Name: Jana Akram 7GB Date: 18-3-2023

INDIVIDUAL RESEARCH PROPOSAL

Topic 1

Description /question of research topic:

When breaking apart covalent bonds of water, will the addition of more salt on the water affect the conduction
of electricity in a battery ?

We hypothesize that if the amount of salt added to the water increases the electricity conduction would increase
and will be easier to conduct electricity and the separation of the 2 gasses will be more effective.

Reason for choice of research topic (Application)

To try experimenting and breaking apart covalent bonds by electricity and learn when two hydrogen atoms and
an oxygen atom get close enough what happens. To see what is the best way to conduct electricity and the
gasses through seeing what is the best amount of salt to be used since it’s important to break investigate the
answers for the following questions.

If atoms have an equal number of protons and electrons, why do atoms bond to other atoms? Why don’t they
just stay separate? Is there anything that might attract these atoms to one another?

- Why is it important to break covalent bonds?

“That is because bonds must be broken before the atoms can be formed into new bonds, and it always takes
energy to break bonds. Once the reaction has started, the output energy from one burned methane molecule
becomes the input energy for the next molecule.” ( www.wtamu.edu )

“Covalent bonds can be broken if energy is added to a molecule. The formation of covalent bonds is accompanied
by energy given off. Covalent bond energies can be used to estimate the enthalpy changes of chemical reactions.”
( https://chem.libretexts.org )

Basic Background information about the topic of investigation (with in text citations): (1 page)

● When two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen atom get close enough, the electron from each atom feels an
attraction from the protons in the other atom's nucleus.
● This attraction pulls the atoms together.
● The electrons end up being shared by the atoms in a region around the nucleus of both atoms

We're going to pass electricity through water to break the covalent bonds that hold the oxygen and hydrogen
atoms together! Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electron pairs between atoms. A covalent bond consists of
the mutual sharing of one or more pairs of electrons between two atoms.

Identification of key variables:

● Our Independent Variable is the salt amount.

● Our Dependent variables are the water amount, the alligator clips, the battery, and the other material
( pencils, and tape)
● Our Controlled value is the conduction of electricity and the conduction of both gasses, Hydrogen (H), and
Oxygen (O2)
Proposed research methodology and key materials required:

Plan: Place a battery between 2 pencils. Be sure that the battery is more than half-way up. With the help of a
partner, wrap tape around the pencils and battery. Two pencils taped on either side of a 9 volt battery, with
alligator clips leading from the terminals of the battery to a sharpened end of the pencil. At the other end of the
pencil, the lead is also sharpened, and the whole apparatus is held in a shallow cup of water. Add water to a clear
plastic cup until it is about ½-full. Add about salt to the water and stir until the salt dissolves. Connect one alligator
clip to one terminal of the battery. Using the other wire, connect one alligator clip to the other terminal of the
battery. Connect one end of the pencil lead to the alligator clip at the end of one of the wires. Using the other wire,
connect one end of the other pencil lead to the alligator clip at the end of the wire. Place the ends of the pencil into
the water as shown.

Expected results

Bubbles will form and rise initially from one pencil lead. Soon, bubbles will form and rise from the other. Students
should be able to see that there is more of one gas than the other. The gas that forms the small bubbles that come
off first is hydrogen. The other gas that forms the larger bubbles and lags behind a bit is oxygen.

Materials:

1. Clear Cup 🍵
2. Water 💧
3. Salt 🧂
 4. 9 Volt Battery 🔋
5. 2 Alligator Clips 🖇️
6. 2 Pencils sharpened at both ends ✏ ️
7. Tape 🔘

Why use a pencil for breaking covalent bonds ?

- Research

“The electrons on the outermost energy level of the atom are called valence electrons. The valence electrons are
involved in bonding one atom to another. The attraction of each atom’s nucleus for the valence electrons of the
other atom pulls the atoms together. As the attractions bring the atoms together, electrons from each atom are
attracted to the nucleus of both atoms, which “share” the electrons. The sharing of electrons between atoms is
called a covalent bond, which holds the atoms together as a molecule. A covalent bond happens if the attractions
are strong enough in both atoms and if each atom has room for an electron in its outer energy level. Atoms will
covalently bond until their outer energy level is full. Atoms covalently bonded as a molecule are more stable than
they were as separate atoms.
Two hydrogen atoms are near each other. When two hydrogen atoms come close enough to each other, their
electrons are attracted to the proton of the other atom. Because there is both a strong enough attraction between
atoms and room for electrons in the outer energy level of both atoms, the atoms share electrons. This forms a
covalent bond.

There are two main reasons why two hydrogen atoms bond together to make one hydrogen molecule: There needs
to be a strong enough attraction between the electrons of each atom for the protons of the other atom. There
needs to be room in the outer energy level of both atoms.” ( www.middleschoolchemistry.com )

- What might affect covalent bonding?

“Covalent bonds are also affected by the electronegativity of the connected atoms which determines the chemical
polarity of the bond. Two atoms with equal electronegativity will make nonpolar covalent bonds such as H–H. An
unequal relationship creates a polar covalent bond such as with H−Cl.” ( https://en.wikipedia.org )
Reference Resources used (4+ resources)

http://www.teachingwithoutchairs.com/2019/06/chemistry-class-covalent-bonds.html

https://www.middleschoolchemistry.com/multimedia/chapter4/lesson4#covalent_bonding_water

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/covalent-bond

https://byjus.com/jee/covalent-bond/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h24UmH38_LI

https://www.middleschoolchemistry.com/lessonplans/chapter4/lesson4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OT3kB3NtAo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_WktiX8zl8

Approved / not approved

Please Note if your first topic is not approved you should provide details of the other 4 topics for getting approval. So
do keep all the above information handy for the approval. You may use the same template and fill in the details for
the other 4 topics.

