Thursday 24 October:
I think it is fair to write that we are at the top of page 59 in the note packet, Unit 1 Part 3.
I began the evening using the combustion of methane reaction equation to show you just how far we have come!
CH4(g) + 2 O2(g) --> 2 CO2(g) + H2O(l) + kJ
comp element comp comp exothermic
molecule molecule molecule molecule
organic inorganic inorganic inorganic
covalent bonds covalent bonds covalent bonds covalent bonds
reactants are less stable products are more stable (less likely to react again)
and more....!!!!!
We spent the remainder of the evening was spent highlighting Big Idea #2: Potential Energy. I was working to integrate this idea into "everyday" experiences.
In essence, everything we spoke of relies upon: the conversion of Potential Energy to Kinetic Energy or Kinetic Energy to Potential Energy.<--- Remember this!!!!
We backed up to page 52 and looked at the sweating glass phenomenon and perspiration as a cooling method.
The perspiratory process is the more important construct and it deals with the conversion of kinetic energy to potential energy to kinetic energy. It is sort of complex.
As an aside the idea of perspiration as a cooling process also applies to getting out of a hot shower and feeling cold. I promised to get to this and just plain ran out of time. So perhaps I will address the issue in this blog.
1) We are homeothermic organisms. We maintain an internal temperature which rests in a relatively constant range . We are NOT poikilothermic creatures - which rely upon the exterior temperature to regulate temperature.
2) As a very general rule, we are the "hottest" thing in the environment. Our internal temperature of around 97.4 F to 98 F is pretty up there.
3) Breaking bonds absorbs energy. Making bonds releases energy. We have an internal temperature of 97.4 F or thereabout, because the energy released during our bond making far exceeds the energy absorbed during bond breaking (thanks mostly to the activity of enzymes which help to hasten along a reaction by reducing activation energy {bond breaking energy})
When we die, our bodies grow cold - as the bond making process has ceased (Again - I am not trying to be morbid - just trying to make a clear point)
4) When we get off the couch and get active, our metabolism generally increases. This means we begin to break/make bonds at a far higher level than when at rest.
5) Excessive amount of thermal energy may be produced and since we do best while keeping a relatively constant temperature, the excess energy must be released.
6) Thus, we perspire (sweat) to cool ourselves (lose the excess energy).
7) Our bodies dump "dirty water" onto our epidermis (outer skin layer). Recall that it requires more energy to evaporate water with stuff dissolved into it, compared to pure water. Sweat is mostly water, but it will have some salts, proteins, and urea mixed into it.
8) We are the hottest thing around .... we are the STOVE!!!!! The excess energy generated by our activity helps to heat (evaporate) the perspiration to a gas.
Recall that going from a liquid to a gas is an increase in potential energy. Gas molecules have a greater distance (position) between them, when compared to those same molecules in the liquid phase.
Hence, our body's energy, heats the sweat to vapor and thus, heat is lost to the evaporating liquid. Since we are losing energy, we cool down.
This is why getting out of a shower is a bit cold. We are covered in water! (fake sweat). Our bodies, keep heating that water up and we lose energy to it .... and recall, water can absorb an awful lot of energy!!!!
(Remember the first night when I protected my hand with water, for lighting the bubbles on fire. It t
takes approximately 4.18 Joules to change the temperature of 1 grams of water by 1 degree Celsius).
We become cooler when wet from the shower, due to the water and our body heating all that water.
However, if we towel off fast enough, we don't notice much of an issue - as we have removed the water and we don't lose as much energy to the air.
Okay, that's it pretty much. How are you doing? Write me with any concerns, questions, hopes/dreams etc. !!!!!!!!
I will see you all Thursday .... Read the next lab!
Tuesday 22 October:
Well we have begun energy and BIG IDEA #2 Potential Energy!! (picture it ... deal with it)
With fingers crossed (eyes and toes too ... I am a hot mess), I am working to make all sorts of connections, using Big Idea #2 Potential Energy as a guiding idea.
Last night's work put us on page 58 of the new note packet (with a few skipped pages we'll pick up Thursday).
First, we began lecture getting the rest of our basic vocabulary out of the way: Exothermic and Endothermic as descriptors of the type of energy exchange between chemicals and their environment (water or air). Recall that it's from the POV of the chemicals.
