A Bad Reaction - Game Script Balancing equations in the name of the law


Background

Detective Ferrum was not herself that day. She was never known for handing out smiles, but this day was especially gloomy. The detective is a legend, solving the most difficult crimes of the decade. She is considered an iron woman that uses her solid rock logic and her vast scientific knowledge to solve complex crimes.

We were all joking around when we sat down for our routine meeting that morning. Suddenly the detective banged the table with her fist. We all stopped and sat down.

"Team" she said, this is a sad morning... I am sure you all remember Prof. Shine."

We all remembered her. Every member in the forensic team had to go through Prof. Shine's hair-pulling chemistry course. Legend has it that the only person who ever got more than a B minus in her class was our very own Detective Ferrum (but none of us have to guts to confirm it). 

Shine was a ruthless teacher that demanded hours and hours of hard lab work and was renowned for the huge and challenging tasks she imposed on her students. She was also known for her offensive comments to students that did not meet deadlines or ones that made mistakes.

"Well, Prof. Shine is now in the hospital, unconscious. A mysterious explosion in her lab knocked her down pretty seriously. Pack your stuff ASAP. We are going to the crime scene now!"

Characters

Jamal Forensic Team

Jamal graduated from Penn State four years ago, and has been apprenticing for Detective Ferrum for the past two years. He respects her wisdom, but feels that although he can't argue with her success, her approach is a bit dated.


Your Task

Jamal graduated from Penn State four years ago, and has been apprenticing for Detective Ferrum for the past two years. He respects her wisdom, but feels that although he can't argue with her success, her approach is a bit dated.


Resources

Scene - 01

Punit Forensic Team

Adding flavor to the group, Punit is always thickening the plot with dramatic and mind blowing findings. He loves mysteries, and sometimes gets a bit over dramatical in the process.


Your Task

Adding flavor to the group, Punit is always thickening the plot with dramatic and mind blowing findings. He loves mysteries, and sometimes gets a bit over dramatical in the process.


Resources

Scene - 01

Sue Forensic Team

A bit on the shy side, Sue is always overlooked on the team. However, she is definitely one of the sharpest, and in the end, she always brings the missing data that solves the case.


Your Task

A bit on the shy side, Sue is always overlooked on the team. However, she is definitely one of the sharpest, and in the end, she always brings the missing data that solves the case.


Resources

Scene - 01

Maria Forensic Team

Not a likeable person by any means, and always sucking up to Detective Ferrum. She is very smart, but her arrogance makes people cringe.


Your Task

Not a likeable person by any means, and always sucking up to Detective Ferrum. She is actually not smarter then the rest of the group, but always presents her findings in 


Resources

Scene - 01

Luis Forensic Team

Luis received his doctorate in forensic science from Boston University two years ago. Shortly after, he joined Ferrum's team, and quickly became a significant and important member. Everybody likes Luis, a insightful colleague, good listener, and an overall caring guy.


Your Task

Luis received his doctorate in forensic science from Boston University two years ago. Shortly after, he joined Ferrum's team, and quickly became a significant and important member. Everybody likes Luis, a insightful colleague, good listener, and an overall caring guy.


Resources

Scene - 01

Scene 1: A bad reaction



1.

Public Message

Hey Team,

We are at the crime scene. 

We have questioned a prime suspect, one of Prof. Shine's students - Mike Lame. Please read his testimony in your resources.

We found a test tube at the scene and water on the lab table underneath the test tube. We also found five pairs of empty test tubes with materials that our early team identified for you. You can find the list of tubes in your resources as they were sent to the lab for fingerprints.

Each one of you will be responsible for determining the products of one of the five reactions. Then you will compare your reactions with the product found in the test tube at the scene.

Please write a report that will include the names of the materials in each reaction, then balance the reactions and name the results.

If you finish your work, you can help the other members of your team.

Good Luck!



2.

Private (a while after previous message)

Jamal:

Jamal, you will predict the products of the reaction of propane plus oxygen. Share your work with your team to make sure that your formulas are correct.

Use the link below to help you write the correct formula, and share the results with your team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwwNvNwGHjk

Punit:

Punit, you predict the products of hydrochloric acid and magnesium hydroxide. Share your work with your team to make sure that your formulas are correct.

Use the link below to help you write the correct formula, and share the results with your team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T5W0ptk9SE

Sue:

Sue, you will predict the products of Silver I nitrate plus copper (II). Share your work with your team to make sure that your formulas are correct. 

Use the link below to help you write the correct formula, and share the results with your team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T5W0ptk9SE

Maria:

Anne, you will predict the products Iron (II) plus Copper II sulfate. Share your work with your team to make sure that your formulas are correct. 

Use the link below to help you write the correct formula, and share the results with your team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T5W0ptk9SE

Luis:

David, you will predict the products of Barium nitrate (solution) plus sodium sulfate (solution). Share your work with your team to make sure that your formulas are correct.

Use the link below to help you write the correct formula, and share the results with your team.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-T5W0ptk9SE



3.

Public Message (a while after previous message)

Hey Team,

Those of you that have already cracked the formulas for the reactants can now predict the products for the reaction. Share your results with your team.



4.

Public Message (Shortly After previous message)

Now that you have the correct formula for the products, balance the equation.



5.

Private (Shortly After previous message)

Jamal:

Jamal,

Please go over Punit's predictions and verify his work.

Punit:

Punit,

Please go over Sue's predictions and verify her work.

Sue:

Sue,

Please go over Maria's predictions and verify her work.

Maria:

Maria,

Please go over Luis's predictions and verify his work.

Luis:

Luis,

Please go over Jamal's predictions and verify his work.



6.

Public Message (Shortly After previous message)

In addition to the water found at the scene, chemical analysis revealed the presence of carbon dioxide. Does this shed some light on which test tubes could have caused the explosion? Discuss this with your team.



7.

Public Message (Shortly Before next message)

Hi Team, we received the figerprints results. Take a look:

hydrochloric acid - Mike Lame & Prof. Shine

magnesium hydroxide - Mike Lame & Prof. Shine

Silver I nitrate - Mike Lame & Prof. Shine

Oxygen - Only Prof. Shine

copper (II) - Mike Lame & Prof. Shine

Iron (II) - Only Prof. Shine

Copper II sulfate - Only Prof. Shine

Barium nitrate - Mike Lame & Prof. Shine

Propane - Only Prof. Shine

sodium sulfate - Mike Lame & Prof. Shine

Does this confirm Mike Lame's testimony? Was it an accident? Our time here is almost over and I want your conclusion ASAP.



Vote

After comparing the five reactions, only two could have produced water and only one could have produced carbon dioxide and water as products. Can you decide if this was an accident or that Mike lame lied and caused the explosion?



Option 1
It was an accident
Option 2
Mike Lame lied


Ending message for when most people voted for option



Option 1

2


Option 2

1




Discussion Points

  1. Which of the reactions could you eliminate and why ? 
  2. Answer, the three equations that don't have water as a product 
  3. What are the types of reactions you were working with?
  4. What would be the next step in the investigation ?