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Classroom: Teacher’s Guide
High School Science
Classroom: Teacher’s Guide
High School Science
The Port of Long Beach
925 Harbor Plaza
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 590-4121
www.polb.com
© 2009 Port of Long Beach
Classroom: Teacher’s Guide
High School Science
Contents
Preface
v
Lesson Five
Lesson One
1
Redox Reactions
Linear Motion
Terminal Objective
Lesson
Closure
Worksheet
Worksheet Answers
Lesson Two
1
2
4
7
11
15
Torque and Static Equilibrium
Terminal Objective
Lesson
Closure
Worksheet
Worksheet Answers
15
16
18
19
23
Lesson Three
27
Dimensional Analysis
Terminal Objective
Lesson
Worksheet
Worksheet Answers
27
28
31
35
Lesson Four
39
45
Terminal Objective
Lesson
Vocabulary
45
46
46
Lesson Six
51
Equilibrium
Terminal Objective
Lesson
Closure
Lesson Seven
51
52
57
59
Ballast Water and the Problem of
the Unwanted Invaders
Terminal Objective
Lesson
Closure
Worksheet
59
60
64
65
The Chemistry of Counting: Limiting
Reactants
Terminal Objective
Lesson
Closure
39
40
44
contents
| iii
Preface
The Port of Long Beach is an industry-leading, environmentally
friendly global seaport. Every year about $140 billion worth of
cargo passes across the Port of Long Beach’s docks. Imported cargo
arrives at the Port bound for store shelves, factories and other
destinations locally and across the United States; and exports
leave, bound for foreign ports and international consumers. These
goods include everything from electronics and machinery to food,
cars and petroleum products.
As a key international trade hub, the Port of Long Beach supports
nearly 1.5 million jobs across Southern California and the nation,
and these jobs – as engineers, environmental scientists, freight
forwarders, crane operators and logistics specialists, just to name
a few – require a highly skilled workforce.
Port of Long Beach: Classroom aims to make students aware of
the Port of Long Beach and to prepare them for port career
opportunities. These lessons combine real-world Port of Long
Beach situations with content from the California state-approved
curriculum. The result is an engaging and interactive series of
lessons that fully conform to the state content standards while
getting students excited about the major global seaport right in
their own backyards.
If you want more information about any of the information in
these lessons, please visit our Web site at www.polb.com.
Let’s get started!
preface
|v
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Linear Motion
Lesson one
Terminal Objective
Using their class notes to complete the
CA Science Content
Standards:
able to demonstrate their understanding of
Physics (introductory level):
Motion and Forces
different scenarios regarding cargo ship
1.a S
olve problems that
involve constant speed
and average speed.
handout on linear motion, students will be
speed and acceleration by problem solving
movement within the Port of Long Beach.
Note: Acceleration is also
introduced descriptively,
without addressing the
unbalanced force causing it.
Materials
Map transparency
Ruler
Overhead projector
Time Required
1 class
Linear Motion
|1
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Introduction of Lesson
Anticipatory Set
Ask the following questions:
1) Define speed in your own words.
2) What do you think of when you hear the word
acceleration?
3) What do you think acceleration means?
4) When you drive down Ocean Boulevard and out
past the breakwater, you can see cargo ships
going to the Port of Long Beach. How fast do
you think the ships are traveling? How fast do
you think they could speed up? How fast do you
think they could slow down?
Lesson
Input
Before we can answer questions about motion, we
need to have the tools to solve problems. In this
case, we’ll need a math tool. Fortunately, what
we need is one of the easiest tools: multiplying
fractions.
Remember how to do this?
1
1
2
3
X
=
3
4
1
2
1
2
First cancel diagonally.
Then, multiply straight across: top x top, bottom x
bottom.
You can do this with symbols, too. Try this one: AB X C =
C
DA
If you got B/D, you’ve mastered what you need to
for this lesson.
2 | Linear Motion
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Lesson cont’d
Now you will apply this to rearranging the linear
motion equations.
For instance, the equation for velocity is,
v = d/t which is fine if you want to know what
the velocity is. But what if you want to solve for
something else, like time? That’s when you need
to use fraction math.
If the question asks, “How long will it take to ...?”,
you are solving for time (t).
d
v= t
When what you want is on the bottom, multiply
to get it on top. Just remember to do the same
thing on both sides of the = sign.
d
txv= t
xt
txv= d
This would be fine if we wanted to solve for
distance. But we want time, so we have to get it
alone.
1
v
x
tx v= dx 1
v
Get rid of the v by multiplying by 1/v.
d
t= v
Now we can just plug in d and v.
Learning this kind of math can get you through
most of chemistry and physics. It takes a lot of
mystery out of those scary looking equations!
Linear Motion
|3
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Modeling
On an overhead projector or document camera,
show students how to measure the map distances
using a ruler or just the edge of a piece of paper.
You may also need to model converting meters to
kilometers, and review the units for acceleration,
km/hr2.
Practice Problems
Have students complete the handout “Linear
Motion.”
Closure
Write down three things you learned regarding
speed and acceleration.
How are speed and acceleration related?
4 | Linear Motion
100m
400m
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Map of the Port of Long Beach
Pacific
Ocean
Cargo Ship Path
Linear Motion
|5
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Map of the Port of Long Beach
KEY
10,000m
400m
1500m
700m
200m
800m
700m
400m
1200m
700m
400m
500m
100m
400m
Cargo Ship Path
6 | Linear Motion
Pacific
Ocean
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Worksheet
Lesson one
Linear Motion Student Worksheet
Background
Long Beach, California has the second busiest port in the United
States and the 15th busiest container cargo port in the world.
With 3,200 acres of land and 80 berths spaced out on 10 piers, it
averaged 19,990 20-foot cargo containers moved on and off ships
each day in 2007. The Port of Long Beach’s top imports include
petroleum, electronics, and plastics from all over the world. In
addition, it exports waste paper, chemicals and scrap metals
to other countries. Movement within the Port is very busy and
requires strict guidelines of cargo ships to ensure the safety of
everyone.
Definitions:
Speed:_________________________________________________________ Velocity:_______________________________________________________ Acceleration:__________________________________________________ Linear Motion
|7
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Equations
average velocity =
distance traveled
time to travel the distance
Questions
Use the scale distances on the map to measure and label the
dotted line segments showing where ships travel in the Port of
Long Beach. Round the distances to the nearest hundred meters.
Then, use those distances to solve the following problems.
1. A cargo ship transporting cars from Japan is traveling at a rate
of 3.2 km/h as it approaches the Port from the Pacific Ocean (at
the point indicated by a star at the bottom of the map). At this
rate, how long will it take the ship to reach the berth on Pier J
to unload its cargo?
Answer: __ ___________________________________________________
2. Pier T is under development and is in need of large equipment
that must be transported from Pier J through boat. It takes the
boat 25 minutes to reach Pier T. What is its average speed in
km/h?