We began taking the terms apart - looking at the prefix and suffix of each term.
We worked at identifying chemical reactions (and physical changes) as exothermic or endothermic.
Here are a few things to recall:
1) Breaking bonds absorbs more energy (Bond breaking is endothermic) . Making new bonds releases energy (Bond making is exothermic)
2) There is an endothermic and exothermic portion to each chemical reaction.
Activation energy is required to get a reaction going by breaking bonds and as new bonds are made , energy is always released. BUT WE CATEGORIZE A REACTION based upon whichever is greater.
When more energy is absorbed breaking bonds than released as new bonds are made, the reaction is OVERALL endothermic.
When more energy is released, as new bonds are made, than is absorbed to break the bonds of the reactants, the OVERALL reaction is exothermic.
3) When the unit kJ or J is on the reactant side of a written reaction, it's an endothermic reaction
When the unit kJ or J is on the PRODUCT side of a written reaction, it's and EXOTHERMIC reaction.
4) Exothermic reactions release energy into the environment (air or water). The environment gets warmer. A fire is a classic example of exothermic chemical reaction.
5) Endothermic reactions have the reacting chemicals absorbing energy FROM the environment (air or water). The environment becomes cooler.
6) Endothermic changes tend to stop if we stop feeding energy into the chemicals.
For example, boiling water is an endothermic physical change. Now, in this case water is the indeed the chemical (not the environment).
Think about the written physical change kJ + H2O (l) --> H2O (g) . Assuming normal pressure, when we stop heating the water up, the process of boiling stops.
We could also use the process of photosynthesis in plants as an example. Photosynthesis has light reactions and dark reactions. The "light" reactions are definitely endothermic reactions. They stop once there is no sunlight.
Endothermic exchanges "feed off" a continued source of energy.
During the conversation potential energy diagrams were introduced and these may begin to take on more meaning in light of our current grasp of potential energy.
I skipped a few pages and began with a formal definition of energy on page 57 of the notes.
Energy is the ability to create a change or to do work. We focused upon the ability to create a change - as in position, temperature or bonding (structure).
Two huge categories of energy are; potential energy and kinetic energy.
Kinetic energy i s all about motion . We are most familiar with examples of kinetic energy; running, throwing, light, sound vibrations etc.
Potential energy is less-well known. However, I clearly feel it is vitally important to understand it.
Chemical bonds are an example of potential energy.
Chemical bonds have a length (a distance or POsition between atoms).
As two atoms approach each other (when making a bond), the position between the two MUST DECREASE. This means that potential energy must decrease. (POsition and POtential often go together).
This decrease in energy cannot just disappear. So, using Big Idea #1 we can assume that this decrease in energy is released to the environment as "heat" or as light.
Then came the Candle Lab!
How did it go? Does it make sense? Are you connecting the ideas of class with the lab work?
This lab exercise is/was very different from other exercises.
The Candle Lab is more of an inductive reasoning experience.
Essentially, inductive reasoning is a logical process that has you using focused observations, experimentation and facts to arrive at overall explanations.
Inductive reasoning is a method of logical thinking that combines observations with experiential information to reach a conclusion.
You needed to figure out the process involved in the combustion of candle wax.
The wax was fuel. Oxygen is not.
What a night! I think you did darn well. Does everyone have the jumping flame mastered for Thanksgiving Dinner???????
Can you explain it to your grandparents? That's the test.
Okay, write with questions/ issues / concerns. See you Thursday!
Thursday 17 October:
Assignment: Read the Candle Lab and mess around with the practice problems in the note packet. We will have a bit of a take home exam coming up.
We wrapped the note packet up.
Essentially there was a focus upon the concepts of oxidation and reduction.
Oxidation is what we call the loss of electrons, so that the resulting species is more positive.
Reduction is the term given to the gain of electrons, so that the resulting species is more negative.
The number of electrons lost, must equal the number of electrons gained. We are never very far away from Big Idea #1.
As a review: When a reaction is between a metal and a nonmetal, the metal tends to become oxidized (tends to lose electrons), and the nonmetal tends to gain those lost electrons (tends to become reduced).
Get working! Write me with ideas and your questions. See you Tuesday.
