scenarios students sbould start to understand the importance of diversity and how small changes in or impacts on one part

of an ecosystem can ultimately result in major changes in the rest of the ecosystem.

Bubbles on a soda can: A demonstration of Charles's law

Tbe bubbles-on-a-soda can activity is an illustration of Charles's law, which states that for a fixed amount of gas, there is a direct relationship between the temperature of the gas and its volume. In otber words, if the temperature of a fixed amount of gas increases, so does its volume. The opposite is true, as well: If the temperature of the gas decreases, the volume decreases. I was first introduced to this activity by a student wbo demonstrated it for an assignment as part of an elementary science metbods course 1 was teaching. For tbe past 10 years, I have been using this activity at the start of tbe scbool year to introduce my students to bands-on investigations.

Extensions
Have the class make one large food web on a classroom wall. Don't worry about tbe total budget. Just make sure everyone is fed. Make a food web of a local comtnunity. Find pictures of local animals, determine what these organisms eat, and create a food web with them. Teachers can create a budget activity by starting witb a group of primary prcxlucers from any habitat and detennining who eats them. The energy atnount values will generally increase by 10 points as you move up each step of tbe food chain. Very large organisms (e.g., a whale) will require more energy than very small organisms (e.g., a coral), even though they both feed on zooplankton. There are a number of good websites on food webs (see Resources). For an advanced class, have students calculate the diversity of their ecosystems based on tbe richness (total number of different species) and evenness (equitability) of their ecosystem. TTie webpage "Diversity of the Deep" provides a good review on diversity indices (see Resources). Have students calculate how this diversity would cbange based on the removal of one organism.

Materials

The materials needed for tbis activity are soda cans, bubble solution, rubhing alcohol, cotton balls, and petri Acknowledgments dishes (see Activity Sheet). Seventy-percent isopropyl Tliis activity was develtipcd as part of tbe Oceanography Camp for Girls rubbling alcohol can be purchased at a grocery store; one and theNSFGK-iZOCEANSprogram (0231843). I would alsolike to 946 mL (32 02.) bottle will be enough for five classes. thank S. Sawney who hi'lped wirb the development cif this project. You will also need cotton halls, to absorb the rubbing alcoholapproximately one per student. The soda cans References National Research Council (NRC). 1996. NationalscierKe education with tabs removed and the petri dish tops and bottoms rinsed with water can be reused for each class. Rubbing .standards, Washinf^ttm, DC: National Academy Press. alcohol is a flammable material, but small amounts can Tilman, D. 2000. Causes, consequences, and ethics of biodiversity. he flusbed down a sink with a large quantity of water, Nature 405 (6783): 208-11. unless local laws prohibit such disposal. The cotton balls Wilson, E.O. 1999. The diversity uflife. New York: W.W. Norton & can be rinsed along with tbe petri dishes and thrown Company. away in the trash. The main concern when using rubbing alcohol is the buildup of vapors in the sink, pipes, Resources sewer, or trash. Rinsing witb large amounts of water will Barry's Clip Artuiwui.barrysclipart.com reduce that risk with tbe small amounts of alcohol left Clip art, etc.http:lletc.usf.edu/clipartfindex.htm over from this activity. Diversity of the Deepuwuj.vims.edu/bndgelarchiveO5O5 .html
Estuary fund wehwiuw.estuaries.gov/pdflFoodWeb.pdf Food chainwuiW-picaihme.fcps.r\eiHah/currUfood_chair\/defcttdt.him Microsoft Greetings Workshopwww.microsoft.com Natural Resources Education Centerwww.in.gov/dnr/nrec/programs

Because they will be handling rubbing alcohol, all students must wear safety glasses, and the room must be
John Burns (John_Burns@chino.k12.ca,us) is a science educator at Ramona Junior High School in Chino, Caiifornia.

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WflHrfff
properly ventilated. Students should be warned that alcohol is highly flammahle. Before the activity takes place, consult with the school nurse to determine whether any students have allergies. hands around their cans. Ask students to describe what happens to their bubbles now that their hands are warm. (The bubbles increase in size more rapidly.) What do they think is causing their bubbles to increase in size? Next, distribute the petri dish lids containing cotton balls that were soaked in rubbing alcohol. Ask students to predict what effect the rubbing alcohol might have on the size of the bubble if placed on the sides of the soda can. Have students make a big bubhle over the mouth of the inverted can and then swipe the upper sides and bottom of the can with the cotton ball. (The bubble will decrease in size and may even disappear into the can.) At this point I ask students to gtaph the results of their observations (see Figure 1), Many of my seventh-grade students are confused by this request and immediately ask for help. I explain to students that a graph is a picture of information, and encourage them to do the best they can. To try and coax something out of them, 1 tell students that the graph is worth five points and that they will receive at least four points for creating what they believe to be a graph of their observations of a bubble on a soda can. Some students literally draw pictures of the experiment, such as a hand holding a can. Others make a bar graph with two bars: one large bar, labeled hands, and a small bar labeled alcohol. Most students do not label the x- or y-axes. This activity lets me know the depth of students' knowledge about graphing, and helps me determine what else needs to be taught.

