NAUTIL.US | TEXT SETS
Fusion: when two or more nuclei collide, fusing to make a new nucleus and releasing energy. This pro- cess usually only occurs in atoms lighter than iron.
Chemical bond: an attraction between two or more atoms that allows them to form a substance of defi- nite chemical composition. Breaking these bonds requires energy.
Petroleum: a “fossil fuel” that forms when organisms are crushed under rock and subjected to lots of pres- sure, and lots of time. Like the organisms it’s made of, petroleum consists largely of carbon.
READING COMPREHENSION
1. “Each of those waste molecules is a carbon atom bome on two atomic wings of oxygen.” Write out the chemical equation for the molecule described here.
2. “Organic” is used in two different ways in this piece. What are the two different definitions?
3. What does it mean for a chemical to be “highly reactive?” Identify oxygen’s location on the peri- odic table, the group of atoms that it belongs to, and why they are considered “highly reactive.”
4. Which elements on the periodic table are the leastreactive?
5. “Fossil-based carbon dioxide molecules that are not soaked up by oceans or stranded in the upper atmosphere are eventually captured by plants, shorn of their oxygen wings, and woven into botanical sugars and starches.” What is the process described here? (Hint: it is mentioned by name later in the piece.) Write down the equa- tion for this reaction.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. “Chemophobia” ts the fear of chemicals. What are some chemophobic practices or products that we engage with? Are there good reasons to be afraid of chemicals?
2. How does the story change the way you see your- self? Others?
ACTIVITIES
1. Pick an element not discussed in this article. Where else is it found? Where did it come from?
2. Draw a map or annotated illustration of all the places carbon goes in this article. Use outside research to complete a full picture of the carbon cycle.
ADDITIONAL MULTIMEDIA
1. Whose air do you share? (It’s OK To Be Smart, PBS) 3 MIN 30 SEC A video that explains how we breathe recycled ait—including molecules of air exhaled by Ein- stein himself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BybkIysAKe
2. We Are Star Stuff segment (Carl Sagan’s Cosmos) 8 MIN Carl Sagan explains how the elements of life were born in stars, evolved into simple organ- isms, then into us: imtelligent creatures, capable of exploring the stars we came from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE9dEAx5 Sew
3. The Microbes We’re Made Of (Smithsonian.com) 2 MIN 30 SEC We’re not just made of waste. We’re made of trillions of other organisms. This video provides a quick exploration of the microbiome crucial to keeping our bodies working, and what we’re doing to kill them: http://www.smithsonianmag. com/videos/category/3play_1/ the-microbes-were-made-of/?no-ist
WHERE THIS FITS IN THE CURRICULUM
Chemical Reactions (HS-PS 1-2) Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of chemical properties.
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