Tuesday 15 October:
Assignment: Email me ideas for your papers! I will work to respond with insight(s), approaches, and/or warnings! (Mu-ha--ha-ha-ha!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Our next lab is going to be the Candle Lab (NOT THE NUTRITIONFOOD LAB). I am linking the Candle Lab here! Take a look!
It seems the polymer lab made a hit with y'all! You know, as a group, I firmly feel you are doing quite well with the lab experience. You are each to be applauded and congratulated.
Lecture was taken up with a good deal of gab regarding the final term paper. In short, there are links to all sorts of (what I hope to be) helpful documents. They are to be found under the first tab (Notes) and at the very bottom of the page.
There is a list of 40 topics I have approved in the past - so take a look. You are not restricted to these. Rather think of them as a guide.
Due to the limited nature of the course, many students have chosen to write two or so pages on three or so different chemicals / drugs / or chemicals and /or processes. I know that might make your paper a bit repetitive - but that is fine.
Remember, that the point of the paper is to PROVE or to DEMONSTRATE your grasp of the coursework by using vocabulary and ideas. Your job is to show me what you have learned.
With that out of the way, I am racing to wrap up this part of the unit. It is beginning to sound a bit repetitive as we blend Big Idea #3 The Concept of Charge with isotopic notation.
I simply wish to do a little work on electron configuation and then head on into our work on energy - Really, this is one of my all time favorite topics.
Okay - See you Thursday! Write with questions.
Thursday 10 October:
Sorry for this late post - I wrote it up on Sunday and evidently never actually posted it. (AGAIN!!!!)
Well we' been moving through Big Idea #3 The Concept of Charge, blending it with isotopic notation.
Recall that a charge indicates the subatomic particle, which is in excess. It does not indicate WHAT happened (we must infer that). It simply tells us the result of the what happened.
Electrons can be lost or electrons may be gained. This disrupts the proton to electron numbers. A charge indicates which is in the greater quantity due to the loss or gain of negative charge.
This has been blended with isotopic notation. The isotopic notation is simply our means of identifying / describing an atom.
As written we have spent a class linking the two skill sets together. Frankly, I think folks are doing pretty well.
The vocabulary is building. You want to know terms like those listed on the first page of the note packet.
Given the sort of work we have been doing, I think we are hovering around page 32 of the notes. However, we will fill in all the gaps - but things are looking fine!
As a side note, I did some research re: dark energy and dark matter. I have spoken to C who asked the question - and thought I would put the reference videos I sent to them. If you're interested - go watch!
Dark Matter 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBbxXNhZ78c
This is about 3 years old or so – the James Web telescope is already up and running, but I like this one – especially when Dr. deGrasse Tyson suggests the multiverse may be responsible for observations, we attribute to dark matter.
Dark Matter 2 from Ars Technica. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97NtbrTfP3Y&t=250s
This provides a more technical explanation than the first one. However, I feel the first one with Dr. deGrasse Tyson sets the issue up to better grasp the ideas.
Okay! See you Tuesday. Write with questions.
Tuesday 8 October:
Okay! We have begun to tackle our next "Big Idea" in Chemistry - The Concept of Charge.
The whole idea behind the concept of charge is that the charge of an ion (e.g. 2+, or 3-) registers the balance between the number of protons of the nucleus and the number of electrons beyond that nucleus.
As stated in your notes, the charge of an ion tells you which subatomic particle is in excess.
It DOES NOT tell you (as directly as we might like), what caused the change in the proton to electron balance.
WE MUST INFER (make conclusions ... use our gray cells) what happened.
How can that inferential process be guided?
1) Memorize the idea that in reaction chemistry only the electron number changes. The number of protons will be a constant.
2) This means that negative charge may be lost or it may be gained.
3) Memorize: If a chemical species GAINS electrons (gains negative charge) the resulting species becomes more NEGATIVE. (gain negative, become more negative)
If a chemical species LOSES electrons (loses negative charge) the resulting species is MORE POSITIVE.
(lose negative, become more positive).
Notice that the number of positive subatomic particles (the protons) does not change.
It's all about changing the number of electrons (negative charge).
ONLY the number of electrons changes. (Only the village grows or shrinks....)
When giving examples to you, you might notice that I like to start with the neutral atom.
