This study aimed to resolve the discrepancy between theoretical explanations in textbooks and actual experimental observations in 'Cooling of Water' and 'Oxidation·Reduction Reaction of Metals,' which are core inquiry experiments in secondary school ...
This study aimed to resolve the discrepancy between theoretical explanations in textbooks and actual experimental observations in 'Cooling of Water' and 'Oxidation·Reduction Reaction of Metals,' which are core inquiry experiments in secondary school science education. Such discrepancies can cause cognitive confusion and misconceptions among students, negatively impacting their science learning. Therefore, this study aimed to precisely analyze the scientific causes of these discrepancies and propose practical experimental improvement measures suitable for the educational field.
First, in the 'Cooling of Water' experiment, textbooks present an ideal cooling curve with a distinct horizontal section at 0°C. However, in actual experiments, nonlinear temperature drops and 'supercooling' phenomena, where the temperature falls below the freezing point, were frequently observed. This is a natural phenomenon due to delayed nucleation and Newton's law of cooling. The research found that an improved experimental method—reducing the water volume to 5mL and inducing forced convection using a magnetic stirrer—effectively suppressed the supercooling phenomenon to within -0.8°C and reduced the total experiment time to an average of about 18 minutes. This enables students to successfully observe a cooling curve consistent with theory within a 45-minute class period. Second, in the 'Oxidation·Reduction Reaction of Metals' experiment using a zinc () plate and copper(Ⅱ) sulfate solution(), textbooks describe the precipitation of 'reddish-brown copper.' However, it was confirmed that a 'black substance' was actually produced. Analysis using precise instruments (XRD, SEM, EDS, XPS) revealed that this is because the large standard reduction potential difference (1.10V) between zinc and copper causes a rapid reaction, forming nano-sized (approx. 5.4nm) copper particles whose surfaces subsequently oxidize. As an improvement, this study proposes replacing the reaction metal from zinc () to iron () and adjusting the copper sulfate solution concentration to 0.1M. This method controls the reaction rate with a relatively smaller potential difference (0.78V), resulting in the precipitation of a clear, reddish-brown copper that matches the textbook description.
This study is significant in that it presents scientific evidence and specific experimental improvements to bridge the gap between textbook theory and actual experimental phenomena. It is expected that the proposed methods will contribute to students' correct construction of scientific concepts by allowing them to have successful inquiry experiences and reducing misconceptions.