Answer: _ ____________________________________________________ 8 | Linear Motion
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Questions cont’d
3. A cargo ship leaves Pier F and travels to Pier C to load waste paper to
be exported to China. As it turns northwest towards inner harbor
it begins to decelerate at a rate of 133 km/h2 for the last 400 m
before docking at the berth 5 minutes later. How fast was the ship
traveling before slowing down in km/h?
Answer: _ ____________________________________________________ 4.Petroleum is exported from Pier A and will be traveling to Mexico. It
takes the ship 1.5 hours to reach the Pacific Ocean, where it reaches
a top speed of 30 km/h. What was the ship’s average acceleration?
Answer: _ ____________________________________________________ 5. _If a cargo ship were to enter the middle harbor at 15 km/h and begin
slowing down at a rate of 60 km/h2 in order to dock at Pier F, can the
ship come to a stop in 10 minutes?
Answer: _ ____________________________________________________ 6. A cargo ship is heading from Pier F to Pier E at an average rate of 2.8
km/h. At this rate, how long will it take for the ship to reach the
pier in minutes?
Answer: _ ____________________________________________________ 7. If the captain slows down at a rate of 5.6 km/h2, will he come to a
complete stop in time?
Answer: _ ____________________________________________________ Linear Motion
|9
Lesson 1
Worksheet
Lesson one
Linear Motion Student Worksheet
Background
Long Beach, California has the second busiest port in the United
States and the 15th busiest container cargo port in the world.
With 3,200 acres of land and 80 berths spaced out on 10 piers, it
averaged 19,990 20-foot cargo containers moved on and off ships
each day in 2007. The Port of Long Beach’s top imports include
petroleum, electronics, and plastics from all over the world. In
addition, it exports waste paper, chemicals and scrap metals
to other countries. Movement within the Port is very busy and
requires strict guidelines of cargo ships to ensure the safety of
everyone.
Definitions:
Speed: the distance traveled in a given time
Velocity: the distance traveled in a given time with direction
indicated
Acceleration: how fast velocity changes
Linear Motion
| 11
Linear Motion
KEY
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Equations
average velocity =
distance traveled
time to travel the distance
Questions
Use the scale distances on the map to measure and label the
dotted line segments showing where ships travel in the Port of
Long Beach. Round the distances to the nearest hundred meters.
Then, use those distances to solve the following problems.
1. A cargo ship transporting cars from Japan is traveling at a rate
of 3.2 km/h as it approaches the Port from the Pacific Ocean (at
the point indicated by a star at the bottom of the map). At this
rate, how long will it take the ship to reach the berth on Pier J
to unload its cargo?
Answer: 0.5 hour
2. Pier T is under development and is in need of large equipment
that must be transported from Pier J through boat. It takes the
boat 25 minutes to reach Pier T. What is its average speed in
km/h?
Answer: 7.0 km/hour
12 | Linear Motion
Lesson 1
Linear Motion
Questions cont’d
3. A cargo ship leaves Pier F and travels to Pier C to load waste paper to
be exported to China. As it turns northwest towards inner harbor
it begins to decelerate at a rate of 133 km/h2 for the last 400 m
before docking at the berth 5 minutes later. How fast was the ship
traveling before slowing down in km/h?
Answer: 11.1 km/hour
4._Petroleum is exported from Pier A and will be traveling to Mexico. It
takes the ship 1.5 hours to reach the Pacific Ocean, where it reaches
a top speed of 30 km/h. What was the ship’s average acceleration?
Answer: 45 km/hour2
5. _If a cargo ship were to enter the middle harbor at 15 km/h and begin
slowing down at a rate of 60 km/h2 in order to dock at Pier F, can the
ship come to a stop in 10 minutes?
Answer: No, it will take 0.25 hour, or 15 minutes, to stop.
6._A cargo ship is heading from Pier F to Pier E at an average rate of 2.8
km/h. At this rate, how long will it take for the ship to reach the
pier in minutes?
Answer: 15 minutes
7. If the captain slows down at a rate of 5.6 km/h2, will he come to a
complete stop in time?
Answer: No, he will crash into the pier!
Linear Motion
| 13
Lesson 2
Torque and Static
Equilibrium
Torque and Static Equilibrium
Lesson two
Terminal Objective
Using their class notes to complete the
CA Science Content
Standards:
students will be able to demonstrate
Physics: Motion and Forces
equilibrium by determining which gantry
1.k S
olve two-dimensional
problems involving
balanced forces (statics).
handout on torque and static equilibrium,
their understanding of torque and static
crane is best suited to hold the appropriate
cargo load in order to maintain a static
equilibrium.
Materials
For each pair of students,
provide:
• a ruler (about 1 foot long)
• a pencil (they should have
their own)
• two different masses (to
balance at opposite ends of
the ruler)
Time Required
1 class
Torque and Static Equilibrium
| 15
Lesson 2
Introduction of Lesson
Anticipatory Set
torque and static equilibrium
Have each student try to balance a wooden skewer
on their finger and compare it to trying to balance
a pencil on their finger. Then have three volunteer
students try to balance a broom on the narrow edge
of a meter stick.
Ask the following questions:
5. What do you notice about the skewer position on
your finger?
Answer: there are equal amounts of skewer on
each side of the finger.
6. What do you notice about the pencil’s position
on your finger?
Answer: there are unequal amounts of pencil on
each side of the finger.
7. What happened to the skewer (or pencil or
broom) when it was not balanced?
Answer: the object fell over OR rotated.
Lesson
Input
Whenever something rotates around a center
point, it is caused by torque. Understanding
torque can help make work easier. For instance, if
you cannot loosen a nut using a short wrench, you
can often do so using a longer wrench.
Here’s why:
d
Torque = T = Fd
F
d
F
16 | torque and static equiLibriuM
Lesson 2
Lesson cont’d
torque and static equilibrium
Notice that even though we apply the same force
to both wrenches, the larger wrench has a longer
length that gives a bigger “d” value. Multiply the
bigger “d” by the force and you get a bigger torque.
So holding the large wrench farther from the
center allows you loosen that sticky nut!
Objects can balance when two torques work in
opposite directions.
d1
d2
T1 = F1d1
T2 = F2d2
F1
F2
Modeling
Convert force (Newtons) to mass (kg) using
Newton’s Second Law, F = ma. (Use 9.8 m/sec2 for
the acceleration value.)
Application Activity
Procedure
1. Determine the exact mass of each of the two
masses. Use Newton’s Second Law equation
to convert the masses to gravity force (in
Newtons).
2. Without the masses, balance the ruler on
the pencil to determine the exact center
experimentally.
3. Place the ruler flat on a table. Put the smaller
mass at one end of the ruler. Record the
distance from the center (balance point) of the
ruler to the center of the small mass.
torque and static equiLibriuM
| 17
Lesson 2
Application Activity cont’d
Torque and Static Equilibrium
4. Use the torque equation to determine how far
from the center of the ruler to place the center of
the larger mass.
