About Bond Energy and Reactions
The Standards
The Bond Energy and Reactions activity is an NGSS-inspired task that consists of five activities that probe the relationship between bond energy, chemical reactions, the transfer of energy between the chemical system and the surroundings, and the law of energy conservation. Students use an energy model to answer questions that target these ideas. The activities align with the HS-PS1-4 performance expectation of the Next Generation Science Standards.
This NGSS-inspired task consists of five parts. Each part involves a different type of skill or understanding. Collectively, the five parts were designed to address the following NGSS performance expectation:
HS-PS1-4:
Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.
As a whole, the questions in this task address a wide collection of
disciplinary core idea (DCI),
crosscutting concepts (CCC), and
science and engineering practices (SEP). There are 61 multi-part questions organized into 16 Question Groups and spread across the five activities. Each question is either a 2D or (preferably) a 3D question. That is, the task of answering the question requires that the student utilize at least two of the three dimensions of the NGSS science standards - a DCI, a CCC, and/or an SEP.
The following DCI, SEPs, and CCCs are addressed at some point within Bond Energy and Reactions:
DCI: PS1.A Structure and Properties of Matter
- A stable molecule has less energy than the same set of atoms separated; one must provide at least this energy in order to take the molecule apart.
DCI: PS1.B Chemical Reactions
- Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.
SEP 2.3: Developing and Using Models
Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system.
SEP 2.4: Developing and Using Models
Develop and/or use multiple types of models to provide mechanistic accounts and/or predict phenomena, and move flexibly between model types based on merits and limitations.
SEP 2.6: Developing and Using Models
Develop and/or use a model (including mathematical and computational) to generate data to support explanations, predict phenomena, analyze systems, and/or solve problems.
SEP 6.3: Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Apply scientific ideas, principles, and/or evidence to provide an explanation of phenomena and solve design problems, taking into account possible unanticipated effects.
CCC 4.2: Systems and System Models
Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—within and between systems at different scales.
CCC 5.1: Energy and Matter
In nuclear processes, atoms are not conserved, but the total number of protons plus neutrons is conserved.
CCC 5.3: Energy and Matter
Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system.
CCC 5.4: Energy and Matter
Energy cannot be created or destroyed—it only moves between one place and another place, between objects and/or fields, or between systems.
CCC 7.1: Stability and Change
Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.
Here is our NGSS-based analysis of each individual activity of the Bond Energy and Reactions Science Reasoning task. The core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices that we reference in our analysis are numbered for convenience. You can cross-reference the specific notations that we have used with the listings found on the following pages:
Disclaimer: The standards are not our original work. We are simply including them here for convenience (and because we have referenced the by number). The standards are the property of the Next Generation Science Standards.
Part 1: Paragraph Completion
This activity involves a paragraph-completion exercise. Students use a word/phrase bank to select missing words and phrases in order to complete a paragraph. The paragraph pertains to how the energy associated with bond breaking and bond forming are related to the flow of energy from surroundings to system (or vice versa). The paragraph has 10 blanks to be filled. Once students complete their paragraph, they submit their answers for evaluation and feedback. On each
answer submission, they are told the number of correct blanks but are not told which blanks are correct. Students have an unlimited number of opportunities to correct their answers. Students earn the Trophy for the activity once they correctly complete the paragraph.
NGSS Claim Statement:
Use energy principles to provide an explanation of how the bond energies of reactants and products are related to the flow of energy between the chemical system and the surroundings.
| Target DCI(s) |
Target SEP(s) |
Target CCC(s) |
|
Structure and Properties of Matter
PS1.A
A stable molecule has less energy than the same set of atoms separated; one must provide at least this energy in order to take the molecule apart.
Chemical Reactions
PS1.B
Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.
|
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
SEP 6.3
Apply scientific ideas, principles, and/or evidence to provide an explanation of phenomena and solve design problems, taking into account possible unanticipated effects.
Developing and Using Models
SEP 2.3
Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system.
|
Energy and Matter
CCC 5.1
In nuclear processes, atoms are not conserved, but the total number of protons plus neutrons is conserved.
Stability and Change
CCC 7.1
Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable. |
Part 2: Break 'Em and Make 'Em
This activity consists of 12 multi-part questions organized into three Question Groups. Each question provides a particle diagram and a balanced chemical equation to represent a chemical reaction. Students must inspect the given diagram and equation to determinine what bonds (and how many) are broken and formed during the chemical reaction. Students earn the Trophy for the activity when they correctly answer all three Question Groups.
