Ashes to Ashes
Recommended for grades 6–12.
Introduction
Investigator: James
Date: 10/05/05
- call in at 3:04 a.m.
- large fire on the East Side; historic log cabin of town founder, James McDonald
- first responders too late to save cabin
- traces of an unidentified chemical residue discovered in cabin remains
- drops of unidentified chemical found between cabin remains and main road
(??accelerant used to spread the fire??)
ARSON strongly suspected - chemical evidence sent to lab for testing
Objectives
- Identify the likely accelerant in an arson.
- Identify a solution, based on evaporation rate.
- Understand that evaporation rate is a characteristic property of a liquid.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment requires each of the following Vernier sensors and equipment (unless otherwise noted):
Additional Requirements
You may also need an interface and software for data collection. What do I need for data collection?
Download Experiment Preview
The student-version preview includes:
- Step-by-step instructions for computer-based data collection
- List of materials and equipment
Note: The experiment preview of the computer edition does not include essential teacher information, safety tips, or sample data. Instructions for Logger Pro and other software (such as LabQuest App or TI handheld software, where available) are on the CD that accompanies the book. We strongly recommend that you purchase the book before performing experiments.
Standards Correlations
Included in the Lab Book
Vernier lab books include a CD with word-processing files of the student instructions, essential teacher information, suggested answers, sample data and graphs, and more.