5. Set the two masses on the ruler at the points
you have determined. Slip the pencil under the
center (balance point) of the ruler. If you have
done everything right, it will balance perfectly!
Practice Problems
Have students complete the handout “Torque and
Static Equilibrium.”
Closure
Ask students the following questions:
1. When placing the skewer or pencil on your
finger, when was static equilibrium reached and
how do you know?
2. What did you learn about mass and distance
from the fulcrum in the gantry crane examples?
3. Using the information from question #2, how do
mass and distance relate to the pencil on your
finger when it was in static equilibrium?
4. What happens to an object like the skewer,
pencil and gantry crane when the torque on
either side of the fulcrum are not equal?
18 | Torque and Static Equilibrium
Torque and Static Equilibrium
Student Worksheet
Background
Giant gantry cranes, the soaring steel towers used for moving big
cargo containers on and off ships at the Port, are familiar sights
along the Long Beach coastline. New cranes, which cost about $7
million each, stand nearly as high as a 30-story office building.
They weigh about 150 tons and have arms that reach out 180
feet, across 22 rows of shipping containers. The Port has about 70
electrically powered gantry cranes in operation. With a skilled
operator in the driver’s seat, a crane can move a cargo container
to or from shore every 2-3 minutes.
Definitions:
Torque: _______________________________________________________
Fulcrum:_ ____________________________________________________ Static equilibrium:___________________________________________ Torque and Static Equilibrium
| 19
Lesson 2
Lesson two
Torque and Static Equilibrium
Worksheet
Lesson 2
Equations
Fulcrum
torque and static equilibrium
Counterweight
Torque = (distance from fulcrum) x (force)
d
F
(weight)
Load
(weight)
For objects in static equilibrium:
T1
T1
++ T2 T=
0=
2
d1
0
d2
d1F1 + d2F2 = 0.
or, recognizing that they
pull in opposite directions,
F1
F2
..d1F1 = d2F2..
Equations
In this activity, you will calculate to determine which gantry
crane is best suited to hold the each cargo load below while
keeping a static equilibrium.
Gantry
Crane
Counter
weight
force (N)
Counter weight
distance from
fulcrum (m)
Load distance
from fulcrum
(m)
A
B
C
294,000
294,000
294,000
56
49
41
54
54
54
Cargo: 22,800 kg
20 | torque and static equiLibriuM
Cargo: 31,000 kg
Cargo
Cargo
(kg)
Cargo: 27,200 kg
Lesson 2
Questions
1. What trend is evident regarding the cargo load and the
torque and static equilibrium
counterweight distance?
2. If the cargo load were 50,250 kg at a distance of 54 m from the
fulcrum, how far away should the counter weight be placed in order
to reach static equilibrium?
3. If the maximum distance the counterweight can be placed from the
fulcrum is 60 m, what would happen to the crane when trying to lift
the 50,250 kg cargo?
torque and static equiLibriuM
| 21
Lesson two
Torque and Static Equilibrium
Student Worksheet
Background
Giant gantry cranes, the soaring steel towers used for moving big
cargo containers on and off ships at the Port, are familiar sights
along the Long Beach coastline. New cranes, which cost about $7
million each, stand nearly as high as a 30-story office building.
They weigh about 150 tons and have arms that reach out 180
feet, across 22 rows of shipping containers. The Port has about 70
electrically powered gantry cranes in operation. With a skilled
operator in the driver’s seat, a crane can move a cargo container
to or from shore every 2-3 minutes.
Definitions:
Torque: the force on an object that produces rotational motion
about its axis or fulcrum
Fulcrum:the pivoting point in which a lever turns
Static equilibrium: objects that are not moving due to a net
force or torque of zero
Torque and Static Equilibrium
| 23
Torque and Static Equilibrium
Worksheet
Lesson 2
KEY
Lesson 2
Equations
Torque = (distance from fulcrum) x (force)
d
F
T = dF
torque and static equilibrium
Fulcrum
Counterweight
(weight)
Load
(weight)
For objects in static equilibrium:
T1
T1
++ T2 T=
0=
2
d1
0
d2
d1F1 + d2F2 = 0.
F1
or, recognizing that they
pull in opposite directions,
F2
..d1F1 = d2F2..
Equations
In this activity, you will calculate to determine which gantry
crane is best suited to hold the each cargo load below while
keeping a static equilibrium.
Gantry
Crane
Counter
weight
force (N)
Counter weight
distance from
fulcrum (m)
Load distance
from fulcrum
(m)
A
B
C
294,000
294,000
294,000
56
49
41
54
54
54
Cargo: 22,800 kg
24 | torque and static equiLibriuM
Cargo: 31,000 kg
Cargo
Cargo
(kg)
31,000
27,200
22,800
Cargo: 27,200 kg
Lesson 2
Questions
1. What trend is evident regarding the cargo load and the
torque and static equilibrium
counterweight distance?
Answer: The further back you set the counterweight, the heavier a
cargo container you can lift.
2. If the cargo load were 50,250 kg at a distance of 54 m from the
fulcrum, how far away should the counter weight be placed in order
to reach static equilibrium?
d1 = ?
d2 = 54 m
F1 = 294,000 N
F2 = (50,250 kg)(9.8m/sec2)
= 492,450 N
d1F1 = d2F2
F1
F1
d1 = d2F2 / F1
= (54 m)(492,450 N) / (294,000 N)
= 90.45 m.
3. If the maximum distance the counterweight can be placed from the
fulcrum is 60 m, what would happen to the crane when trying to lift
the 50,250 kg cargo?
Answer: It would experience a force trying to pull the crane forward
onto the ship. Fortunately, there are safety measures in place so that
the crane will not topple over on top of the ship.
torque and static equiLibriuM
| 25
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis
Lesson 3
Lesson three
Terminal Objective
Students will demonstrate an
CA Science Content
Standards:
analysis to convert from one unit to
Chemistry: Conservation of
Matter and Stoichiometry
amount.
3.a D
escribe chemical
reactions by writing
balanced equations.
3.b K
now the quantity one
mole is set by defining one
mole of carbon 12 atoms
to have a mass of exactly
12 grams.
understanding of how to use dimensional
another, while keeping the same actual
Students will gain first hand knowledge
about the Port of Long Beach and its
imports and exports.
Students will be able to convert into
and out of standard and metric units
Materials
Dimensional Analysis
Powerpoint
molecules, atoms, and thermodynamic
Time Required
1 class
and chemical units including moles,
units.
Students will get practice working in
scientific notation and significant figures.
Dimensional Analysis
| 27
Introduction of Lesson
Anticipatory Set
Dimensional Analysis
Lesson 3
Ask the students about the huge cargo ships out on
the water just outside Long Beach.
What are they doing there?
Answer: They are importing and exporting goods.
What kinds of materials and items do you think
the cargo ships bring into the port?
Where do these items come from? Are they manmade or natural materials?
What types of chemicals do you think are imported
and exported?