NGSS Claim Statement:
Use a particle model of a chemical reaction to analyze a reaction system in terms of how bond breaking and bond forming explain how the system undergoes change.
| Target DCI(s) |
Target SEP(s) |
Target CCC(s) |
Structure and Properties of Matter
PS1.A
A stable molecule has less energy than the same set of atoms separated; one must provide at least this energy in order to take the molecule apart.
Chemical Reactions
PS1.B
Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.
|
Developing and Using Models
SEP 2.6
Develop and/or use a model (including mathematical and computational) to generate data to support explanations, predict phenomena, analyze systems, and/or solve problems.
|
Stability and Change
CCC 7.1
Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.
Energy and Matter
CCC 5.3
Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system. |
Part 3: Match That Diagram
This activity consists of 16 questions organized into four Question Groups. Each question includes information about the amount of energy to break bonds of the reactants and/or the amount of energy to form the bonds of the products and/or the energy change of the reaction. They must identify the energy level diagram that is consistent with this information. Students earn the Trophy for the activity when they demonstrate mastery of all four Question Groups.
NGSS Claim Statement:
Relate information about bond energies and enthalpy changes of a chemical reaction to the energy level diagram that represents the reaction.
| Target DCI(s) |
Target SEP(s) |
Target CCC(s) |
Structure and Properties of Matter
PS1.A
A stable molecule has less energy than the same set of atoms separated; one must provide at least this energy in order to take the molecule apart.
Chemical Reactions
PS1.B
Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.
.
|
Developing and Using Models
SEP 2.3
Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system. |
Energy and Matter
CCC 5.3
Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system.
|
Part 4: Which One Doesn't Belong?
This activity consists of 16 forced-choice questions organized into four Question Groups. Students are presented with four different representations about a reaction. Three of them are consistent with one another and the fourth is not. They must identify the representation that
doesn't belong. Students earn the Trophy for the activity when they demonstrate mastery of all four Question Groups.
NGSS Claim Statement:
Use a variety of models regarding energy and reactions to describe the energy flow between a chemical system and its surroundings.
| Target DCI(s) |
Target SEP(s) |
Target CCC(s) |
Structure and Properties of Matter
PS1.A
A stable molecule has less energy than the same set of atoms separated; one must provide at least this energy in order to take the molecule apart.
Chemical Reactions
PS1.B
Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.
|
Developing and Using Models
SEP 2.4
Develop and/or use multiple types of models to provide mechanistic accounts and/or predict phenomena, and move flexibly between model types based on merits and limitations.
Developing and Using Models
SEP 2.3
Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system. |
Systems and System Models
CCC 4.2
Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—within and between systems at different scales.
Energy and Matter
CCC 5.3
Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system.
|
Part 5: The Energy Model
This activity consists of 16 forced-choice questions organized into four Question Groups. Students are provided four verbal statements demonstrating the application of an energy model to chemical reactions. They must identify the correct application. Students earn the Trophy for the activity when they demonstrate mastery of all four Question Groups.
NGSS Claim Statement:
Develop a model to illustrate that the release or absorption of energy from a chemical reaction system depends upon the changes in total bond energy.
| Target DCI(s) |
Target SEP(s) |
Target CCC(s) |
Structure and Properties of Matter
PS1.A
A stable molecule has less energy than the same set of atoms separated; one must provide at least this energy in order to take the molecule apart.
Chemical Reactions
PS1.B
Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.
|
Developing and Using Models
SEP 2.3
Develop, revise, and/or use a model based on evidence to illustrate and/or predict the relationships between systems or between components of a system. |
Energy and Matter
CCC 5.3
Changes of energy and matter in a system can be described in terms of energy and matter flows into, out of, and within that system. |
Complementary and Similar Resources
The following resources at The Physics Classroom website complement the Bond Energy and Reactions Science Reasoning Activity. Teachers may find them useful for supporting students and/or as components of lesson plans and unit plans.
Concept Builders, Chemistry - Measuring the Quantity of Heat
Concept Builders, Chemistry - Which One Doesn't Belong? Energy and Chemical Reactions
Concept Builders, Chemistry - Enthalpy Change
Concept Builders, Chemistry - Thermal Stoichiometry
Concept Builders, Chemistry - Hess's Law
Concept Builders, Chemistry - Heat of Formation
The Calculator Pad, Thermal Chemistry, Problem Sets 1 - 15