Dad needs help with helping son with home work

[Walt]

Hello Newsgroup,

I have a child in independent studies and am trying to help him with
his science studies. Its been 30+ years since I did anything in
science and the book is greek to me. So any help with helping me to
understand the following would be greatly appreciated.


The chapter review is due on Tuesday Oct 17. Any help is appreciated.


Here are the questions and where possible my best guess


Using the equation below complete the statements below
Na + AgCl -> NaCl +Ag


A. This is a (single replacement/decompostion) reaction.


B. The mass of Na +AgCl must equal the mass of AG / NaCL + Ag). I
don't think this means division, but are the choices for the answer.


My Answer is NaCl + Ag (law of conservation of matter, I think)


C. One of hte reactants in this equation is (na/NaCl)


D. One product of this equation is (AgCl/NaCl)
I think it is AgCl as NaCl is one of the elements within the
equation.


E. This equation is (balanced/unbalanced)


Looks balanced to me, but not real sure. Don't know how to tell

if this is correct or not.


F. The nonmetal ion is this equation is (Ag+1 /CL-1)


The book my son is using is Globe Physical Science by Bryan Bunch and
Marie E. Marshall, Unit 5 review is what I am trying to assist with.

[Bob]

Post by Walt
Hello Newsgroup,
I have a child in independent studies and am trying to help him with
his science studies. Its been 30+ years since I did anything in
science and the book is greek to me. So any help with helping me to
understand the following would be greatly appreciated.

"Dad",

Please, do the child a favor and get him a tutor for this subject
matter. It may be reasonable that you are not knowledgeable in this
area, but what you wrote below is not very good, not only on content,
but also on the ability to use a book. I was surprised to see your
note about the book you are using, since the main part of the message
suggests that neither you nor the child have access to a book. If he
is trying to learn, he needs to learn to read a book, and look things
up. It is scary that you are trying to teach this material.

My understanding is that it is common for people who teach their kids
at home to bring in "expertise" in specialized areas as needed.

Post by Walt
The chapter review is due on Tuesday Oct 17. Any help is appreciated.
Here are the questions and where possible my best guess

Guessing has nothing to do with it. Certainly a teacher should not be
guessing. Everything has a reason.

Post by Walt
Using the equation below complete the statements below
Na + AgCl -> NaCl +Ag
A. This is a (single replacement/decompostion) reaction.

So what do those terms mean? When you know what they mean, you apply
that understanding to this case. Teach the child to look things up!

Post by Walt
B. The mass of Na +AgCl must equal the mass of AG / NaCL + Ag). I
don't think this means division, but are the choices for the answer.
My Answer is NaCl + Ag (law of conservation of matter, I think)

yes, good -- including reason.

Post by Walt
C. One of hte reactants in this equation is (na/NaCl)

What does the word reactant mean? Where are reactants in a chemical
equation -- any chemical equation?

Post by Walt
D. One product of this equation is (AgCl/NaCl)
I think it is AgCl as NaCl is one of the elements within the
equation.

That makes no sense -- in multiple ways.

NaCl is not an "element".

What is a product? (See previous question.)

Post by Walt
E. This equation is (balanced/unbalanced)
Looks balanced to me, but not real sure. Don't know how to tell
if this is correct or not.

You just contradicted yourself. If you think it looks balanced, why do
you think that? The whole point is how you tell. What is the point of
a balanced equation?

Post by Walt
F. The nonmetal ion is this equation is (Ag+1 /CL-1)

Look at your periodic table. Where are the metals and non-metals?


bob

Post by Walt
The book my son is using is Globe Physical Science by Bryan Bunch and
Marie E. Marshall, Unit 5 review is what I am trying to assist with.

[Walt]

Bob,

Thanks for provoking some thought into this, could you be so kind to
verify the answers below.

Walt

Post by Bob

Post by Walt
Hello Newsgroup,
I have a child in independent studies and am trying to help him with
his science studies. Its been 30+ years since I did anything in
science and the book is greek to me. So any help with helping me to
understand the following would be greatly appreciated.

"Dad",
Please, do the child a favor and get him a tutor for this subject
matter. It may be reasonable that you are not knowledgeable in this
area, but what you wrote below is not very good, not only on content,
but also on the ability to use a book. I was surprised to see your
note about the book you are using, since the main part of the message
suggests that neither you nor the child have access to a book. If he
is trying to learn, he needs to learn to read a book, and look things
up. It is scary that you are trying to teach this material.
My understanding is that it is common for people who teach their kids
at home to bring in "expertise" in specialized areas as needed.

Post by Walt
The chapter review is due on Tuesday Oct 17. Any help is appreciated.
Here are the questions and where possible my best guess

Guessing has nothing to do with it. Certainly a teacher should not be
guessing. Everything has a reason.