For instance:
A sulfur atom has 16 protons and 16 electrons. Thus, the sulfur ATOM has an overall charge of 0
If a sulfur atom gains two new electrons (it gains negative charge), then the relationship of protons to electrons would be 16 protons to 18 electrons.
Thus the resulting chemical species would be a S^-2 ion or what we call a sulfIDE ion.
(Recall that we discussed that the name of the species which gains electrons changes in its suffix to IDE)
sulfur becomes sulfide,
oxygen becomes oxide,
phosphorous becomes phosphide,
fluorine becomes fluoride etc...
Note that since nonmetal atoms tend to GAIN electrons, it is the nonmetal atom which changes names.
Thus, as with the compound between sodium and chlorine, NaCl we name it sodium chloride.
Are the ideas from the last few weeks beginning to come together? Are you noticing how things are beginning to sound familiar? Yeah, you have heard much of this before, because I am spiraling the ideas. We speak of an idea, then leave it, only to come back around to it.
How is this working for you? Are you making connections? Are you moving forward? LMK!!!!!
Lab was splendid! We made soap!
Write with comments/questions/concerns/shopping lists (?) ... Just checking to see if you read this far.
See you on Thursday!
Thursday 3 October:
Assignment: Be sure to read over the saponification lab! We are leaving behind our focus on mixtures (Chromatography [separation of a mixture], Water Analysis [analysis of a mixture for specific ions] and Acid/Bases/Buffers [making a mixture and analyzing its potentiality regarding reaction with pH indicators)
We are now entering our synthesis lab studies. Over the next two weeks we are going to MAKE (synthesize) soap, esters and simple polymers. So familiarize yourself with the lab.
Well we have begun the second part of Unit 1 and I hope to pick up some speed. However, I am really hopeful that as we move through ideas like the Concept of Charge (our next topic), all the little ideas start falling into place. You have to keep me honest though. Be sure to ask those questions!
Already in class, some ideas are beginning to gel. We have taken yet another look (spiraling the ideas) at bonds (both covalent and ionic), compounds and elements.
In fact, we spent a little time discussing how the chemical species we are studying have MULTIPLE adjectives that may apply.
Just as we dealt with describing a class member by any number of adjectives - we can describe chemical species, based upon the context of the conversation.
DO NOT ALLOW the vocabulary to get in your way. Learn the terms and feel comfortable using them.
Some of the terms you should be working at are:
element
compound
covalent compound
ionic compound
organic compound
inorganic compound
molecule
covalent bond
ionic bond
acid
base
salt
alcohol
hydrocarbon
mixture
In Unit 1 Part 2 we are introducing new vocabulary terms. These new terms are used to describe the atom's structure - so do not allow yourself to fall behind.
We have focused upon a reasonable model of the atom and we will apply this model to the concept of ions.
It is important to remember that:
1) For my class, the term ATOM, refers to an element with units that have an equal number of protons (positive subatomic particles of the nucleus) and electrons (negative subatomic particles beyond the nucleus)
2) The term ION refers to species that have an UNEQUAL number of protons and electrons.
3) The term, ATOMIC NUMBER is merely a fancy schmancy term for: the # of protons
4) For an ATOM, while the number of protons = the number of electrons, the number of neutrons may or may not be very different.
5) I am using the idea of a feudal kingdom as a metaphor for an atom.
The castle (the nucleus) remains generally unchanged in the normal reaction chemical occurrences.
Reaction chemistry occurs with or to the electrons beyond the nucleus (the town beyond the castle walls)
For a chemical reaction (FOR NEW BONDS) to occur there must be a CHANGE IN THE ELECTRONS CLOUDS OF THE REACTING SPECIES.
This idea is at the very heart of chemistry. Making new bonds, a chemical reaction, changes in the the electron cloud are all pretty much synonymous with each other.
To this point we spent a fair amount of time tying part 1 to our current work in part 2.
I used the example of making sodium chloride (table salt).
I showed the electron configuration of a sodium atom and chlorine atom.
Sodium atom lost 1 outer (valence) electron and became a sodium +1 ion.
Chlorine atom gained that 1 electron and became a chlorIDE -1 ion.
The electrostatic attraction of the opposite charges of the IONS resulted in an IONIC bond.
