Democritus’ Laboratory

Everything you need to know before you begin.

Overview

Democritus’ Laboratory

Democritus (c. 460–c. 370 B.C.) was a Greek philosopher who spent much of his life trying to understand what the world is made of.  After traveling widely and studying with learned teachers, he returned to his home in Abdera with a remarkable idea: everything in the world is made from tiny pieces moving through empty space.  Democritus called these pieces atomos, a Greek word meaning “uncuttable.”  Although he could not see them, he believed their shapes, movements, and arrangements could explain why different kinds of matter look and behave as they do.

In this unit, students meet Democritus on the road to Abdera and join him as he considers the fundamental building blocks of matter.  Students will construct a model of an atom, explore how the arrangement and movement of atoms help explain the different ways objects behave, the different properties they have, and the ways they react to each other.

By the end of the unit, students will have explored atoms, states of matter, observable properties, and reactions.  They will have practiced reasoning about things they cannot see by carefully observing the things they can.  Democritus developed his theory without ever seeing an atom, and this unit invites students to follow his example, using observation, imagination, models, and evidence to explore the hidden structure of the material world.

Schedule

There are four lessons in this unit.  Lessons can usually be completed in 50–60 minutes.

Lesson 1 – Democritus’ Atoms

Lesson 2 – States of Matter

Lesson 3 – Identifying Properties

Lesson 4 – Reactions

Materials Needed

This curriculum works best with The Laboratory: Apprentice Journal (available on Amazon here).  Each lesson includes instructions to record observations and test results in that journal. 

All lessons involve projects.  Most materials needed for these projects are common household items.  The following are less common items you will need.

    • Items for creating model atoms, which could be any of the following: playdough, modeling clay, craft pipe cleaners, craft pom-poms, beads and/or paper plates
    • Plastic water bottle
    • Balloons
    • Cornstarch
    • Baking soda
    • Vinegar
    • Dish soap
    • Food coloring (optional)
    • Small paper cups
    • Funnel
    • Wax paper or aluminum foil
    • Toothpicks or other small stirring sticks
    • Magnifying glass
    • Eye protection/safety goggles
    • Red cabbage (for optional extension activity)

The Lessons

Click on a lesson below to get started.

1. Democritus’ Atoms

Students meet Democritus on a dusty road outside the Greek city of Abdera and learn how his travels and studies led him to wonder what everything in the world is made of. They will imagine his idea of the atomos, or “uncuttable,” as the fundamental building block of matter, and then create a model of an atom.

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2. States of Matter

As students continue toward Abdera with Democritus, they examine a rock, water, and moving air and consider why these materials behave so differently. Through a series of simple tests, they will compare how solids, liquids, and gases flow, change shape, and occupy space, and then apply those observable principles to complete a challenge with a strange substance.

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3. Identifying Properties

After arriving at Democritus’ home, students encounter several white powders that look nearly identical. By examining each powder’s appearance, smell, texture, and reaction to water and vinegar, they will discover that materials have distinctive properties even when they look alike. Students will use their observations to identify a mystery powder and explain the evidence that supports their conclusion.

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4. Reactions

In the final lesson, students join Democritus in considering what happens when two materials meet and react. They will explore the idea that atoms can separate from old partners and form new arrangements, producing materials with different properties. Students will then observe a dramatic reaction between baking soda and vinegar, record what they notice, and consider how the visible changes provide clues about events occurring at a level too small to see.

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