Activity
I hegin the activity hy asking students, How many ot you enjoy making buhhies? I explain that in today's activity they will make bubbles on a soda can and try to make their hubbies larger and smaiier. After passing out the petri dishes with soap solution and soda cans, I demonstrate for students how inverting the can in the soap solution causes abuhble toformover the opening of the can. Tell students to do this gently, as agitating the soap solution will cause many small bubbles to form, making it more difficult to get new, larger hubhies to form on the can. Give students a few minutes to make and observe bubbles on their own soda cans. While they are making hubbies, ask students if any air can get into the can once the bubble has formed. Can any air escape from the inside of the can as long as the bubble does not burst? These questions set the stage for students using the bubble as a quahtative measure of the volume of a gas, i.e., a big bubble means more volume, and a small bubble means less volume.

When students are able to successfully form bubbles on the soda cans, ask them if they can figure out a way to make a buhhle bigger without squeezing the can or poking a hole and blowing air into the can. At some point, students will hegin to discover that simply holding their hands around the At the conclusion of the activity or the next day, we can increases the size of the bubble. review students' observations of a bubble on a soda can. Ask students to predict what will happen to the size of Students start by drawing pictures and using words to the bubble if they rub their hands together before placdescribe how to make hubbies on a soda can and how ing them around the can. As you listen to their answers, to make the bubble bigger and smaller (see Figure 2). I see if any students are making a connection between circulate around the room as students complete the first temperature and the size of the bubble. This allows part of the worksheet. After students have completed you to gauge students' depth of their drawings and explanations, understanding and to discover I place on the board an unlaheled Typical student FIGURE 1 any existing misconceptions bar graph graph with three data points that they may have. The questhat, if connected, would form tions you ask will help students a straight line at about a 45 to make a connection hetween angle to the origin of the graph. temperature and the volume of Through discussion of variables a fixed amount of gas. Once all for the activity and the things students are holding their cans that may have caused the bubble and watching their bubbles grow, to change size, I try to elicit from rub your hands together vigorstudents the idea that temperaously and ask students to do the Rubbing ture affects the volume of air in Hands same, then have them place their alcohol the can, which is demonstrated

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by the change in the size of the bubble. Using their predictions from previous days and the drawings on their worksheets, students are able to contribute their ideas to the class discussion. It is tbe teacher's responsibility to help students focus on tbe variables of volume and temperature. By having students describe the pictures they have drawn, it is not difficult to elicit the term volume as they talk about measuring the size of a bubble. Similarly, students will likely use the tertn temperature as

FIGURE 2

they discuss how to measure the effects of placing warm hands or rubbing alcohol on the sides of the can. By convention, the manipulated variable of an experiment is placed on the x-axis, so at this point I label the X-axis of the graph temperature, reminding students that by using their warm hands they controlled the temperature of the can. 1 write volume on the >-axis, representing the responding variable of the activity. Telling students that the data point in the middle o( the graph represents the size o( a bubble at room temperature, 1 ask them to explain either of the other two data points on the graph. (The data Reviewing the bubbies-on-a-soda-can activity Graphs before and after discussion

Draw a picture of a bubble on a can.

Explain your picture.

FIGURE 3

Charles's law states that there is a direct relationship between the temperature of a gas and its volume.

Explain how lo make a bubble on a can smaller. Use drawing and words.

Explain how to make a bubble on a can bigger. Using drawing and words.

Questions I.To measure the amount of space a bubble occupies, you would need to know the of the bubble. 2. What are the variables that affect the size of the bubble? List as many as you can. 3. Of the variables you have listed, as the experimenter, which of them were you able to manipulate so as to change the size of the bubble? 4. Graph the results below. Your variables are the size of fhe bubble and your manipulated variable. Information For a gas, there is a direct relationship between temperature and volume. As temperature increases, the volume of a gas increases. As temperature decreases, the volume of a gas decreases. This direct relationship has a name; Charles's law.

Graph on the board prior to class discussion

Temperature Graph as completed after class discussion

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mthpoint to the right represents an increase in temperature and volume, so it is the point that corresponds to their hands around the can. The data point to the left represents a decrease in temperature and volume and corresponds to the rubhing alcohol on the sides of the can.) At this point, I connect the three data points and state that the hne represents a direct relationship between the temperature and volume of a fixed amount of gas (see Figure 3). This particular direct relationship has a name: Charles's law. Students are then asked to complete the questions on the worksheet (see Figure 2). As an assesstnent, I have students state the variables that are directly related in the bubhles-on-a-soda-can activity, define Charles's law in their own words, and draw and lahel a graph showing the relationship between the temperature and volume of a fixed amount of gas (see Figure 4).

Explanation
A direct relationship is a positive relationship between two variables; in other words, if one variable increases, so does the other variable, if one variable decreases, so does the other variable. To illustrate a direct relationship with a hit of humor, I tell students that there is a positive relationship between the amount of time they spend studying for tests and the grades they receive. Charles's law states that there is a direct relationship between the temperature and volume of a fixed amount of gas. As the temperature of a fixed amount of gas increases, so does its volume, and vice versa. When students place their hands around their cans, they heat the cans, which in tum heat the temperature of the air inside the cans, resulting in the buhbles increasing in size as the volume of air in the cans expands. The bubble acts as a lid for the can, not allowing air to enter or escape, so that the amount of air inside the can remains fixed.

