Transcript Mount Eliza Secondary College Maths 300 Activity Protons and Antiprotons Introduction • Students were asked their thoughts on Matter which then led onto what Antimatter was. •

Mount Eliza Secondary College
Maths 300 Activity
Protons and Antiprotons
Introduction
• Students were asked their thoughts on
Matter which then led onto what Antimatter
was.
• A newspaper article was read out about
Antimatter and we discovered that a
Proton and an Antiproton cancel each
other out.
The Process
• A variety of questions were asked and
completed both on the board and using
the computer software.
• Students then started completing Proton
and Antiproton Grids.
• Some students
needed to use
counters to help
them to
complete these.
The Connection
• We then explored
to connection
between Positive
and Negative
numbers and
Protons and
Antiprotons and
completed more
grids for these.
The Ending
• Students then wrote a report about their
findings.
• The headings I gave them were:
“What was the problem?”
“What did we do?”
“What did we find?”
Student Thoughts
• When we were making the connection between Protons and
Antiprotons, and Positive and Negative numbers, a few students
asked the question:
“Does 3 – 4 mean 3 + -4 or 3 – +4?”
After completing both questions with Protons and Antiprotons
students realised that there was no difference.
• Some students needed to write their positive and negative numbers
as Protons and Antiprotons.
• Some students found it difficult to then switch to different processes
and still wanted to refer to Protons and Antiprotons when multiplying
and dividing numbers.
• Some students worked out a pattern of when they needed to add or
subtract the numbers and whether the answer was an A or P.
Student Comments
• Preferred to do the Maths 300 activity than doing
normal maths work.
• Doesn’t see any need for the activity.
• The activity made it a bit more confusing for
some.
• Interesting and something different.
• Some found it made working out questions
easier.
• Liked the activity because it was different.
• Made a better introduction to the topic.