How can they keep track of how much material is
being imported?
This lesson will show you math that is used to keep
track of materials in the Port, and is also used to
keep track of materials in a chemical reaction.
Lesson
Input
Using the PowerPoint presentation, provide
background on dimensional analysis.
Outline:
The math used in chemistry is not as hard as it
looks.................................... slides 1-3
Cross-canceling examples............ slides 4-5
Making conversion factors. ............. slide 6
Sample problem....................... slides 7-8
Transition to worksheet................. slide 9
Both in chemistry and in real life, you can use
dimensional analysis. The trick is to find two ways
to describe the same thing.
28 | Dimensional Analysis
Lesson cont’d
Like 1 mole of carbon = 12 g or $1.70 = 1 gallon of gas
Dimensional Analysis
Lesson 3
If you turn them into fractions, they become the
nearly magical conversion factors.
The trick is to have one unit on the top of the
fraction and another on the bottom. Then you can
use the fraction to convert from one of the units to
the other!
Solving problems involves just three steps.
1. List the given information. (done)
2. Decide what you want to end up with.
3. Arrange the conversion factors to cancel what
you don’t want and leave what you do want.
Dimensional Analysis
| 29
Lesson three
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis
Directions
Have students complete the dimensional analysis worksheet.
This worksheet will provide you with dimensional analysis
practice. Dimensional Analysis conversion factors are below.
You will find molar masses (the conversion factors for going
between moles and grams) on a periodic table.
1000 Kg
1 metric ton
6.02 x 1023 units
1 mole
1000 g
1 Kg
Solve the following problems. Any conversion units not listed
above will be given in the problem.
1.
The Port of Long Beach imports more than 1.24 x 106 metric
tons of cement for construction in buildings every year.
Much of this cement is then shipped by train all over
America. How much mass is this in Kg?
2a. Thousands of construction items are shipped annually
through the Port. Gypsum is a compound that is used to
make “drywall” which is what makes up the inside walls of
your house. The formula for Gypsum is CaSO4 2H2O and is
Dimensional Analysis
Lesson 3
Worksheet
| 31
Questions
classified as a hydrate. Over 300,000 metric tons are shipped
Dimensional Analysis
Lesson 3
through the Port each year for many uses including the drywall,
and as an agent to help soften soil to help farming. How many
grams are shipped through the Port?
2b. The molar mass of gypsum, CaSO4 2H2O, is approximately
168.18 g/mol. How many moles of gypsum are shipped each
year through the Port?
3. The compound table salt, NaCl, is a common additive in many
chemical operations and is used in the food industry as a
preservative (and to make your food taste better). More than
8.5 x 105 metric tons are shipped into Long Beach each year.
If the molar mass of NaCl is 58.44 g/mol, how many moles are
shipped each year?
(Hint: Don’t forget to convert from metric tons to Kg, and from
Kg to g.)
4a. The Port of Long Beach exports 8.65 x 105 metric tons of
petroleum coke each year. Petroleum coke, which like coal is
made of carbon, is used in smelt factories to extract iron from
iron-ore. How many moles of carbon, molar mass of 12.01 g/
mol are imported every year into the US for industrial use?
4b. I f the heat produced by burning coal in oxygen is 635.5 Kilojoules for every mole (635.5KJ/mol), how much energy is
released by the burning of all of that coal (carbon) in the
United States?
32 | Dimensional Analysis
Questions cont’d
4c. 6.02 x 1023 atoms of carbon make up one mole of carbon. How
many atoms of carbon are imported into the United states
Lesson 3
annually?
Bonus Questions:
Dimensional Analysis
5a. A standard cargo container is 40 feet long by 8 feet wide by 9.5 feet
tall. How many cubic feet can a standard cargo container hold?
5b. A large container ship can carry 7,250 of these containers. What
total volume (in cubic feet) can a container ship hold?
Dimensional Analysis
| 33
Worksheet
Lesson three
Dimensional Analysis
Dimensional Analysis
Directions
Have students complete the dimensional analysis worksheet.
This worksheet will provide you with dimensional analysis
practice. Dimensional Analysis conversion factors are below.
You will find molar masses (the conversion factors for going
between moles and grams) on a periodic table.
1000 Kg
1 metric ton
6.02 x 1023 units
1 mole
1000 g
1 Kg
Solve the following problems. Any conversion units not listed
above will be given in the problem.
1.
The Port of Long Beach imports more than 1.24 x 106 metric
tons of cement for construction in buildings every year.
Much of this cement is then shipped by train all over
America. How much mass is this in Kg?
1.24 x 106 metric tons cement
1000 Kg
= 1.24 x 109 Kg cement
1 metric ton
Dimensional Analysis
Lesson 3
KEY
| 35
Questions
2a. Thousands of construction items are shipped annually
Dimensional Analysis
Lesson 3
through the Port. Gypsum is a compound that is used to
make “drywall” which is what makes up the inside walls of
your house. The formula for Gypsum is CaSO4 2H2O and is
classified as a hydrate. Over 300,000 metric tons are shipped
through the Port each year for many uses including the
drywall, and as an agent to help soften soil to help farming.
How many grams are shipped through the Port?
300,000 metric tons CaSO4 2H2O
1000 Kg
1000 g
1 metric ton
1 Kg
= 3 x 1011 g CaSO4 2H2O
2b. The molar mass of gypsum, CaSO4 2H2O, is approximately
168.18 g/mol. How many moles of gypsum are shipped each
year through the Port?
3 x 1011 g CaSO4 2H2O
1 mole
= 1.7938 x 109 mol ! 2 x 109 mol CaSO4 2H2O
168.18 g
3. The compound table salt, NaCl, is a common additive in many
chemical operations and is used in the food industry as a
preservative (and to make your food taste better). More than
8.5 x 105 metric tons are shipped into Long Beach each year.
If the molar mass of NaCl is 58.44 g/mol, how many moles are
shipped each year?
(Hint: Don’t forget to convert from metric tons to Kg, and from
Kg to g.)
8.5 x 105 metric tons NaCl
1000 Kg
1000 g
1 mol
1 metric ton
1 Kg
58.44
g
36 | Dimensional Analysis
= 1.5 x 1010 mol NaCl
Questions cont’d
4a. The Port of Long Beach exports 8.65 x 105 metric tons of petroleum
coke each year. Petroleum coke, which like coal is made of carbon,
Lesson 3
is used in smelt factories to extract iron from iron-ore. How many
moles of carbon, molar mass of 12.01 g/mol are imported every year
1000 Kg
5
8.65 x 10 metric tons C
1 metric ton
1000 g
1 Kg
1 mol
12.01 g
= 7.20 x 10
10
Dimensional Analysis
into the US for industrial use?
mol C
4b. I f the heat produced by burning coal in oxygen is 635.5 Kilo-joules
for every mole (635.5KJ/mol), how much energy is released by the
burning of all of that coal (carbon) in the Unites States?