We reviewed that opposite charges attract and like charges repel (This becomes sort of important later on)
We even learned that the name of the species which gains the electron, undergoes a name change so that the name ends in IDE.
That IDE suffix helps us determine which species lost and which gained the electron.
Okay, is that it? LMK if I have forgotten something. I hope the fog is lifting to some extent. Next Tuesday should be helpful.
But don't forget, that I can be helpful before next Tuesday - if you would only drop me an email with your concerns, questions, points to make!!!!!
Tuesday 1 October:
YAY! We are finished with mixtures! We have made mixtures, separated mixtures, studied acids, bases and the king of mixtures (petroleum)! We are going to move onto the Atom on Thursday. Whoo! Whoo!
Acids and Bases react via neutralization. Neutralization of Arrhenius Acids and Bases results in the production and an ionic salt . Recall that an ionic compound, at the simplest form, is made by a metal ion bonding to a nonmetal ion.
On another note...
Fossil fuels (petrochemicals / petroleum) can include oil, natural gas and coal.
Fossil fuels do not originate with "dead" dinosaurs - but rather with the plants and algae dating back 100 million years or so before the appearance of dinosaurs.
Petroleum is a complex mixture of hundreds of compounds. These compounds are separated via refinement (distillation) and some are made into smaller compounds via cracking (not covered in last night's work).
The lab was terrific. Most students came away with some excellent data re: buffers. Recall that the numbers don't matter. My hope is that you saw how a buffer can resist changes in pH. It's a sophisticated concept - and I am thrilled you get to work with it.
Okay - see you Thursday! Write with any issues. Okay?
Thursday 26 September:
Assignment: Prepare the next lab by reading over Acids/Bases and Buffers. It is a complicated read - but don't stress too much about it. Get the general idea down re: testing for acids and bases using pH. I will explain the buffer issue - but having read about buffers in advance will be of help.
We are at the top of page 18 of the notes. I wish to introduce the idea of neutralization of acids/bases to you during the next class and then zip into oil, as a final example of an important mixture.
Once we are done with oil - we shall begin work on the structure of the atom. In that upcoming section, I firmly believe ideas will begin to "click" into place as we investigate ions, protons, electrons etc.
Stay with me ... I think it will all make sense in just a bit!
The last lecture concerned itself with an introduction to the Arrhenius Theory of Acids and Bases.
The reading in the lab manual goes into the second theory - Bronsted-Lowry Theory however, it is important to note that Arrhenius fits very nicely into B-L 's larger vision.
The Arrhenius Theory is based upon the minute dissociation of water molecules into H+ and OH-.
The Theory describes changes in an aqueous solution into which molecules are dissolved, and upset the balance between the H+ and OH ions.
The take home messages regarding the Acid/ Base theory are:
1) Arrhenius acids are compounds which increase the H+ (or H3O+) concentration of an aqueous solution.
2) Acids probably don't really exist as H+ but rather an H+ bonds to a water molecule to create H3O+
3) Arrhenius bases are compounds which increase the OH- concentration of an aqueous solution.
4) The pH scale generally runs from 0 to 14. For our work I kept it at 1 to 14 but in truth ... 0 to 14 is more correct.
5) a pH of 7 indicates an equal concentration of H+ and OH-. Room temperature water is the most common example of a neutral solution.
6) The further from 7 a pH reading is, the more concentrated the solution, in terms of acid or base.
7) pH values less than 7 indicate an acidic solution (more H+). The lesser the integer on the scale, the more acidic the solution. Hence, a pH value of 4 is ten times MORE acidic than a pH value of 5.
8) The pH scale is a logarithmic scale - hence a pH value of 4 is ten times more acidic than 5 but it is 100 times more acidic than 6 and one thousand times more acidic than neutral water, at a pH value of 7.
9) A pH value of 10 is ten times more alkaline (basic) than a pH value of 9 and so forth....
10) In the simplest systems, compounds with H as the first letter of the formula HCl, HF, HNO3 can be recognized as acids when dissolved in water.
11) Bases can be recognized by having a metal bonded to OH such as KOH, NaOH.
12) Acids react with Bases.
13) Our blood contains buffers which help to keep our blood at a relatively constant pH. (There will be more on this later in lab.)
