What We Did
We had to make a board game with at least one single replacement reaction, one double replacement reaction, one gas reaction, and we needed to light a LED.
Our group decided to accomplish that by making a space themed game where the objective was trying to get your alien ship to Earth before anyone else. To move along the board you had to roll a dice to determine the number of spaced you moved. Along the path there were colored spaces where you would pick up a colored card corresponding to the color square. The card would tell you to move forward, backwards, go again or skip your turn. Also along the path were the chemical reactions that you would preform if you landed on that space. When you got to the end you would perform the final reaction which would light the LED, signifying you have made contact with the human race first.
Our group decided to accomplish that by making a space themed game where the objective was trying to get your alien ship to Earth before anyone else. To move along the board you had to roll a dice to determine the number of spaced you moved. Along the path there were colored spaces where you would pick up a colored card corresponding to the color square. The card would tell you to move forward, backwards, go again or skip your turn. Also along the path were the chemical reactions that you would preform if you landed on that space. When you got to the end you would perform the final reaction which would light the LED, signifying you have made contact with the human race first.
Pictures
Context
- Single Replacement Reaction - This is when to elements switch to form a new compound. A+BC⟶B+AC. The cation ions and the anions switch.
- Double Replacement Reaction - This is when 2 elements switch to form a new compound. AB+CD⟶CB+AD. Here the cations switch.
- Decomposition Reaction - This is when you combine a cation and an anion. A+B
- Synthesis - This is when you mix two elements together to create a new thing. For example, hydrogen and oxygen creates water.
- Reactants - This is what you would mix together to get a product, and when you mix them they undergo a change. They are always to the left of the equation.
- Products - A product is what you get as a result from a reaction. This is always to the right of an equation.
- Activity Series - This tells you how reactant metals are so you can figure out which one will be dissolved in the other.
- Aqueous - This means the chemical will dissolve in water.
- Solid - This means that the chemical is a solid.
- Liquid - This means that the chemical is a liquid.
- Ion - This is when an atom gains or loses electrons.
- Neutron - This is a neutral subatomic particle located in the nucleus.
- Proton - This is a positive subatomic particle located in the nucleus.
- Electron - This is a negative subatomic particle located in outside the nucleus.
- Activity Series - This tells you how reactant metals are so you can figure out which one will be dissolved in the other.
Our Reactions
- Single Replacement / Lighting a LED - In this reaction we mixed aluminum and copper chloride to form copper and aluminum chloride, which would dissolve the aluminum. The chemical equation for this is Al + CuCl2 → Cu + AlCl3. Then then the aluminum and the copper switches with each other dissolving the aluminum which would complete the LED circut, causing the light to turn on. In the game the light turning on represents the aliens making contact with Earth.
- Double Replacement - This reaction was done with copper chloride and potassium chromate. The equation for it is CuCl2 + K2CrO4 → K2Cl2 + CuCrO4. In this reaction the copper and the potassium switched places. The reaction then makes a rust color, which in the game we described it as your spaceship had passed through some mysterious substance that made your ship rust, which would cause you to skip a turn.
- Producing a Gas - To do this we used baking soda and vinegar. Their chemical names are sodium bicarbonate and acetic acid, and the equation is NaHCO3 + HC2H3O2 → NaC2H3O2 + H2O + CO2. First a double replacement happens between the sodium and hydrogen in the baking powered and vinegar. That then forms sodium acetate (NaC2H3O2) and carbonic acid (H2CO3). Since the carbonic acid is not stable, it breaks into H2O and CO2, which is water and carbon dioxide. We put a balloon over our reaction, so the carbon dioxide fill the balloon, and when the reaction settled, the sodium acetate is on the bottom and the water is resting on top of it. In the game the balloon would tilt a lever, letting you jump ahead because you "passed through a worm hole".
Reflection
In this project I did a good job of staying on task. I was rarely was doing things that where not related to the project. This was both good for the group and for myself. It was good for the group because I made sure everything was done on time. This was good for myself because it showed me the importance of not procrastinating, which is a habit that I should break. Another peak of mine was working with everyone's ideas and trying to combine them so everyone would be happy. This was good for the group as a whole because then we all shared the common goal. This made working together nice because we all were cooperating.
One pit I had was not always communicating what I wanted. Next time I should be more assertive with what I want because I am an equal member of the team so my opinions should be valued. I also fell short in my empathy for other members. I feel that I often came off as cold and heartless. This is probably because I didn't know them to well and I was to shy to try to get to know them. Next time I could try to be more outgoing, as to show people I care.
One pit I had was not always communicating what I wanted. Next time I should be more assertive with what I want because I am an equal member of the team so my opinions should be valued. I also fell short in my empathy for other members. I feel that I often came off as cold and heartless. This is probably because I didn't know them to well and I was to shy to try to get to know them. Next time I could try to be more outgoing, as to show people I care.