Honors Chemistry “The Mighty Atom” by Bill Bryson Reading:

Find the on-line chapter from Bill Bryson’s book: A Short History of Nearly Everything. at the following website:

http://www.chemreading.scienceinstruction.org/the_might_atom.pdf

a) Before you read, identify each of the following statements as true, false or unsure.  

b) While you read, if you choose to print the pages out, mark up the chapter by highlighting things of interest to you, underlining new concepts, and circling statements listed below to find out if the statements actually are true or false.  If the statements are false, correct the statements to make them true.  Place a question mark next to ideas or concepts that you have questions about and/or want to discuss in class.  If you choose not to print out the chapter, make brief notes about the aforementioned areas as you read.

c) When done with the reading, re-examine your responses below and write a 1-2 paragraph reflection to what you read about “The Mighty Atom” – just give me your overall thoughts to the article and how information such as this would be beneficial to persons interested and/or working in any science field.

Pre-reading questions (label each statement as true or false or unsure):
1) All things are made of atoms.

2) One cubic centimeter (about the size of a sugar cube) of air at sea level contains 100 molecules.

3) We each contain at least one atom that previously belonged to William Shakespeare.

4) Atoms are approximately the diameter or a human hair.

5) In order to be a Nobel Prize winning scientist, one must be brilliant in mathematics.

6) Rutherford discovered, during his famous gold foil experiment, that atoms control little to no open space.

7) The atom’s nucleus contains protons and neutrons and is only 1 millionth or a billionth of the full volume of the atom, yet it contains virtually all of the atom’s mass.

8) Electrons orbit the nucleus of an atom like planets orbiting the sun.

9) Electrons are located in a zone of probability called a cloud.

10) The weak force, that takes part in controlling the rates of certain types of radioactive decay, is weaker than gravity.