Chemistry Game Board Project
For this project, we created an interactive, 3-D game board that used multiple single replacement reactions and one double replacement reaction to move the game pieces through an outer space-themed game board. Designed for younger children, the accessible game features lots of color and visible reactions to keep all students engaged in the learning. We also included primary aspects of chemistry to demonstrate that we have learned about different types of reactions. Our game, titled "A Trip to Earth", used a series of reactions: a gas production reaction, a double replacement reaction that changed color, and a single replacement reaction that cut through aluminium and activated an LED light. The game required players to choose a spacecraft as their game piece and roll a die to advance through the game board. The board featured a series of red and green spaces that prompted players to draw a paper card and follow the card's directions. The combination of reactions, rolling dice, and drawing cards moved players forward in an educationally engaging game -- that brought UFO's to Earth!
Instructions
Trip to Earth
Chemical Reactions
Single Displacement Reaction:
A Chemical reaction by which one element replaces another element in a compound. It is represented as: A+B-C --> A-C+B
Chemical Equation: Al+CuCl2--> Cu+AlCl3
Meaning: (Aluminium and Copper Chloride yields Copper and Aluminum Chloride.)
Our project's single displacement reaction was used to cut an aluminum foil strip which, in turn, illuminated an LED light. We facilitated this reaction by attaching two alligator clips to both sides of an aluminum foil strip (approximately 0.5 cm wide) and placing it in a Petri dish containing copper chloride aqueous solution. Since the aluminum is more reactive than copper, the aluminum replaced the copper in the aqueous solution. This reaction physically separated the aluminium strip, thereby cutting off the flow of electricity through the original circuit. This termination of the electrical circuit's secondary path forced the electricity through the primary circuit, activating the LED light. The light was turned on only when a player's spacecraft piece reached the "Earth" space on the board, winning the game, because the light represented the humans welcoming the aliens with a beacon of peace. This single displacement reaction was one of the favorites among the players and audience because the reaction's bubbles and color changes (with the foil) resulted in an illuminated LED.
Double Displacement Reaction:
A chemical reaction where two compounds react, and the positive ions (cation) and the negative ions (anion) of the two reactants switch places, forming two new compounds or products. It can be represented as: AB + CD → CB + AD.
Chemical Equation : CuCl2 + K2CrO4 → K2Cl2 + CuCrO4
Meaning: (Copper Chloride and Potassium Chromate yields Potassium Chloride and Copper Chromate)
This double replacement reaction demonstrated the combination of two ions that resulted in a color change which proved to be a double replacement reaction. The color change occurred because of the switching of the prefixes for the two combined ions. This switch produced a rust color in our Petri dish. In the game the resulting rust color indicated a punishment in the form of skipping a turn, representing the time it would take to clean rust or corrosion from a spacecraft.
Gas Production Reaction/Change of State Reaction:
A chemical reaction where gas is a product.
Chemical Equation : NaCHO3 + CH3COOH → CO2 + H2O + Na + CH3OO
(Sodium Bicarbonate and Acetic Acid yields Carbon Dioxide, Water, Sodium, and acetate)
Our game used a gas production reaction to resemble a wormhole in space. The wormhole served the purpose of accelerating players by jumping them ahead on the game board. We equipped our game board with a lever that was elevated by an inflating balloon (described below). The balloon inflation and movement of the lever represented the wormhole transporting players farther along in the game journey. The only way to initiate the reaction was for a player's game piece to land on the reaction space labeled "Reaction 1". Then, the player mixed baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid) together in a flask with a balloon wrapped over the flask tip. The baking soda and vinegar reacted to form carbon dioxide gas. The gas inflated the balloon which pushed the lever up. This reaction symbolized the player warping through the wormhole, allowing the player to move forward eleven spaces on the board. It represented the biggest advantage in the game and helped make the game exciting and unique.
LED Reaction
For the final stage of the game, we used the reaction to illuminate an LED, as described above. We used a single replacement reaction to switch from a circuit passing through an aluminum strip to one that activated the LED. This LED reaction was our fourth in the series and was designed as a celebration signal for winning the game.
A Chemical reaction by which one element replaces another element in a compound. It is represented as: A+B-C --> A-C+B
Chemical Equation: Al+CuCl2--> Cu+AlCl3
Meaning: (Aluminium and Copper Chloride yields Copper and Aluminum Chloride.)
Our project's single displacement reaction was used to cut an aluminum foil strip which, in turn, illuminated an LED light. We facilitated this reaction by attaching two alligator clips to both sides of an aluminum foil strip (approximately 0.5 cm wide) and placing it in a Petri dish containing copper chloride aqueous solution. Since the aluminum is more reactive than copper, the aluminum replaced the copper in the aqueous solution. This reaction physically separated the aluminium strip, thereby cutting off the flow of electricity through the original circuit. This termination of the electrical circuit's secondary path forced the electricity through the primary circuit, activating the LED light. The light was turned on only when a player's spacecraft piece reached the "Earth" space on the board, winning the game, because the light represented the humans welcoming the aliens with a beacon of peace. This single displacement reaction was one of the favorites among the players and audience because the reaction's bubbles and color changes (with the foil) resulted in an illuminated LED.
