As a high school or introductory undergraduate Chemistry or Environmental Sciences teacher, you can use this set of computer-based tools to help you in teaching the basics of electrochemistry and how the application of electrolysis can potentially reduce the global carbon dioxide emissions.
This lesson plan includes an interactive classroom activity to teach about electrochemical reactions, electrolysis, and electrolytic cells. It also includes resources to explain to your students how electrolysis may be used to reduce global carbon dioxide emissions from large-scale processes such as world-wide cement production. Global cement production contributes significantly to increasing levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide resulting in global warming and climate change.
Thus, the use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in Chemistry or Environmental Sciences.
The tools in this lesson plan will enable students to:
| Grade Level | High School, Undergraduate |
| Discipline | Chemistry, Environmental Sciences |
| Topic(s) in Discipline | Electrochemistry, Environmental Chemistry, Energy Security, Fossil Fuels, Carbon Emissions, Pollution, Reduction and Oxidation (Redox) Chemical Reactions, Half-Cells, Salt Bridge, Electrolysis, Electrolytic Cells |
| Climate Topic | Renewable and Non-renewable Energy, Climate Mitigation and Adaptation |
| Location | Global |
| Language(s) | English |
| Access | Online / offline |
| Approximate Time Required | 70 – 100 mins |
| Share | |
| Resource Download |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Teaching Module (30 min)
Use the teaching module, ‘Electrochemistry’ by LibretextsTM to teach your students the basics of electrochemistry. Navigate to the relevant subsections to explain electrochemical processes such as oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions and electrolysis. Use the tool to teach about voltaic/galvanic cells and electrolytic cells, and their differences. Describe Faraday’s law of electrolysis, cell potentials, Half-Cell reactions, Nernst Equation, thermodynamics of electrochemical reactions, and details of redox chemistry. Finally, describe a few applications of electrolysis such as electroplating and batteries using galvanic cells.
Classroom/Laboratory Activity (30 min)
Use the interactive simulation, ‘Electrolysis’, provided by University of Oregon, to extend your students’ understanding of the process of electrolysis. Note the ‘Learning Objectives’ to teach your students about the various aspects of electrolysis and electrolytic cells. Download the attached ‘ElectrolysisCellStudentActivity’ word document as a guide to conduct this activity in the classroom. Use the link given within the tool to launch the simulation to enable your students to understand the quantitative and qualitative aspects of electrolysis and to visualize how it works at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Use the built-in demonstration to explain how the simulation can be used to experiment with the variables involved in operating an electrolytic cell. Direct your students to run the simulation for different electrolytic conditions and note their observations. Use the list of questions given under the ‘Learning Outcomes’ tab and in the student activity sheet to assess your students’ understanding of the topic. Finally, discuss how electrolytic cells are used in real life.
Video and Podcast (10 min)
Play the video, ‘Calcium Carbonate- Disintegrating Quicklime’ by the Royal Institute, London, to explain how producing cement results in the release of carbon dioxide through heating and slaking processes, thus adding to atmospheric greenhouse gases that can cause global warming.
The audio podcast, ‘New approach suggests path to emissions-free cement’ by the MIT News Office, to explain how the world-wide large-scale cement production significantly contributes towards global carbon emissions. Use the tool to describe a new process involving electrolysis, developed by MIT researchers, to eliminate carbon emissions from cement production. The scientific paper detailing this study can be accessed separately in the additional resources section of this lesson plan.
Video and Podcast (10 min)
Use the scientific review, ‘Progress toward Commercial Application of Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction’ by Chi Chen et al., Chem, to enable your students to understand how various electrochemical processes are being developed to reduce global carbon emissions that contribute towards global warming and climate change.
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Reading; ‘Toward electrochemical synthesis of cement- An electrolyzer-based process for decarbonating CaCO3 while producing useful gas streams’ | A research paper by Leah Ellis et al., PNAS, that details the development of an electrolytic process that could be used in commercial cement production to eliminate the release of carbon emissions.
This can be accessed here. |
| 2 | Reading; ‘Q&A: Why cement emissions matter for climate change’ | A reading by Carbon Brief with multiple links to further readings and visualizations about how the carbon emissions from global large-scale cement production affects global warming and climate change.
