All Roads Lead to Rome: Triple Stoichiometry with a Lithium Battery

Abstract

This activity allows students to visualize how to obtain different stoichiometries with various techniques in a single experiment. The involvement of three phases adds to the student’s interest. Instructional materials are provided to facilitate the experimental procedures, interpretation of results, and error analysis. The reaction of Li from a Li battery with water inside a syringe allows measurement of the gas evolved, the metal consumed, and the hydroxide produced. Li batteries can be obtained for less than US $1.00. This report describes the development of a 2 h activity that has been tested in whole or in part in various teacher workshops in Mexico, Panama, El Salvador, and Thailand, and it has been implemented and assessed in a general chemistry laboratory.

An Experimental Approach with a Twist: Helping High School Students to Understand the Concept of Limiting Reactant

“…Other approaches have emphasized the conceptual aspect incorporating visual representations , or have resorted to gamification . There are few proposals that approach stoichiometry from an experimental perspective, and they usually involve specific reactions whose reagents are not easily obtained or require special equipment. − …”