Double Displacement Reaction:
A chemical reaction where two compounds react, and the positive ions (cation) and the negative ions (anion) of the two reactants switch places, forming two new compounds or products. It can be represented as: AB + CD → CB + AD.
Chemical Equation : CuCl2 + K2CrO4 → K2Cl2 + CuCrO4
Meaning: (Copper Chloride and Potassium Chromate yields Potassium Chloride and Copper Chromate)
This double replacement reaction demonstrated the combination of two ions that resulted in a color change which proved to be a double replacement reaction. The color change occurred because of the switching of the prefixes for the two combined ions. This switch produced a rust color in our Petri dish. In the game the resulting rust color indicated a punishment in the form of skipping a turn, representing the time it would take to clean rust or corrosion from a spacecraft.
Gas Production Reaction/Change of State Reaction:
A chemical reaction where gas is a product.
Chemical Equation : NaCHO3 + CH3COOH → CO2 + H2O + Na + CH3OO
(Sodium Bicarbonate and Acetic Acid yields Carbon Dioxide, Water, Sodium, and acetate)
Our game used a gas production reaction to resemble a wormhole in space. The wormhole served the purpose of accelerating players by jumping them ahead on the game board. We equipped our game board with a lever that was elevated by an inflating balloon (described below). The balloon inflation and movement of the lever represented the wormhole transporting players farther along in the game journey. The only way to initiate the reaction was for a player's game piece to land on the reaction space labeled "Reaction 1". Then, the player mixed baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid) together in a flask with a balloon wrapped over the flask tip. The baking soda and vinegar reacted to form carbon dioxide gas. The gas inflated the balloon which pushed the lever up. This reaction symbolized the player warping through the wormhole, allowing the player to move forward eleven spaces on the board. It represented the biggest advantage in the game and helped make the game exciting and unique.
LED Reaction
For the final stage of the game, we used the reaction to illuminate an LED, as described above. We used a single replacement reaction to switch from a circuit passing through an aluminum strip to one that activated the LED. This LED reaction was our fourth in the series and was designed as a celebration signal for winning the game.
Reflection
This project was extremely engaging and educational. There are many positive aspects and several opportunities to improve myself as a student, teammate, and person. One major positive is my newly acquired knowledge of reactions, whether they be single, double, or change of state reactions. This project, along with the associated labs, greatly expanded my knowledge of the subject. The new knowledge will be very useful in the second semester of this chemistry class along with any of my future science or STEM courses. Another positive that came from this project was the experience of working in a group format. Group work scenarios help foster leadership abilities such as staying on task and problem-solving while cooperating and coordinating with others. I believe I enhanced all of these qualities during the project work time which will prepare me for future group settings where I will communicate and collaborate with all types of people. I will build on these positives so that I can continue to become a better student and person.
Although there were some aspects of the project that could be labeled "negative", these can be converted to positives by identifying them as opportunities from which to learn and be better prepared for the future. One opportunity I found was our group's time-management practices. This can be attributed in part to my lapse in leadership during some points of the project. Sometimes I would find myself or my group mates off task for a variety of reasons which would stall progress and waste time. In the next project or group activity, I plan to keep myself focused at all times and help others stay on task by creating a daily goal sheet for measuring progress. This should help group members who finish a task by efficiently guiding them to the next on the list. Another improvement opportunity is in the general planning of the project's phases and the scheduling of the task sequences. I found that much of our work was crammed into the last few days which may have impacted some game-element quality. By creating a master schedule and taking the time to plan daily task ordering, future projects will be more organized, efficient and perhaps of higher quality. The few "negatives" are invaluable learning experiences. Now that they have been identified, we can develop plans to correct these errors and improve future projects -- which is perhaps the most valuable educational benefit of the Chemical Domino Game Board Project.
Although there were some aspects of the project that could be labeled "negative", these can be converted to positives by identifying them as opportunities from which to learn and be better prepared for the future. One opportunity I found was our group's time-management practices. This can be attributed in part to my lapse in leadership during some points of the project. Sometimes I would find myself or my group mates off task for a variety of reasons which would stall progress and waste time. In the next project or group activity, I plan to keep myself focused at all times and help others stay on task by creating a daily goal sheet for measuring progress. This should help group members who finish a task by efficiently guiding them to the next on the list. Another improvement opportunity is in the general planning of the project's phases and the scheduling of the task sequences. I found that much of our work was crammed into the last few days which may have impacted some game-element quality. By creating a master schedule and taking the time to plan daily task ordering, future projects will be more organized, efficient and perhaps of higher quality. The few "negatives" are invaluable learning experiences. Now that they have been identified, we can develop plans to correct these errors and improve future projects -- which is perhaps the most valuable educational benefit of the Chemical Domino Game Board Project.