Activity Number 317

	Overview and Learning Objectives
	Classroom Practice
	Central Concepts
	Extensions and Connections
	Activity Credits

Electrostatics (SAM)

Interactive, scaffolded model

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	Overview and Learning Objectives Students learn that opposite charged particles attract to each other and particles with the same sign of charge repel each other. In addition they discover out that Coulomb's Law can be calculated by looking at the distance and the charge of each particle. They end the activity looking at the screening effect in systems such as the watery environment of cells. Students will be able to: • Explain how a neutral atom can become a charged particle, an ion. • Define Coulomb forces as a result of like charges repelling each other and unlike charges attracting. • Determine that the force generated between atoms is dependent on the amount of charge they carry and the distance between them. • Explore the mathematical relationship described in Coulomb equations. • Explain polarization in terms of charge redistribution. • Give an example of how screening is at work in a biological system, such as a cell. return to top



	Classroom Practice Teacher Guide: http://sam.concord.org/publications/teacher-guides/electrostatics.ver6.pdf return to top



	Central Concepts Key Concept: Additional Related Concepts Physics/Chemistry Charge return to top



	Extensions and Connections Fermi Lab's ARISE Project suggests the following enhancement to this SAM unit: http://www.concord.org/~barbara/SAM/ARISE/ARISE_SAM_electrostatics.pdf return to top



	Activity Credits Created by CC Project: SAM using Molecular Workbench return to top

These materials are based upon work supported
by the National Science Foundation under grant numbers
9980620, ESI-0242701, EIA-0219345, DUE-0402553, and 0628181.

Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this
material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the National Science Foundation.

Electrostatics (SAM)

Overview and Learning Objectives

Classroom Practice

Central Concepts

Additional Related Concepts

Extensions and Connections

Activity Credits