native elemental form. This is the rarest and most valuable form of copper as it is the easiest to process to obtain pure metal. In this activity, students create specific environmental conditions and examine the formation of native copper deposits over several days. Contains enough materials for 5 groups and includes teacher’s guide and a set of student study and analysis guides.
This kit addresses the following Next Generation Science Standards*:
Performance Expectation(s)
MS-PS1-2. Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred.
MS-ESS3-1. Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earth’s mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes.
HS-ESS3-2. Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
HS-PS2-6. Communicate scientific and technical information about why the molecular-level structure is important in the functioning of designed materials.
Crosscutting Concepts
Structure and Function
Influence of Engineering
Technology and Science on Society and the Natural World
Patterns
Cause and Effect
Science
Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter
PS1.B: Chemical Reactions
ESS3.A: Earth and Human Activity
Science and Engineering Practices
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Scientific Knowledge Is Based on Empirical Evidence
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
*Next Generation Science Standards® is a registered trademark of WestEd. Neither WestEd nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.