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Science / Year 10 / Science Understanding / Chemical sciences

Curriculum content descriptions

The atomic structure and properties of elements are used to organise them in the Periodic Table (ACSSU186)

Elaborations
  • recognising that elements in the same group of the periodic table have similar properties
  • describing the structure of atoms in terms of electron shells
  • explaining how the electronic structure of an atom determines its position in the periodic table and its properties
  • investigating the chemical activity of metals
ScOT terms

Properties of matter,  Atoms

Video

AERO Ochre Science Year 10 Unit 2 - Atomic structures

In this sequence of 15 lessons students will learn about atoms and how they build to make elements and compounds. The unit also explores the periodic table and how elements react to each other.

Interactive

Build an atom

This is an interactive resource that allows students to build an atom out of protons, neutrons, and electrons, and see how the element, charge, and mass change. Students can view the atoms using the electron shell model or cloud model. A small set of games give students the opportunity to review their understanding of how ...

Interactive

Sites2See: Light and Matter

Links to resources to explore fundamental questions about light and matter and the application of the physics of light and matter to the past, the future and to space. Includes a quick quiz, links to additional DEC NSW physics resources and to the International Science School at the University of Sydney.

Video

ABC News: Sound waves measure ocean temperatures

View how scientists use underwater sound waves to measure ocean temperature changes in the Indian Ocean. The animations show how the technology called acoustic thermometry works. Australian scientists are working with a global network of 'listening posts' to monitor the long-term effects of climate change on ocean temperatures.

Video

Four Corners: Fire management strategies

What role do fire-behaviour specialists and ecologists have in fire management? Watch this clip to find out about issues relating to fire management in Australia, in particular prescribed burning.

Video

Lateline: Carbon capture and storage

Is carbon capture and storage (CCS) the solution to climate change? CCS technology captures carbon dioxide from the flue gases of coal burning power plants and takes it to long-term storage. The coal industry has high hopes that pumping the liquefied gas into underground reservoirs, or geo-sequestration, will provide safe ...

Video

Catalyst: Plants and increased levels of carbon dioxide

We know that most plants use carbon dioxide to make their own food. So what might plants look like in 100 years if carbon dioxide levels continue to increase - will they become enormous and overtake our backyards? View the possible effects of changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide on plants and, in turn, humans and other animals.

Video

Catalyst: Geoengineering - a solution to climate change?

What is geoengineering, and how is it being investigated by scientists as a means of combating climate change? Learn about some climate control techniques that could slow down or even reverse the effects of global warming. Hear an atmospheric physicist explain the pros and cons of geoengineering techniques.

Video

Landline: Handling deadly viruses safely to save lives

Imagine working in a research laboratory and handling deadly animal viruses that could potentially infect humans. Find out how this vital research helps protect Australia's wildlife, farm animals and human population. See how scientists use techniques such as 'gene silencing' to fight viruses.

Video

Catalyst: Chemical pollutants toxic to whales

Explore how chemical pollutants affect the Antarctic food web. A scientist shows that baleen whales are consuming Antarctic krill contaminated by accumulated residues of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from pesticides and industrial chemicals. Find out why these pollutants are concentrated at the Earth's polar regions.

Video

Four Corners: Increasing threat of megafires

Many scientists believe we are already experiencing megafires and that they will continue to increase in the future. In this clip you will hear from Australian scientists at the forefront of fire research. Discover what they have to say about the causes, projections, and consequences of an increased megafire threat.

Video

A mini chemistry set in a stick

Do you know how glowsticks work? Watch this clip and discover the chemical reaction that takes place when you snap a glowstick and release the reactants. Find out about chemiluminescence in nature, when scientists first created glowing sticks and the chemical equation that describes the reaction. Can you guess which glowstick ...

Video

Measuring gravity

Did you know you can measure gravity? The more mass an object has, the more gravity it has, so by measuring the mass of something, you can figure out its gravity. Why do you think climate scientists may want these measurements? Watch this NASA animation to find out.

Video

Biofuels – From Sorghum to Ethanol (video)

This is a video [6:05 min] about the production of ethanol from sorghum at the Dalby Bio-Refinery in Queensland. The video describes and illustrates the stages in the production process including milling the sorghum into ‘flour’; mixing the flour with water to hydrolyse the starch; adding enzymes to liquefy the starch (the ...

Video

Could you make a unicorn by crossing DNA?

Good question! Find out whether this is possible by watching as biologist at MIT, Dr Sera Thornton explains. What is a genome? And why do genomes need to be decoded? If the rhino genome was successfully decoded and the part that described the rhino horn was isolated, what would the process be for creating a unicorn?

Video

Keeping up with carbon

What is the carbon cycle and how does it affect climate? Find out in this fascinating clip from NASA, produced to celebrate Earth Science Week 2009.

Video

Can We Help?: Exploring nanotechnology

Peter Binks, CEO of Nanotechnology Victoria, answers the question 'How does nanotechnology work?' Discover what nanotechnology is and see several examples in action, such as scratch-resistant paint used in the car industry. Consider future applications of nanotechnology in areas such as sports, health care, clothing and cleaning.

Video

Catalyst: Seals help climate research

Discover how seals are helping scientists study Antarctica, polar regions, oceans and climate change. Scientists use Weddell and southern elephant seals to gather data and monitor the way currents move heat around the world's oceans.

Video

Landline: Water footprints in food manufacturing

How much water does it take to produce a large packet of M&Ms? Watch as the 'water footprint' of some household products is presented and hear the concerns expressed about the methods used to calculate these footprints. Discover how an examination of the water used by the components of some manufactured foods has led to ...

Video

How does the retina work?

When electrons in your retina absorb photons of light they don't emit light, they cause a molecule to change shape - and that lets you see colour!