Particles .. Moles .. Mass - Directions

How it Works:

Using the Particles .. Moles .. Mass Concept Builder is quite simple. You will be presented with a table of numerical values associated with molar mass, number of particles, number of moles, and the mass in grams for a stated substance. Some cells of the table are blank and you will have to use mathematical relationships to solve for the blank cells. You can consider each row of the table as a separate problem. Only information from that row can be used to determine the unknown values. One row is not dependent upon other rows. 

To enter numbers into the table, simply tap on a table cell. A Number Pad pops up. You can use the Number Pad to enter answers into the table cell. Once complete, you can tap the Close Number Pad button (at the bottom of the number pad) or tap on a different table cell. Once you are satisfied with your answers, tap on the Check Answers button. Your answers will be evaluated and feedback will be given. Feedback is given in terms of color-coded table cells. Table cells color-coded green were correctly answered and cannot be changed again. If an answer is incorrect, then the table cell will be color-coded red. 

The Concept Builder keeps track of the number of misses. A miss is considered any value that is entered into a cell and evaluated as incorrect. If a cell value is incorrect on the first attempt and not changed, it would be marked as a miss on the second attempt. If you do not wish to check that incorrect value again, then you would have to remove the value (tap on the cell to open the Number Pad and tap on the C​ or Clear button)  before the next time that your check your answers.

Once all table cells are accurately completed, your Health Percent is shown. It is also shown as you are filling in the table as long as the Number Pad is closed. The Health Percent is based upon the number of misses and on some adjustments made for the use of the CF button. The formulas for calculating this are:

Apprentice Difficulty Level:  Health Percent = 100 - 3*Number of Misses

Master Difficulty Level:  Health Percent = 100 - 2*Number of Misses - Adjustment for CF​ button taps

Wizard Difficulty Level:  Health Percent = 100 - 2*Number of Misses - Adjustment for CF button taps


Your Health Percent is displayed on the Main Menu. If you wish to repeat the Difficulty Level to improve your Health Percent, you can tap on the provided button to do so. Your best Health Percent is always displayed on the Main Menu. If you repeat a difficulty level and do worse the second time, it is the best Percent that will be displayed.

 

About the CF Button

The Concept Builder includes a Hint feature. The Hint feature is marked by a CF button that lies between the various columns. Tapping on the CF button will slide in a screen that explains how to convert between quantities. An example conversion is shown as part of the Hint. In the Apprentice Difficulty Level, tapping on the CF button will not have any effect upon the Heath Percent. In the Master Difficulty Level, tapping on the CF button will have no effect for the first two hints. But the third and the fourth tap on the CF button will result in a 4% deduction in the Health Percent. In the Wizard Difficulty Level, every viewing of a Conversion Factor Hint will result in a 4% deduction in the Health Percent. When tapping on the CF button in the Master and Wizard Difficulty Level, users will be warned that they will have the 4% deduction and be given the opportunity to cancel out. There are four types of conversions and four types of hints: particles to moles, moles to particles, moles to grams, and grams to moles. In the Master and Wizard Difficulty Level, once one of the Hint types has been shown, tapping on a CF button for the same type of Hint will display the Hint a second or third or fourth ... time without any warning or 4% deduction.


 

Getting Help

You will notice that there is a Help Me button underneath the Progress Report. You should learn to use this feature of the program. It's how you can turn an exercise in answering questions into an exercise in learning. Tapping on the Help Me button will open a page with help that is specific to each question. Of course, the Help pages are only helpful if you read them. So take the time to read them. Each Help page contains four sections: a discussion of the Fundamentals, a display of the various Questions in the Question Group, a section titled "How to Think About This Situation", and a set of links to resources in our Tutorial section. You should pay attention to the sectoin titled How to Think About This Situation. You will find what you need to know in the two or three paragraphs in this section. You will also become a better Physics student for doing that. That is, after all, the goal of such an activity as Particles .. Moles .. Mass..
 

 

Thanks for being patient with the Directions. Happy learning!