7.20 x 1010 mol C
635.5 KJ
= 4.58 x 1013 KJ
1 mol C
… That’s almost 46 trillion kilojoules!
4c. 6.02 x 1023 atoms of carbon make up one mole of carbon. How
many atoms of carbon are imported into the United states
annually?
7.20 x 10
10
6.02 x 1023 atoms
mol C
= 4.33 x 1034 atoms C
1 mol
Bonus Questions:
5a. A standard cargo container is 40 feet long by 8 feet wide by 9.5 feet
tall. How many cubic feet can a standard cargo container hold?
1 container = 40 ft 8 ft 9.5 ft = 3040 ft3
5b. A large container ship can carry 7,250 of these containers. What
total volume (in cubic feet) can a container ship hold?
7,250 containers
3040 ft3
1 ship
1 container
= 22,040,000 ft3/ship = 2.204 x 107 ft3/ship
Dimensional Analysis
| 37
The Chemistry of Counting
(Limiting Reactants)
Terminal Objective
Students will determine the limiting
CA Science Content
Standards:
by applying the law of conservation of
Chemistry: Conservation of
Matter and Stoichiometry
of the objective by answering a series of
3.a D
escribe chemical
reactions by writing
balanced equations.
3.e C
alculate the masses of
reactants and products
in a chemical reaction
from the mass of one of
the reactants or products
and the relevant atomic
masses.
reactant from a given amount of reactants
matter. Students will show attainment
limiting reactant problems and creating
their own limiting reactant problem.
Materials
Limiting Reactants
Powerpoint
Time Required
1 class
The Chemistry of Counting
| 39
The Chemistry of Counting Lesson 4
Lesson four
Introduction of Lesson
The Chemistry of Counting Lesson 4
The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s busiest
seaports, a leading gateway for trade between the
United States and Asia. It supports millions of jobs
nationally and provides consumers and businesses
with billions of dollars in goods each year. East
Asian trade accounts for more than 90% of the
shipments through the Port. Some of the top
imports include petroleum, electronics, plastics,
furniture, and clothing. Some of the top exports
include petroleum and petroleum coke, waste
paper, chemicals, scrap metal, and plastic.
In this lesson, students will learn how to use a
balanced equation to determine the ratio between
the quantity of reactants by using an analogy
involving the exporting of chemicals through the
Port of Long Beach.
Anticipatory Set
Anytime a product is assembled from parts, one
missing part will prevent a complete product
from being assembled. This is true when building
bicycles, making sandwiches, and performing
chemical reactions. Below is an example from our
macroscopic world.
Suppose you work in a sandwich shop and you
received a rush order for 1000 turkey and cheese
sandwiches. (It requires 2 slices of bread, 1 slice of
cheese, and 3 slices of turkey to make 1 sandwich.)
• Can you fulfill this order if your sandwich shop
is stocked with 2600 slices of bread, 1200 slices of
cheese, and 2700 slices of turkey?
• How many sandwiches can you make?
40 | The Chemistry of Counting
Quantities are not always given in number of
items. Suppose your deli is stocked with 150 loaves
of bread (1 loaf has 20 slices), 20 pounds of cheese
(1 pound has 40 slices), and 60 pound of turkey
(1 pound. has 20 slices).
Introduction of Lesson cont’d
• How many whole sandwiches can you make?
• Which ingredient ran out?
• How many slices of excess ingredients remain?
Lesson
Input
the chemistry of counting Lesson 4
When a chemical reaction is performed in the
laboratory, chemists often supply the necessary
amount of reactants so that one reactant will not
run out before the other. When chemicals are mixed
together in these quantities, the mixture is said to be
stoichiometric. However, stoichiometric mixtures are
not always practical or desired for every reaction.
Suppose the Port of Long Beach exports two chemicals
(A and B) to be assembled overseas.
The chemical to be assembled has a molecular formula
of AB2; that is, it takes one A and two B’s to produce
one AB2.
Chemists use what is called a skeleton equation to
illustrate the bare bones of a chemical reaction. The
skeleton equation for this reaction is:
A
+
B
→
AB2
+
!
In a chemical reaction, atoms are neither created nor
destroyed. In a balanced chemical equation there
must be the same number of each type of atom on the
reactant and product sides of the arrow.
the cheMistry of counting
| 41
Lesson cont’d
The balanced equation for this reaction is:
A
+
2B
→
AB2
+
+
!
the chemistry of counting Lesson 4
If the port exports 1000 ‘A’ containers and 1000
‘B’ containers, how many ‘AB2’ containers can be
assembled?
As you probably realized, the amount of products
that could be assembled is based on the amount
of reactants supplied. Since the product (AB2)
requires 2 ‘B’s for every 1 ‘A’, 1000 ‘A’ containers
would require 2000 ‘B’ containers. In this case ‘B’
would run out before ‘A’. The reactant that runs out
first in a chemical reaction is called the limiting
reactant.
What does this information tell us?
It tells us which reactant limits the formation of
products. If one of the reactants runs out, no more
product can be made.
Calculating the amount of product produced must
be done with the limiting reactant. As soon as this
reactant runs out the reaction is finished.
Therefore, 500 products can be made from this
reaction.
= 500 AB2
Modeling
42 | the cheMistry of counting
Identify the limiting reactant when 500 ‘A’
containers reacts with 1200 ‘B’ containers.
Modeling cont’d
The Chemistry of Counting Lesson 4
The solution to this problem can be found in many
ways. Here is an example.
• Choose a reactant (either A or B).
• Use the quantity of that reactant to find out how
much of the other reactant is needed.
� 500 A = 1000 B containers required
Since you have 1200 ‘B’ containers and only need
1000 ‘B’ containers, this is the excess reactant.
Container ‘A’ must be the limiting reactant.
or
� 1200 B = 600 A containers required
Since you have 500 ‘A’ containers and need a total
of 600 ‘A’ containers, this is the limiting reactant.
Container ‘B’ must be in excess.
As you can see, the limiting reactant can be
identified from either reactant and the ratio
between the reactants. The ratios used in this
exercise come from the balanced equation.
A + 2B ! AB2
and
Practice Problems
1. For the reaction shown, find the limiting
reactant when 0.90 mol of Cr reacts with
0.60 mol of O2.
4Cr + 3O2 → 2Cr2O3
Answer: O2 is the limiting reactant.
2. Find the limiting reactant when 5.0 mol Mg
reacts with 4.0 mol O2.
2Mg + O2 → 2MgO
Answer: Mg is the limiting reactant.
3. C
alculate the amount of moles of Al needed
to react completely with 5.0 mol CuCl2. (The
equation below is not balanced.)
The Chemistry of Counting
| 43
Practice Problems cont’d
Redox Reactions
The Chemistry
Lessonof5Counting Lesson 4
Al + CuCl2 → Cu + AlCl3
Answer: 3.3 mol of Al
4. Identify the limiting reactant and calculate how
much excess reactant will remain when 2.0 mol
Na reacts with 1.0 mol O2?