Post by Walt
Using the equation below complete the statements below
Na + AgCl -> NaCl +Ag
A. This is a (single replacement/decompostion) reaction.

So this is a single replacement reaction as the chlorine element is
the replacement element, and it is a balanced equation.

Post by Bob

Post by Walt
B. The mass of Na +AgCl must equal the mass of AG / NaCL + Ag). I
don't think this means division, but are the choices for the answer.
My Answer is NaCl + Ag (law of conservation of matter, I think)
C. One of the reactants in this equation is (na/NaCl)

The reactants are at the begining or to the left of the equation so the reactant is sodium (Na) and the chlorine (Cl).
What does the word reactant mean? Where are reactants in a chemical
equation -- any chemical equation?

Post by Walt
D. One product of this equation is (AgCl/NaCl)
So the product of this equation is NaCl
E. This equation is (balanced/unbalanced)
The equation is balanced because the elements are the same on each side of the equation. .
F. The nonmetal ion is this equation is (Ag+1 /CL-1)

Ag is silver so this is the metal, making Cl the non metal.

Walt

Post by Bob

Post by Walt
The book my son is using is Globe Physical Science by Bryan Bunch and
Marie E. Marshall, Unit 5 review is what I am trying to assist with.

[Bob]

Post by Walt

Post by Bob

Post by Walt
Using the equation below complete the statements below
Na + AgCl -> NaCl +Ag
A. This is a (single replacement/decompostion) reaction.

So this is a single replacement reaction

yes

Post by Walt
as the chlorine element is
the replacement element,

This may be a terminology point; books may differ on how they describe
the same thing. So if your book says differently than what I say,
follow the book -- for now.

The more common description would be to say that the sodium replaces
the silver (in the sense of being what is "joined" with the Cl).

I am not familiar with the term "the replacement element", but perhaps
this book uses it -- and defines it.

Post by Walt
and it is a balanced equation.

Well, yes. But again, what is important is to understand how you tell.
In high school chem, the student will learn to make equations
balanced. And a key part of that is knowing how to tell. [I see; you
discussed this below. I'll leave what I wrote here anyway.]

An equation is balanced when there is the same number of each kind of
atom on each side -- noting is created or destroyed. In this case,
there is one each of Ag, Na, Cl -- on each side. balanced.


H2O --> H2 + O2 is NOT balanced -- cuz there are 2 O on the right, but
only one on the left.


Note that the idea of an eqn being balanced is closely related to the
conservation of mass, which you already invoked. Conservation of mass
is something we can observe; the reason for it is that atoms just
"move around", but are not created or destroyed (in chemical
reactions).

Post by Walt

Post by Bob

Post by Walt
B. The mass of Na +AgCl must equal the mass of AG / NaCL + Ag). I
don't think this means division, but are the choices for the answer.
My Answer is NaCl + Ag (law of conservation of matter, I think)

yes

Post by Walt

Post by Bob

Post by Walt
C. One of the reactants in this equation is (na/NaCl)

The reactants are at the begining or to the left of the equation

yes -- the things that react (that are present at the beginning)

Post by Walt
so the reactant is sodium (Na) and the chlorine (Cl).

The eqn is
Na + AgCl -> NaCl +Ag

So your answer there does not agree with the reason you just gave. The
eqn has Na and AgCl on the left; those are the reactants.

Post by Walt

Post by Bob
What does the word reactant mean? Where are reactants in a chemical
equation -- any chemical equation?

Post by Walt
D. One product of this equation is (AgCl/NaCl)
So the product of this equation is NaCl

yes (along with Ag). Products are on the right.

Post by Walt

Post by Bob

Post by Walt
E. This equation is (balanced/unbalanced)
The equation is balanced because the elements are the same on each side of the equation. .

More precisely, the same amount of each element. See comment above.

Post by Walt

Post by Bob

Post by Walt
F. The nonmetal ion is this equation is (Ag+1 /CL-1)

Ag is silver so this is the metal, making Cl the non metal.

Yes, but I am inclined to suggest that is a weak explanation.
Non-metals are recognized on their own, not simply by exclusion. H2O
(water) contains two non-metals.

In general, non-metals are on the right hand side of the periodic
table (plus hydrogen). Look at your periodic table. Is there a zig-zag
line near right side (starting next to aluminum)? If so, that line is
the (somewhat arbitrary) dividing line between metals and non-metals.
Again, if your book presents this differently for now, so be it.


Another possible approach... You (correctly) gave the charge for each
Ag (+1) and Cl (-1). In that case, the nonmetal is the one with a neg
charge (the "anion").



Much progress!

Learning to look things up is a great skill for a young student to
learn. It is often more important to know how to find information than
it is to "know" all the details. (Unfortunately, our system does not
always emphasize that right.)


bob