This can be accessed here |
| 1 | Teaching Module; ‘Electrochemistry’ | Published by Libretexts |
| 2 | Interactive Simulation; ‘Electrolysis’ | ©2016 Greenbowe, Abraham, Gelder Chemistry Education Instructional Resources, University of Oregon, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Pearson. Provided by University of Oregon. |
| 3 | Video; ‘Calcium Carbonate- Disintegrating Quicklime’ | By the Royal Institute, London. |
| 4 | Audio Podcast; ‘New approach suggests path to emissions-free cement’ | By the MIT News Office. |
| 5 | Reading; ‘Progress toward Commercial Application of Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction’ | Chem, Science Direct– By Chi Chen, Juliet F. Khosrowabadi Kotyk, Stafford W. Sheehan, Chem, Volume 4, Issue 11, 8 November 2018, Pages 2571-2586. |
| 6 | Additional Resources | PNAS– By Leah D. Ellis, Andres F. Badel, Miki L. Chiang, Richard J.-Y. Park, Yet-Ming Chiang, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Jun 2020, 117 (23) 12584-12591. By Jocelyn Timperley, Carbon Brief |
| Grade Level | High School, Introductory Undergraduate |
| Discipline | Chemistry, Environmental Sciences |
| Topic(s) in Discipline | Electrochemistry, Reduction and Oxidation (Redox) Chemical Reactions, Half-cells, Salt Bridge, Electrolysis, Electrolytic Cells |
| Climate Topic | Climate and the Atmosphere, Climate and the Anthroposphere, Climate Mitigation and Adaptation |
| Location | Global |
| Language(s) | English |
| Access | Online / offline |
| Approximate Time Required | 70 – 100 mins |
| Share | |
| Resource Download |
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
Teaching Module (30 min)
Use the teaching module, ‘Electrochemistry’ by LibretextsTM to teach your students the basics of electrochemistry. Navigate to the relevant subsections to explain electrochemical processes such as oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions and electrolysis. Use the tool to teach about voltaic/galvanic cells and electrolytic cells, and their differences. Describe Faraday’s law of electrolysis, cell potentials, Half-Cell reactions, Nernst Equation, thermodynamics of electrochemical reactions, and details of redox chemistry. Finally, describe a few applications of electrolysis such as electroplating and batteries using galvanic cells.
Classroom/Laboratory Activity (30 min)
Use the interactive simulation, ‘Electrolysis’, provided by University of Oregon, to extend your students’ understanding of the process of electrolysis. Note the ‘Learning Objectives’ to teach your students about the various aspects of electrolysis and electrolytic cells. Download the attached ‘ElectrolysisCellStudentActivity’ word document as a guide to conduct this activity in the classroom. Use the link given within the tool to launch the simulation to enable your students to understand the quantitative and qualitative aspects of electrolysis and to visualize how it works at the macroscopic and microscopic levels. Use the built-in demonstration to explain how the simulation can be used to experiment with the variables involved in operating an electrolytic cell. Direct your students to run the simulation for different electrolytic conditions and note their observations. Use the list of questions given under the ‘Learning Outcomes’ tab and in the student activity sheet to assess your students’ understanding of the topic. Finally, discuss how electrolytic cells are used in real life.
Video and Podcast (10 min)
Play the video, ‘Calcium Carbonate- Disintegrating Quicklime’ by the Royal Institute, London, to explain how producing cement results in the release of carbon dioxide through heating and slaking processes, thus adding to atmospheric greenhouse gases that can cause global warming.
se the audio podcast, ‘New approach suggests path to emissions-free cement’ by the MIT News Office, to explain how the world-wide large-scale cement production significantly contributes towards global carbon emissions. Use the tool to describe a new process involving electrolysis, developed by MIT researchers, to eliminate carbon emissions from cement production. The scientific paper detailing this study can be accessed separately in the additional resources section of this lesson plan.
Video and Podcast (10 min)
Use the scientific review, ‘Progress toward Commercial Application of Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction’ by Chi Chen et al., Chem, to enable your students to understand how various electrochemical processes are being developed to reduce global carbon emissions that contribute towards global warming and climate change.
Video and Podcast (10 min)
Use the tools and the concepts learned so far to discuss and determine answers to the following questions:
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
| 1 | Reading; ‘Toward electrochemical synthesis of cement- An electrolyzer-based process for decarbonating CaCO3 while producing useful gas streams’ | A research paper by Leah Ellis et al., PNAS, that details the development of an electrolytic process that could be used in commercial cement production to eliminate the release of carbon emissions. This can be accessed here. |
| 2 | Reading; ‘Q&A: Why cement emissions matter for climate change’ | A reading by Carbon Brief with multiple links to further readings and visualizations about how the carbon emissions from global large-scale cement production affects global warming and climate change. This can be accessed here |
| 1 | Teaching Module; ‘Electrochemistry’ | Published by Libretexts |
| 2 | Interactive Simulation; ‘Electrolysis’ | ©2016 Greenbowe, Abraham, Gelder Chemistry Education Instructional Resources, University of Oregon, University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University, Pearson. Provided by University of Oregon. |
| 3 | Video; ‘Calcium Carbonate- Disintegrating Quicklime’ | By the Royal Institute, London. |
| 4 | Audio Podcast; ‘New approach suggests path to emissions-free cement’ | By the MIT News Office. |
| 5 | Reading; ‘Progress toward Commercial Application of Electrochemical Carbon Dioxide Reduction’ | By Chi Chen, Juliet F. Khosrowabadi Kotyk, Stafford W. Sheehan, Chem, Volume 4, Issue 11, 8 November 2018, Pages 2571-2586. |
| 6 | Additional Resources | Leah D. Ellis, Andres F. Badel, Miki L. Chiang, Richard J.-Y. Park, Yet-Ming Chiang, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Jun 2020, 117 (23) 12584-12591. Carbon Brief |