Rubric:

EXPLORATION

This criterion assesses the extent to which the student establishes the scientific context for the work, states a clear and focused
research question and uses concepts and techniques appropriate to science fair project. Where appropriate, this criterion also
assesses awareness of safety, environmental, and ethical considerations.
 ASPECT
MARK
Research Question & Safety, Ethics and
Hypothesis Background Methodology Environmental Issues

5 The research question Background The methodology of The report shows

is expressed research places the the investigation is evidence of full
accurately; Clearly research question in its highly appropriate to awareness of the
focused on the topic proper perspective and address the research significant safety, ethical
matter; Has distinct explains its usefulness question because it or environmental issues
independent (IV) and and impact takes into that are relevant to the
dependent (DV) accurately. Background consideration all, or methodology of the
variables; it is used to research on the nearly all, of the investigation.
develop a hypothesis manipulated and significant factors that
that predicts the dependent variables may influence the
relationship between validates and explains relevance, reliability
the IV and DV in the manipulation. and sufficiency of the
particular. collected data.

4 The research question Background research The methodology of The report shows
is broad but specific; provides a reasonable the investigation is evidence of some
Moderate explanation of the mainly appropriate to awareness of the
concentration on need and importance address the research significant safety, ethical
subject matter; of the research question but has or environmental issues
Variables and their question. The research limitations since it that are relevant to the
relationships are on the variables takes into methodology of the
adequately explains the relation consideration only investigation.
described. but does not provide some of the significant
enough evidence for factors that may
relation. influence the
relevance, reliability
and sufficiency of the
collected data.

The research question Background research The methodology of The report shows
is unclear and gives explanation for the investigation is evidence of limited
confusing. Does not the research question appropriate to address awareness of the
adequately describe but does not address the research question significant safety, ethical
variables or their its importance or to a limited extent or environmental issues
relationships. impact; Most since it takes into that are relevant to the
descriptions of the consideration few of methodology of the
3
research are the significant factors investigation.
inaccurate; Background that may influence the
research provides relevance, reliability
some explanation but and sufficiency of the
insufficient support for collected data.
relation between
variables.

2 The research question The Background The methodology of The report shows
very general and research show little the investigation is only evidence of very limited
 lacks clarity;
Variables are not
adequately stated.
effort with no clear
justification for the
importance or impact
of the research
question; Research is
quite lacking and
poorly described the
relation
between variables.
appropriate to address
the research question
to a very limited extent
since it takes into
consideration few of
the significant factors
that may influence the
relevance, reliability
and sufficiency of the
collected data.
awareness of the
significant safety, ethical
or environmental issues
that are relevant to the
methodology of the
investigation.

There is no research Background research The methodology of The report shows no

question; Variables is missing; Neither the the investigation evidence of awareness
are not yet need nor the doesn’t address the of the significant safety,
0-1 recognized or importance is research question. ethical or environmental
characterized. explained; no issues that are relevant
identified relation to the methodology of
between variables; the investigation

E Research Question:
❏ The research question is clearly stated and precisely formulated
V ❏ The research question is clearly subject in focus
❏ The research question includes clear and specific IV and DV (for example, “To what extent does the concentration of the
I sodium thiosulfate …?” NOT “How does the concentration of the sodium thiosulfate..…?”
D ❏ The research question is used to formulate a hypothesis predicting the relationship between the IV and DV.
❏ Hypothesis explanation is scientifically accurate
E
N Background:
❏ The background sets the research question into context; need and importance are clear.
C ❏ Appropriate and relevant subject background of the entity being investigated is correctly described and explained.
E ❏ Background research clearly shows the topic of interest being investigated and an understanding of the topic.
❏ Background research on the manipulated variable supports and explains manipulation of the variable.
❏ Background research on the responding variable indicates it is a good variable to measure response to manipulation.
❏ Known differences or relationships between variables are described.
❏ Citations relevant to the research question are used.
❏ Background information is used to form a hypothesis.

Methodology:
❏ Continuous IV correctly identified with units and levels, including how the levels were chosen.
❏ Minimum of five levels of IV over a suitable range
❏ Continuous DV (as directly recorded and/or calculated) correctly identified with units.
❏ DV is quantifiable
❏ Important CV’s identified, with the potential impact of each discussed. Validity measures and/or control groups are not
misunderstood as CV.
❏ Uncontrolled variables identified and possible impact on investigation described, suggestions made as to how to minimize
the effect of the controlled variable(s).
❏ List or photographs of apparatus and materials including size, graduation and uncertainty.
❏ Method to change and measure IV fully detailed (including tools, units and uncertainty).
❏ Method for measuring DV data fully detailed (including tools, units and uncertainty).
❏ Sufficient repeats of DV measurement to ensure reliability and allow for statistics (typically 3 minimum) are clearly
communicated in the methodology.
❏ If relevant, collection of data from other sources is explained and referenced.
❏ Method includes validity measures to ensure experimental measurements are valid and consistent.
❏ Method is clear, specific and easily replicated as described and is written in the past tense.
❏ Full citation of a published protocol (or elements of) used.
❏ Photographs of experimental setup are included and referenced in the text.
Safety, Ethics and Environmental Issues:
❏ Safety issues fully considered, including safe handling of chemicals or equipment. What the safety issue is and how it can
be avoided. (Focus on safety issues relevant to YOUR investigation)
❏ Mindful of the reasonable consumption and use of chemicals and materials.
❏ Ethical issues fully considered (including animal experimentation policy if needed).
❏ Environmental issues fully considered (such as disposal of chemicals).