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Intermolecular Forces

K20 Center, Alexandra Parsons, Brittany Bowens, Kristin Zuromski | Published: May 27th, 2022 by K20 Center

  • Grade Level Grade Level 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th
  • Subject Subject Science
  • Course Course Chemistry, Physical Science
  • Time Frame Time Frame 4-5 class period(s)
  • Duration More 200 minutes

Summary

In this lesson, students will explore, learn, and connect concepts of Intermolecular Forces (IMFs) to physical phenomena. Prerequisite knowledge would be that bonding exists (that is, there is continuum from non-polar covalent to ionic bonding) as well as the formation of ions and electron configuration. This lesson has add-ons to make it effective for AP Chemistry as well.

Essential Question(s)

How do the interactions between molecules affect chemical properties? 

Snapshot

Engage

Students determine how many paper clips can fit inside of a full glass of water.

Explore

Students investigate different intermolecular forces using the Jigsaw strategy.

Explain

Students present their Jigsaw findings.

Extend

Students classify phenomena into the different intermolecular forces.

Evaluate

Students share out their answers from the Extend in an inverted pyramid.

Materials

  • Lesson Slides (attached)

  • Paper Clip Activity (attached, one per student)

  • IMF Research Questions (attached, one per student)

  • Claim Cards (attached, one per group)

  • Claim Cards KEY (attached)

  • Cornell Notes (attached, one per student)

  • Teacher SetUp (attached)

  • Small plastic cups (Dixie would be fine; enough for a class set)

  • Water

  • Paperclips (enough for each group to have well over 100 paperclips)

  • Devices with computer access

  • All the supplies listed in the Teacher SetUp

Engage

10 Minute(s)

Make copies and pass out the Paper Clip Activity handout. Put students in groups of 3-5. Each group will need a small plastic cup filled to the brim with water and hundreds of paper clips.

Go to slide 4, instruct students to make a hypothesis about how many paper clips can fit into the very full glass of water before the water spills over the cup. Then tell the students to add the paperclips SLOWLY to the full glass of water.

Go to slide 5, ask the students to revisit their original hypothesis and revise it based on what they observed.

Explore

30 Minute(s)

Split the students into four groups so that a modified Jigsaw can start. *If this is an AP Chemistry class, five, maybe six, groups would be needed*

Assign each group one of the following:

  • Hydrogen Bonding

  • London Dispersion Forces

  • Dipole-Dipole

  • Induced Dipole

  • *Ionic Bonding (for AP Chemistry; yes, it is a bond, but it is technically a very strong intramolecular force without the merging of electron clouds, something AP Chem students need to grasp)

  • *Van der Waals forces (for AP Chemistry; this one is also tricky since London Dispersion Forces, Hydrogen Bonding, and Dipole-Dipole are all Van der Waals forces)

Go to slide 6, make copies and pass out the IMF Research Questions handout or display the questions that students need to answer about their specific IMF, and allow the students to research their IMF and construct a presentation over it.

Explain

40 Minute(s)

Go to slide 7, after the students have conducted their research and made their presentations, make copies and pass out the Cornell Notes. Have the groups present their IMF presentations to the class and fill out the notes as each group presents.

After the presentations, students will participate in the Claim Cards strategy. Go to slide 8 and pass out a set of Claim Cards to each group. Have each group discuss whether each claim is correct or incorrect, and why each is correct or incorrect. When the discussion is over, talk about the answers (which is in the teacher key).

Extend

60 Minute(s)

There are 5 different reactions that you will show the students:

  • Bent Water

  • Oil, Water, and Dish Soap

  • Mixing Water and Ethanol

  • Mixing iodine in various solutions

  • Mixture of water, ethanol, and potassium carbonate

Go to slide 9 and present each demonstration to the students. During and after each demonstration, have the students write down which IMF (or IMFs) are cause what they are observing.

Evaluate

20 Minute(s)

Go to slide 10. Once the demonstrations are finished and the students have their answers, pair up students to do an Inverted Pyramid. Have the pairs share their answers with each other and explain what they wrote. Then, have pairs share out their reasoning with the whole class.

Have students turn in their answers so you can read what every student wrote whether they shared out loud or not.

Resources