Na
+ O2 → Na2O
Answer: Na is the limiting reactant. 0.5
mol of O2 will remain after the reaction is
complete.
5. Write the mole ratio that you would use to
calculate the amount of oxygen needed to react
with methane. (The equation below is not
balanced.)
CH4 + O2 → CO2 + H2O
Answer: 2 mol O2 / 1 mol CH4
Closure
Students will reread the anticipatory set and write
a scenario that involves a limiting reactant similar
to the sandwich analogy. Make up your own and
exchange your problem with another classmate.
Answer their question, exchange again and grade
their response.
44 | The
Chemistry
of Counting
Redox
Reactions
Redox Reactions
Lesson five
CA Science Content
Standards:
drawing the flow of electrons during a
Chemistry: Conservation of
Matter and Stoichiometry
be able to balance basic redox reactions.
3.a D
escribe chemical
reactions by writing
balanced equations.
3.g I dentify reactions that
involve oxidation and
reduction and how
to balance oxidationreduction reactions.
of oxidation/reduction reactions by
redox reaction in a battery. They will also
Students will explain how more reactive
metals lose their electrons and less reactive
metals keep their electrons by reading a
reduction potential sheet. The students
Redox Reactions
Students will demonstrate understanding
Lesson 5
Terminal Objective
will be able to explain how these concepts
Materials
Redox Reactions Powerpoint
ships.
Time Required
1 class
apply to the use of zinc underneath cargo
Redox Reactions
| 45
Introduction of Lesson
The Port of Long Beach is the second largest port
in the United States, only slightly smaller than its
neighbor the Port of Los Angeles.
anode
cathode
electricity
corrosion / corrode
electrolyte
electrolytic solution
reduction
oxidation
redox
Redox Reactions
Lesson 5
Key Vocabulary
The Port of Long Beach serves huge ocean-going
cargo ships importing and exporting more than
$140 billion worth of goods each year. Transporting
this volume of goods yearly requires thousands of
ships sailing across the oceans every year. These
ships are sailing through very corrosive salt water
which corrodes the outer iron hulls, oxidizing the
iron into rust.
Steps are taken to keep the cargo ships from
rusting. Large pieces of zinc, which is more
reactive than iron, are placed on the propeller shaft
and outside of the hull so that oxidation will occur
to the zinc and less so with the iron. So, instead
of replacing entire hulls of ships which would be
extremely expensive, zinc anodes are used which
oxidize and are easily replaced at a fraction of the
cost.
Anticipatory Set:
Say to the students:
“Who has ever seen the huge cargo ships out on
the water just outside Long Beach? What are they
doing there?”
“What happens to iron, like a nail or screw, if
you just leave it sitting outside for a week or two?
Let’s quickly review from what we have learned
about redox reactions, and again explain how rust
occurs.”
46 | Redox Reactions
“Well, boats are made out of iron, their propellers
are also, and guess what happens if you leave them
in water for a long time? If the ocean-going cargo
ships are 20 years old, does anyone have an idea of
how they aren’t all rusted away?”
Lesson
For teachers:
There are two main factors that keep ships from
rusting:
• paint protection – shields the metal, keeping iron
from coming in direct contact with ocean water
• cathodic protection – use of a reactive metal like
zinc that will lose its electrons more readily than
iron when placed in the water
Input:
Using the Redox Reactions PowerPoint, provide
background.
Redox Reactions
Lesson 5
When two metals are submerged into an
electrolytic solution and touched together,
electricity is produced by flowing electrons out of
one of the metals. You can see the propeller has lost
some of its metal.
To keep the metal in the propeller from corroding,
the reactive metal of zinc is oxidized and turned
into ions, instead of the propeller.
About redox reactions:
• Redox reactions occur when there is a gain and
loss of electrons from different reactants.
• Reduction and oxidation go hand in hand.
• If one compound loses 10e-, than another has to
gain 10e-.
• The following reactions show metals reacting and
exchanging electrons with each other and with
non-metals:
For instance, if you put copper metal into a solution
of silver nitrate (AgNO3), you will see the copper
begin to dissolve as dark silver solid begins to
appear.
For redox reactions, start with half of the reaction
at a time.
Redox Reactions
| 47
Lesson cont’d
Copper loses electrons:
Cu(s) → Cu2+(aq) + 2eSilver ions pick up electrons:
Cu(s) → Cu2+(aq) + 2eAg+ (aq) + e- → Ag(s)
Balance the electrons:
Cu(s) → Cu2+(aq) + 2e2 Ag+ (aq) + 2e- → 2Ag(s)
____________________________________
Lesson 5
Add together:
Cu(s) → Cu2+(aq) + 2e-
2 Ag+ (aq) + 2e- → 2Ag(s)
Redox Reactions
2Ag+ (aq) + Cu(s) → 2Ag(s) + Cu2+(aq)
Electrons were gained by the Ag and lost by the Cu.
The Ag was reduced and the Cu was oxidized.
Even aluminum can “rust” or oxidize.
This is a redox reaction, because any time
something gets oxidized, something else must be
reduced. (The electrons have to go somewhere!)
How many electrons transfer in each half reaction?
How many electrons in each half reaction?
Al(s) → Al3+(aq) +eO2(g) + e- → 2O2-(aq)
Balance the electrons:
4[Al(s) → Al3+(aq) + 3e- ]
3[O2(g) + e- → 2O2-(aq)]
3O2(g) + 4Al(s) → 4Al3+(aq) + 6O2-(aq) ]
48 | Redox Reactions
Lesson cont’d
Cadmium ripping off iron’s electrons:
Fe0 → Fe2+2e-
2e- + Cd2+ → Cd0
Cd2+ + Fe0 → Fe2+ + Cd0
Our trouble-making reaction. Iron going to rust:
4[Fe0 → Fe3 + 3e-]
3[4e- + O2 → 2O2-]
4 Fe0+ 3O2 → 4Fe3+ + 6O2-
→ 2Fe2O3(s) (RUST)
Redox Reactions
Lesson 5
• Students should balance additional redox
reactions and research where some of those
chemical reactions actually take place and matter.
• Demonstrate or have students make electrolytic
cells as shown on the last presentation slide. This
is a great way to give the students a hands-on
experience and see how simple a battery really is.
Culminating Activity
• Have the students draw a circuit with a light bulb
and a battery which has an aluminum anode
and a cadmium cathode. Have them draw and
explain why the electrons move through the
light in the direction they do (use the standard
reduction potentials chart).
• Have students write a tie-in back to the idea of the
ships in the port and why they use a zinc anode
with the iron ships so that the iron doesn’t wear
away so quickly.
Redox Reactions
| 49
Equilibrium
Lesson Six
CA Science Content
Standards:
molecular level.
Chemistry: Chemical
Equilibrium
Students will demonstrate their
9.a E
quilibrium is established
when forward and reverse
reaction rates are equal.