FIGURE 4

Thinking about the bubbleson-a-soda-can quiz

1. Charles's law is a statement referring to two variables that explains how gasses behave. Name the two variables. 2. In your own words, define Charles's law. 3. Draw a graph that represents Charles's law. Label both the X and y axis.

Activity Sheet
Bubbles on a soda can: Discovering Charles's law
Materials 946 mL rubbing alcohol (typically sold as a 32 oz. bottle) (Safety note: Use of alcohol requires proper ventilation, and students must wear safety goggles.) 100 mLdish soap 500 mL water soda cans with tabs removed (one per student) 10 cm diameter, round petri dishes (one per pair of students) cotton balls (one per student) safety goggles Preparation Prepare soap bubble mixture by adding dish soap to water. Place enough soap solution (5-10 mL) to fill half of a petri-dish bottom. The tops of the petri dishes can be used for rubbing alcohol-soaked cotton balls; pour 5-7 mL of rubbing alcohol in each top, one top per student group, and add two cotton balls. Instructions to students Place the top of an empty soda can in your dish of bubble mixture, then turn the can upright. Observe the bubble that is formed. Without poking a hole in the can and blowing air in or squeezing the can, can you make the bubble bigger? Can you affect the size of the bubble by using the cotton balls and rubbing alcohol? Explanation For a fixed amount of a gas, there is a direct relationship between temperature and volume: As temperature increases, volume increases, and as temperature decreases, volume decreases. /

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Ruhbing alcohol has a boiling point of approximately 82 C. Heat of vaporization is the term used to describe tbe amount of energy needed to cbange a liquid to a gas. Since the boiling point of rubbing alcobo! is relatively low as compared to water, it evaporates at room temperature rather rapidly. As the rubbing alcohol evaporates from tbe side of tbe can, some of the energy needed for tbe heat of vaporization for the phase change comes from the can itself, thus lowering the temperature of the can. The air inside a soda can with a lower temperature will decrease in volume, as evidenced hy the size of the bubble over the can's opening. The concept of heat of vaporization can be used to explain why sweating during vigorous activity belps people to cool down. It is the evaporation of the water in the sweat on tbe surface of our skin tbat belps cool our bodies. One way to illustrate this without exercising is to have students place a small amount of rubbing alcobol on the back of tbeir band and feel bow the area where tbe rubbing alcobol was placed feels cooler tban the surrounding skin.

Word wall connections

A word wall bas always heen an important hulletin hoard in my middle school science classroom, but I bave found a more interactive way to reinforce vocabulary and connections between concepts. At tbe beginning of each unit 1 make a list of the words and terms tbat we'll be discussing. I write the words on lengths of oaktag, ahout 8 cm bigb, and attacb a thin strip of magnet to the hack of each tag. I display tbe tags on one side of the magnetic white hoard at the front of my room to create my interactive word wall. Just above the word wall are posted my classroom rules: "Be Ready, Be Responsible and Be Respectful." To the right of tbe rules is posted the essential question for the unit. Tbis arrangement displays the vocabulary for all to see and allows me to reference it as I introduce new terms, make connections, and review concepts. One of my favorite ways to use tbe word wall is to create food webs. Students can arrange the tags by producers, consumers, and decomposers and add labels to show tbe flow of energy througb the web. Arrows and otber types of symbols, as well as terms you don't have tags for, can be added using dry-erase markers. On the sample word wall shown in Figure 2, tbe student uses a marker to identify the consumers as either primary or

Conclusion
The bubbles-on-a-soda-can activity is an inexpensive w;iy to illustrate Cbarles's law (see Activity Sheet), have students practice observation and grapbing skills, and introduce experimental variables. As teachers, we have an opportunity to practice questioning skills to help students discover science concepts and decide when to use direct instruction. Most of my students need direct instruction on graphing, especially the labeling of axes with variables from an experiment. Asking students to explain their drawings for this activity is a way to let tbem make their own connections between tbe temperature of a gas and its volume. One direct application of Charles's law is to explain wby a soda can, when exposed to heat, may spontaneously explode. When a cold soda is opened, very little pressure is released; as the temperature increases, sometimes tbe pressure that builds up causes the soda to spill out of its container. At times, soda cans exposed to direct sunlight will explode because of the build up of pressure inside the can (due to the increased temperature). Tbis idea can be revisited while studying topics such as heat-conducting materials, phase changes due to an increase or decrease of temperature, and evaporation, or a during discussion of why sweating cools our bodies.

FIGURE 1

Sample word wall setup

condense

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mouse, b i o k

-fan55 Q^ cloud j

eoerfj^ decomposer Q2 consumer! carbon Wolf evaporate. j(xke. Worm

Jan Staires (janice.staires@snet.net) is a teacher at East Haven Academy in East Haven. Connecticut.

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