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Curriculum Organizing Questions
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- How do organisms store energy?
- What evidence do we have for the idea that chemical
bonds store energy?
- How do plants play a role in capturing energy for
earth's ecosytems?
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Elaboration
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The details of respiration or having students do
thermodynamics calculations is not the intent here. Students
should have a generalized idea that energy is stored in
chemical bonds and that those bonds can yield useful
energy.
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Specific Ideas
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- Chemical reactions may release or consume energy.
Some reactions such as the burning of fossil fuels
release large amounts of energy by losing heat and by
emitting light. NSES B3b.
- The chemical bonds of food molecules contain energy.
Energy is released when the bonds of food molecules are
broken and new compounds with lower energy bonds are
formed. Cells usually store this energy temporarily in
phosphate bonds of a small high-energy compound called
ATP. NSES C5c.
- The breakdown of food particles enables cells to
store energy in specific chemicals that are used to carry
out the many functions of the cell. NSES C1b.
- Plants and many microorganisms capture solar energy
in the bonds of complex, energy rich organic compounds
made from carbon dioxide and water. NSES C1e.
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Developmental & Instructional
Implications
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Driver et al offer insight in to student misconceptions
regarding chemical reactions on pages 85-91.
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Examples
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