Someone asked a question regarding "how" all of this happens. In my response I included the use of NaHCO3 and CaCO3.
Such compounds (called hydrogen carbonates or carbonates respectively) are not Arrhenius bases but really Bronsted-Lowry bases. I did NOT make this clear in class - but I did so deliberately. I felt it muddled the system a bit - but they are indeed important, if weak alkaline materials.
Acids can also react with metals (e.g. iron (Fe)).
Thus we began a discussion regarding Acid Precipitation (Acid Rain, Acid Snow, Acid Hail).
We discussed that carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide can dissolve into water to produce H2CO3 (carbonic acid), H2SO3 (sulfurous acid) and HNO2 (nitrous acid).
Because of these acidic solutions "normal, regular, clean" rain in the past has a pH of approximately 5 to 5.5.
Acid precipitation is rain, snow or hail with a pH lesser than 5 (eg 4, 3, 2). The rain in Danbury is hovering near 4 or slightly above.
Plants and animals evolved with a rain of pH 5.5. However, with more pollution (both natural and man-made) rain has become slightly more acidic.
The carbonates (limestone, marble (metamorphic), tums, chalk, seashell, coral casings) are all susceptible to the attacks of acid.
We discussed the challenges of countries such as Italy with respect to tourism. But there is also a challenge to our own auto industry as acid rain degrades cars, car paints, bridges, buildings etc...
Write with questions - You are doing marvelously.
Again, I believe all will begin to fall into place, shortly. See you on Tuesday!
Tuesday 24 September:
Well, I thought everyone did particularly well in lab. In this installment of the blog, I want to review some of the ideas from lab as well as lecture.
In lab I tried to run through some of the visual cues we can note when a chemical reaction occurs.
To review: electrons are the primary subatomic particle involved in chemical reactions (making new bonds).
When new bonds are made, we hope to note at least 2 of the following 3
a) an energy exchange between the reacting chemicals and the environment. There may be a release of light or heat/flame from the forming chemicals to the environment OR an absorption of energy from the environment by the reacting species. In short, flame/light production or the generation of "heat" is indicative of a chemical reaction.
b) a new solid, liquid or gas produced. A new solid (a precipitate) is that cloudy formation. A new gas produced will cause bubbling as gas molecules rise in solution - or when a new smell is noted.
c) a bold color change. When you add two colorless solutions but produce a colored (white, yellow, blue) solid we can begin to believe there is a chemical reaction occurring.
I combusted (burned) some steel wool to show you what a chemical reaction could look like.
An electrolyte solution (like Gatorade) has free moving ions (+ and - charged species) in water.
An electrolyte solution can conduct an electrical current.
Not all dissolved materials can conduct an electrical current (Sugar, a molecular material cannot)
Water is not a great conductor of electricity. (Oh, it conducts a little, but you need a sensitive detector).
We however, conduct electricity really well, as we are bags of water, with dissolved ions!
Some metals may conduct electricity for very different reasons than ions - more on this later.
Last week we physically separated a mixture, by allowing a solvent and a stationary phase to preferentially absorb and/or move components out of the mixture.
Last night we used chemical reactions to separate out very specific materials dissolved in the water.
Both are a separation of a mixture - but they came at the challenge by different roads.
The focus was again on Standard Tests. For instance, when silver nitrate is added to a solution and a bright white precipitate (new solid) is produced - this is a standard test for chloride ion dissolved in water.
We briefly discussed the standard tests used to analyze blood. Blood panels use standard tests and separatory processes to test for specific items in our blood. A range of results is often accepted as the "standard".
In class we took a look at mixtures.
Anything with a list of ingredients (e.g. a cologne, cereal, shampoo, a steak, a comet, wood, a plant oil like chaulmoogra oil) is probably a mixture, in our everyday world.
We watched SciShow re: Alice Ball and her work regarding a treatment for leprosy, by saponifying the oil (making it into a soap-like material) and then esterifying (more later) the material.
We then veered into atomic structure. Now again, if you didn't follow the conversation and/or lost pieces of it - there is no worry. I am coming up to this work, in the next part of the notes. It will be structured and made available - yet it will be the second time you hear it - and that may increase your rate of learning. (I am spiraling the ideas.)
