Chemistry Badge

Chemistry is a Junior Badge from the Girl Scouts of Central Texas Council.

# Activities

Chemistry Badge
Level(s): Junior
So you're asking, what is CHEMISTRY? Well... Here's our best definition. Chemistry is the study of MATTER and the changes that take place with that matter.

Developed for Lone Star Council by Florence McElroy

Requirements—Complete five activities, including the two \* starred.
1. \* Matter is everything that takes up space. Look around you to make the following lists and then compare and contrast them.

• List five items that are solid.
• List five items that are liquids.
• List five items that are gases.
• Use a dictionary to help you to describe these items in your own words.
• Write one characteristic or trait that is common only to each list and make that list different from the others. Then write one characteristic or trait that is common to all three lists.
2. Measurement is very important to a chemist. Find at least twenty items that have metric units as well as English units. Some suggested places to look are in grocery stores, camera shops, hardware stores and weather reports. Make a chart that lists the item and the two methods of measurements. If you find only one kind of unit listed, be sure to write a 1'0" or "—, in the other space. Leaving a blank may cause you to get the rest of the data out of place.
3. Find someone who operates an instrument that is used to find special traits about matter. Complete one of these suggestions and then share the results with your troop.

• Your teacher may have a pH meter that tells if a substance is acid, base, or neutral.
• A gasoline station has instruments that show the density of antifreeze and other petroleum products.
• Locate any other instruments used to give someone information about matter.
4. Chemistry is about processes that change the character of matter by altering the existing conditions. Visit at least two businesses to collect pamphlets or other materials about their processes. Share your findings, including any chemical names or formulas you might find.

• Investigate how a water softener works.
• Visit a local industry or one you discover on vacation.
• Go to a plant nursery and have someone explain how a greenhouse works.
• Arrange to visit a pharmacy and, if they agree, watch them prepare a prescription.
• Ask a chemistry teacher to tell about his/her classroom laboratory-
• Watch a glassblower. Find out about the relationship of the color of the flame to temperature. Find out what substances are used.
5. With adult help, set up a terrarium with your own troop, classroom, or at home. After at least a month of observations and investigations, you should be able to explain photosynthesis, the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle, and the evaporation/condensation cycle.
6. Do all of the following experiments with an adult who agrees to help you. You will need a 2-3 inch candle, half-inch deep bowl, matches, 2-3 splints, water, and a glass that will fit upside down over the candle without touching the wick or its flame.

• Light the candle. Then light one splint. Blowout the candle and observe a vapor trail rising from the wick. Catch these vapors by passing the lighted splint through these vapors. Watch the candle re-light itself. See if you can discover what forms the vapor and why the candle re-lights.
• Next, place the glass upside down over the lit candle. What happens? Does this same thing happen after several tries? What does this tell you about the relationship between fire and air?
• Put about one half inch of water in the bowl. Secure the candle to the bottom and light. Again place the glass over the lit candle. Note what happens to the water. See if you can discover why this happens.
7. Contact a fire fighter to have him or her explain why water cannot be used on all fires. Be able to describe good extinguishers for grease and electrical fires.
8. Do some career exploration about professions that involve chemistry. Do one of the following:

• Visit the Chamber of Commerce. Obtain information about the industries or businesses that might involve chemistry.
• Look through newspapers and magazines to find advertisements and want ads.
• Make a poster or collage of positions requiring chemists.
9. \* Be involved. If your school or community has a science fair, prepare a chemistry-related project for it. In your log you should include dates, times, places, person(s) talked to, expenses, activities, and results (including any pictures that might be possible to take). Include the time you spend in the library. When there are no expenses, write "0" or "—". A log also should include everything about your project from the time you begin until you bring it home from the science fair.

# External Links

http://www.gsctx.org/ama/orig/Chemistry-Badge.pdf