9.b H
ow to write and
calculate an equilibrium
constant expression for a
reaction.
equilibrium is a dynamic process at the
understanding of this concept by
comparing container trade with chemical
reactions and solving equilibrium
problems involving the equilibrium
constant (K).
Materials
Equilibrium Powerpoint
Container Movement
Powerpoint
Time Required
1 class
Equilibrium
| 51
Equilibrium
Students will understand that chemical
Lesson 6
Terminal Objective
Introduction of Lesson
The Port of Long Beach is one of the world’s busiest
seaports, a leading gateway for trade between the
United States and Asia. East Asian trade accounts
for more than 90% of the shipments through the
port.
In today’s global economy, the effort involved
in transporting goods between manufacturers,
retailers and consumers across the planet is
remarkable in its scale and sophistication. The
enormous quantities and economic value of cargo
being transported through seaports, such as the
Port of Long Beach, demands a flexible, efficient
and well-organized supply chain.
Lesson 6
Today’s system is made possible through the use of
metal cargo containers, which revolutionized the
maritime industry soon after they were introduced
in the late 1950s. Cargo containers act as individual
storage units that can be switched quickly between
ships, trucks and trains. Cargo containers hold just
about any consumer item -- shoes, computers, auto
parts or frozen seafood.
Equilibrium
In this lesson, students will analyze data regarding
container trade in TEU’s to understand that
equilibrium is a dynamic process.
*One TEU is a Twenty-foot Equivalent Container.
Anticipatory Set:
Can you think of situations in science, economics,
and politics that have a balancing of competing
influences?
• Examples include:
– Science
• Homeostasis—the ability of an open system to
regulate its internal environment.
• Mechanical equilibrium—the state in which the
sum of the forces is zero.
52 | Equilibrium
Introduction of Lesson cont’d
– Economics
• Equilibrium price—the price at which supply
equals demand.
– Politics
• Elections
• Separation of powers: executive, legislative, and
judicial
Lesson
Lesson 6
Input:
• When you hear the word static, what comes to
mind?
– List a few words that you associate with static.
• When you hear the word dynamic, what comes to
mind?
– List a few words that you associate with
dynamic.
• What do you think static means?
• What do you think dynamic means?
• A simplistic definition of static is unchanging.
• A simplistic definition of dynamic is in motion,
changing.
1. Are the empty containers inbound or outbound?
How do you know?
2. What is static about container trade with East Asia?
3. What is dynamic about container trade with East Asia?
Equilibrium
Take a look at the chart below depicting container
trade through the Port of Long Beach and consider
the three questions that follow.
Equilibrium
| 53
Lesson cont’d
If you look at the data you can see that container
trade between East Asia and the Port of Long Beach
has reached equilibrium.
– Equilibrium does not imply that the number of
containers in East Asian ports are equal to the
number of containers in Long Beach.
If the numbers of containers in each port are not
equal, then what is equal in this equilibrium?
Lesson 6
Let’s take another look at the data and find out.
• Inbound
– There were approximately 261,000 loaded
inbound TEU’s for the month of January.
• Outbound
– There were approximately 122,000 loaded
outbound TEU’s and approximately 138,000
empty TEU’s for the month of January.
261,000 ≈ 122,000 + 138,000
Equilibrium
Equilibrium is a dynamic process. Containers
continually move between ports. However,
the number of containers at each port remains
relatively static due to the importing and exporting
of the same number of containers on a monthly
basis.
Take a look at the four slides that show the
movement of containers between East Asia and the
Port of Long Beach (available on Powerpoint).
• Chemical equilibrium, like the Port analogy,
is a highly dynamic process at the molecular
level. Chemical equilibrium only appears to be
static because the concentrations of reactants and
products do not change.
Dynamic: the chemical reaction continues in
the forward and reverse directions. Nitrogen and
hydrogen react to form ammonia and ammonia
breaks into hydrogen and nitrogen at the same
rate.
NH3
N2 + H2 54 | Equilibrium
Lesson cont’d
Static: at equilibrium the concentrations of
reactants and products remain unchanged.
The equilibrium condition follows this general
description for a chemical reaction where lower
case letters are the coefficients used to balance the
equation.
K=
[C]C [D]D
[A]A [B]B
aA + bB
cC + dD
At a constant temperature, the equilibrium
constant (K) does not change.
Lesson 6
Modeling
Equilibrium
Consider the data for a set of equilibrium positions
for the reaction between hydrogen and nitrogen to
form ammonia.
NH3(g)
N2(g) + H2 (g)
During an experiment at a constant temperature,
the initial concentrations of [N2], [H2], and [NH3]
were 1.00M, 1.00M and 0 respectively.
At equilibrium, the concentrations were found to
be:
[N2] = 0.875 M
[H2] = 0.598 M
[NH3] = 0.105 M
What is the value of the equilibrium constant (K)?
N2 (g)
0.875M
+
3H2 (g)
0.598M
2NH3(g)
0.105M
Equilibrium
| 55
Modeling cont’d
1. Write the equilibrium expression for the
reaction.
[NH3]2
[N2][H2]3
K=
2. Use the concentrations at equilibrium to find K.
(0.105)2
K=
(0.875)(0.598)3
K = 0.0589
What is the concentration of ammonia when the
equilibrium concentrations of N2 and H2 are 0.231
M and 0.629 M respectively?
N2(g)
Lesson 6
+
0.231 M
3H2(g)
2NH3(g)
0.629 M ?
*Remember that K was found to be 0.0589 for this
reaction at the temperature given.
Equilibrium
Algebraically rearrange this equation to solve
for [NH3] and plug in the data to find the molar
concentration of ammonia.
56 | Equilibrium
[NH3]2
[N2][H2]3
K=
[NH3]
=
K [N2][H2]3
[NH3]
=
(0.0589)(0.231)(0.629)3
[NH3]
=
.00339 M
Guided Practice:
Write equilibrium expressions for these reactions.
2SO3(g)
2SO2(g) + O2(g)
[SO3]2
[SO2]2 [O2]
4NH3(g) + 7O2(g)
K=
K=
4NO2(g) + 6H2O(g)
[NO2]4 [H2O]6
[NH3]4 [O2]7
Practice Problems
Equilibrium
Lesson 6
1. Calculate the value for the equilibrium constant
K for the reaction below when the equilibrium
concentrations are given below.
1.50M
1.25M
3.50M
2SO3(g)
2SO2(g) + O2(g)
Answer: The equilibrium constant is a
number without a unit. K=4.36.
2. What is the equilibrium concentration of O2
when the concentrations of SO2 and SO3 are 2.27
M and 3.21 M respectively?
Answer: [O2] = 0.459 M
Closure
Ask students:
What is static about chemical equilibrium?
What makes chemical equilibrium a highly
dynamic process?
Have students write a 1 or 2 paragraph response to
the following prompt.
Explain the similarities and difference between
container trade and chemical equilibrium.
