In this activity, students collect data about periodic trends and use spreadsheet software to graph and interpret the data.

1. Graphing Periodic Trends
MYP Year 3 Chemistry Unit
Objective:
Students will graph values of various
trends in the periodic table.
Instructions:
1. Each lab bench/table corresponds
to a period in the periodic table.
(Do not use period 1!)
2. Each group of students is
responsible for one of the
following periodic trends. How you
divide the work among your group
members is up to you.
a. electronegativity
b. electron affinity
c. atomic radius
d. ionization energy
e. melting point
3. Open a new spreadsheet (Excel, Numbers, Google).
4. Determine a creative and chemistry-appropriate name for your group. Write your group name in
cell A1.
5. In cell A2, title the graph according to the trend and the period assigned.
6. Make cells A3 and B3 your column headings:
a. Atomic number, including the unit of measurement.
b. Periodic trend, including the unit of measurement.
7. Use the data provided on the color periodic table (or at ​www.pTable.com​ ) to fill in the cells in
your 2-column data table.
8. Select the data set and create a scatter plot chart from it.
9. Add a trendline to your scatter plot.
10. Format the graph to include the correct labels and units for the X- and Y-axis. ​Make the graphs
colorful and easy to read from a distance.​ That means you should probably change the size of
the dots and the weight of the trendline.
11. Send a digital copy of the graph to your teacher by the end of the period.
12. Your teacher will mount all graphs on the bulletin board.
13. As a class, identify/discuss trends which are evident in the data presented.
Original by Bradley M. Kremer (​www.mrkremerscience.com​). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons
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