A few things:
Protons are positive subatomic particles and they are found making the the nucleus of an atom.
Neutrons are neutral subatomic particles and they ALSO make up the nucleus.
Electrons are negative subatomic particles and they are found outside of the nucleus.
Protons help us identify the atom (the name of the element of the atom).
Electrons are generally responsible for chemistry.
For an atom (not an ion) the # of protons = # of electrons.
So, in an atom with only 29 protons, there will be only 29 electrons.
Electrons (for our work) tend to be organized in generalized areas beyond the nuclear space.
Only so many electrons may occupy these spaces and this leads us to an idea called electron configuration.
So an atom of sodium has 11 protons and 11 electrons. Those 11 electrons are roughly organized into an electron configuration of 2- 8-1.
Two electrons are nearest the nucleus and 1 electron is found in the outermost level. That outermost electron is call the valence electron.
Valence electrons are often (not always) the electrons most directly responsible for making new bonds and chemical activity.
A covalent bond is made when two reacting atoms lack enough nuclear attraction to rip away electrons. Hence, a "shared" arrangement becomes most stabilizing.
Metaphor: We are going to buy a Mclaren P1 automobile. It's $250K. I put in in $150K and you put in $100K. Neither of us could buy it outright. So we pooled our resources and we now share the electrons (the car).
An ionic bond is made when one person owns the car outright and gives it away. If the car is an electron, the loss of that electron makes the owner positive (losing negative makes one more positive) and the second person gains the electron (the car) and becomes more negative.
The opposite charges attract and an ionic bond is produced.
Okay, I am hoping that the above is a fair representation of our conversation.
Let me know if there are issues/comments. See you Thursday!!!!!!
Thursday 19 September:
Assignments:
1) Complete your write-up for Chromatography. Answer questions 1, 5, 6 a & b. For 6b you need to show your calculations. There is also a critical thinking/research question to be woven into or included with your reflection. It is about standard tests and blood panels. It is found on the pre-lab handout (at the bottom of the last page). You can find a copy of that pre-lab on the NOTES tab of this website.
2) Read the Water Analysis Lab found in the Lab Manual. It is another form of mixture separation of sorts.
3) Hit the practice questions on pages 13-14. Do a few. If you are successful (feeling strong) on a few - then STOP! and go do something else ....like eating ice cream.
If you need to do more - then keep going. If you are struggling, reach out to me via email, and I will do my best to make it all work.
********************************************
I made a bit of a procedural blunder in that I failed to wrap up one of the sections on mixtures, before heading into Organic and Inorganic compounds. Sorry about that - but I think folks held onto the gist of the lecture. I will go back to those videos on Tuesday.
With that written, I still feel the class was both engaged and focused. Recall Einstein's concept that; "You don't really understand a concept unless you can explain it to your Grandmother" :-)
I like that idea. So, do you think you can help explain to an elderly relative some of the vocabulary we have been developing over the last two lecture cycles? It's a reasonable goal to which you can aspire.
I am thinking of terms like; organic, organic compound, covalent bond, and molecule (nonmetal to nonmetal). You might include ionic bond (metal to nonmetal).
(You don't need to worry about a term like Formula Unit (F. U.) . Really that's a thing - I am just giggling over introducing it - I am such a child, I know.)
We covered organic compounds.
The recognition skill I am using in class is that an organic compound will have a preponderance of
C - H bonds.
It's not a great definition (There is a difference between definition and recognition skill). However, we need more quantum mechanics to get into the nitty gritty and I just don't believe that is the best way to spend our time. Hence, I am going with a recognition skill that (which, while flawed) still moves everyone forward in recognizing millions upon millions of organic compounds in our lives.
Some of the ideas to review are:
1) The primary form of organic compounds are the HYDROCARBON family of organic compound.
2) There are specific groups of atoms (Functional Groups) we can add to hydrocarbons, that change the chemistry and nature of the compound. I provided a table for reference. In lab we use examples of monohydroxy alcohols, dihydroxy alcohols (antifreeze), esters, and carboxylic acids.
3) Every carbon atom will have 4 covalent bonds. And yes, a covalent bond may be single (1 pair of shared electrons), double (2 pair of shared electrons) or triple (three pair of shared electrons).
