Great demos of gas properties

Three great hands-on activities that demonstrate some properties of gases are shown in this article. Because most gases are invisible, it is hard for students to study them and conceptualiz... See More

Three great hands-on activities that demonstrate some properties of gases are shown in this article. Because most gases are invisible, it is hard for students to study them and conceptualize the properties of gases. However, seeing is believing. I especially like the third activity as it uses a variety of different methods to reach the same result. For teachers unfamiliar with the demo though more explanation such be included. Students are required to make observations and then interpret those observations in order to explain how gases behave. While these activities are intended for a middle school audience, they would definitely be appropriate for freshman in high school as well.

A Guide for Teaching About Gases

The authors of this article describe a sequence of three activities that allow for student inquiry and provide a sound conceptual understanding of the physical characteristics of gases. In ... See More

The authors of this article describe a sequence of three activities that allow for student inquiry and provide a sound conceptual understanding of the physical characteristics of gases. In this case the gases cannot be seen. The first two students perform and the last one is a demo. After reading the article several times I believe that the authors should have explained the significance of the different heights of the candles and an explanation as to why the tallest flame goes out first in the first demo.