Equilibrium
| 57
Ballast Water and the Problem
of the Unwanted Invaders
Lesson Seven
Students will be able to describe how
CA Science Content
Standards:
an environmental problem for local
Biology: Ecology
ecosystems. They will also identify and
evaluate possible solutions.
What students should be able to explain
after this lesson:
Invasive species are a major threat to our
environment because they
• can change an entire habitat, placing
ecosystems at risk
• crowd out or replace native species that
6.b S
tudents know how to
analyze changes in an
ecosystem resulting
from changes in
climate, human activity,
introduction of nonnative
species, or changes in
population size.
Materials
Waterfront Wildlife
Protection Video
Ballast Water
ballast water exchange can create
Time Required
1 class
are beneficial to a habitat
• damage human enterprise, such as
fisheries, costing the economy millions
of dollars
Ballast Water and the Problem of the Unwanted Invaders
Lesson 7
Terminal Objective
| 59
Introduction of Lesson
Essential Questions:
How does the introduction of an exotic species
affect a marine environment?
Key Vocabulary
native species
invasive species
ballast water
food chain
competition
Does that have an effect on other interrelated
ecosystems and their inhabitants?
Background:
Every hour an average of more than 2 million
gallons of ballast water, meaning 2 million gallons
of foreign plankton, are released in U.S. waters.
Ballast water may be the source of the largest
volume of foreign organisms released on a daily
basis into American ecosystems.
(Source: James T. Carlton, Endangered Species
Update Vol.12, 1995)
Ballast Water
Lesson 7
The Big Issue:
Invasive species prey on native species, reducing
and eventually eliminating major links within the
food chain. Damage can be widespread, both in
environmental and economic arenas.
What is ballast water?
Ballast water is carried in unladen ships to provide
stability. It is taken on board at the port before the
voyage begins and tiny stowaways, in the form
of marine organisms, are taken on board with it.
During the voyage, temperature changes in the
ballast water and lack of food and light kill many,
but not all, of these organisms. At the ships’
destination, the cargo is loaded and the ballast
water, with its surviving stowaway organisms,
is pumped out. Some of these organisms then
establish populations in the surrounding waters.
These organisms can be virulent microbes as well.
Recently cholera was discovered in ballast water off
the coast of Queensland, Australia.
60 | Ballast Water and the Problem of the Unwanted Invaders
Introduction of Lesson cont’d
Facts about introduced species:
• Compared to other threats to biodiversity, invasive
introduced species rank second only to habitat
destruction, such as forest clearing.
• Of all 1,880 imperiled species in the United States,
49% are endangered because of introduced species
alone or because of their impact combined with
other forces.
• In fact, introduced species are a greater threat to
native biodiversity than pollution, harvest, and
disease combined.
• Further, through damage to agriculture,
forestry, fisheries, and other human enterprises,
introduced species inflict an enormous economic
cost, estimated at $137 billion per year to the U.S.
economy alone.
• Of course, some introduced species (such as
most of our food crops and pets) are beneficial.
However, others are very damaging.
(Facts from Actionbioscience)
Ballast Water and the Problem of the Unwanted Invaders
Ballast Water
Lesson 7
Anticipatory Set:
Create a “Wanted” poster and dossier for a local
invasive species (Acanthogobius flavimanus,
the Yellowfin Goby, due to its prevalence in the
Southern California waterways). Pass out the
information to students and role play the part of
a government scientist briefing her staff about
the latest invasive threat to our local ecosystems.
Give students the basic information about the
species, and the map showing the distribution
of the invasion. Then instruct the students to
form inquiry teams and come up with rational
explanations (they must use justification to support
their idea) of how the species showed up in our
area. Allow students 10 minutes to brainstorm and
collect their thoughts, then allow each team one
minute to share their ideas with the class.
| 61
Lesson
Input:
If the class did not come up with the idea of the
invader hitching a ride on a cargo ship, try to elicit
information out of the class about trade and port
commerce in Southern California.
ballast Water
Lesson 7
(Graphic source: GloBallast Programme IMO)
Explain to students that these species are looking
to adapt to their new environment and survive.
To do that, they will have to compete with the
local residents for resources that it takes to sustain
life. If an introduced species executes a successful
invasion, it can cause a range of ecological
impacts:
° competing with native species for food,
substrate, and other resources
° preying upon native species
° altering habitat
° altering environmental conditions (i.e.,
increased water clarity due to increased filter
feeding)
° altering the food chain
° displacing species and possibly causing
extinctions.
62 | baLLast Water and the probLeM of the unWanted invaders
Lesson cont’d
The invasions can also have a huge impact on our
economy and affect more than just the marine
organisms in the local waters:
° reduction in fishery production
° physical impacts on coastal infrastructure
° reduction of efficiency in shipping
° closure of beaches and coastlines due to toxic
algal blooms
° human health impacts from introduced
pathogens
° the cost of addressing this issue
Lesson 7
So what is being done about this problem?
Global trade and commerce is vital to our livelihood
and has been going on for thousands of years.
The question becomes how can the shipping
and maritime industries minimize the threat of
introducing exotic species into local waters thus
reducing the possibility of ecosystem alteration
and destruction? California passed a law in 2000
requiring all international shipping lines to
exchange ballast water offshore, well outside local
port waters. Students can evaluate whether or not
this is a solution, or whether this still creates a
problem.
Ballast Water and the Problem of the Unwanted Invaders
Ballast Water
The Port of Long Beach discussed this issue and
their solution briefly on a video clip and on their
website:(see the “Waterfront Wildlife Protection”
video) Have the students watch the clip, then
discuss whether they believe this is a viable
solution, or if they have ideas for anything more
that could be done to help stop invasive species
from being introduced to our marine ecosystems.
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Closure
Have students summarize the problem and what
can be done about it in exactly 12 words. Share a
few examples with the class.
Extension
Allow students to check out Columbia University’s
“Introduced Species Summary Project:”
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/
invasion_bio/inv_spp_summ/invbio_plan_report_
home.html
If you would like to incorporate reading and a
text-based activity into this lesson, look at the
Encyclopedia of Earth online,
http://www.eoearth.org/article/Exotic_species.
Ballast Water
Lesson 7
Have students research an introduced species that
is a threat to our local area in Southern California.
Have them summarize the findings and report back
to the class about it. This report should include
possible solutions or ideas to help remediate the
problem.
64 | Ballast Water and the Problem of the Unwanted Invaders
Worksheet
Lesson Seven
Wanted: Dead or Alive
Also known as: “Yellowfin Goby” or “Japanese River Goby”
Crimes:
• taking the place of native staghorns
• stealing food from local tidewater goby
• changing the local environment
• illegal immigration from Japan
Last Seen:
ballast Water
Lesson 7
Established in coastal and inland waters of central and southern California.
Your job science sleuths:
Propose a method for how the invader arrived in California. Remember,
you need to justify your idea, not just state your hypothesis.
baLLast Water and the probLeM of the unWanted invaders
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