4) Organic compounds are pretty easy to COMBUST. Combustion is a classic type of chemical reaction in which a FUEL (the organic compound) is reacted with oxygen gas, producing carbon dioxide, water and releasing a fair amount of energy (fire/flame/heat/light).
We reviewed that oxygen is necessary to support combustion - but pure oxygen itself does not burn.
Now, that is just a "factoid". I did NOT explain a reason WHY. But that reason is related to the question as to "Why" must we breathe oxygen?".
So, hold on - there is more to come. We are just spiraling the ideas and information.
5) There are millions of organic compounds. We will find most of these in the mixtures found in our everyday lives. (e.g. antifreeze, a dihydroxy alcohol, can be found in makeup mixtures and toothpaste mixtures!!!!)
6) The term "organic" used in grocery stores and farming does NOT meet the meaning of the term, organic compound. Be aware of that.
We then worked to develop a grasp of INORGANIC compounds.
Recall that you can know what something is, by what it is NOT.
Inorganic compounds may have C or not ... but the vast number will NOT have C and H bonded to each other.
Inorganic compounds may have covalent bonds, ionic bonds (+ attracting - ) or both.
Water is an inorganic compound.
Carbon dioxide is an inorganic compound.
Yet, under the theory of photosynthesis, these two inorganic compounds when mediated by sunlight produce glucose, an organic compound capable of playing a role in supporting life.
Freaking OMG! Plants are amazing! The brains of the men and women who figured out photosynthesis are glorious!!!
We then fell back to MIXTURES.
I spent a good deal of our time discussing the COVID vaccine.
1) The vaccine does NOT have virus in it.
2) You can NOT develop COVID from the vaccine.
3) The vaccine is a mRNA vaccine. This means that the mixture contains the directions to build a single protein. In the case of the COVID vaccine, those directions were to build the spike protein of the virus (NOT the virus).
As our bodies read and began to make the spike protein the immunity system comes to the recognition that this protein is foreign and we develop cells to destroy it.
After a week or two, all parts of the vaccine are flushed from our bodies. However, the immunity cells developed to recognize and destroy the spike protein remain in our body. We can call up and manufacture these cells very, very quickly - and thus, we can defeat an infection of COVID when needed.
Per a question in the class, we need boosters to deal with the changing nature of the virus. New (successful) strains of the virus have altered the spike protein (via evolutionary forces). The boosters are designed to account for these changes.
The vaccine is 9 to 11 different compounds mixed together. Hence, vaccines are mixtures of various compounds.
It was the scientist , Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, (I told you I would remember her name), who figured out that wrapping the mRNA of the spike protein in lipids (fats) would provide the time required for the immunity cells to build.
Tuesday, we begin with Alice Ball's fabulous work and move on into acid/base theory.
Write me with questions, concerns, issues... Okay? See you soon.
Tuesday 17 September:
I thought lab went really well. It was only your second lab, technically, and it is a rigorous one. I saw the entire class (plus 2!), focused on the work. Class members succeeding with their roughed-out designs of the table. Goggles on. Excellent data collection. Engagement.
Really - it was a good night! Congratulations.
Assignment: Don't forget that the write up assignment can be found at the bottom of the last page of the pre-lab I handed out to you. Be sure to follow the template on page 7 of the introductory packet. You can find an electronic copy of the pre-lab under the NOTES tab on this website.
In lecture I jumped around a bit - and I am concerned that I may have lost/confused some folks. Be sure to reach out to me if I failed to make clear the work.
Essentially, I was trying to differentiate the difference between chemically decomposing a compound into smaller substances vs. physically separating a mixture.
Secondarily I wanted to wrap up the general notes on mixtures and then introduce Organic Compounds vs. Inorganic Compounds. Hence, there was some jumping around and I want to ensure you and I are on the same page.
I began by showing a Tik Tok from Chem.Thug regarding "hydrogen bottles". But it is really a great piece regarding the decomposition of water into dihydrogen gas and dioxygen gas.
BTW if you don't "Tok", Chem Thug is on YouTube and I think his work is terrific. Take a look.
With that video under our collective belt, I demonstrated the decomposition of water into the gases.
This is different from boiling water, as that merely pushes molecules of water away from each other, producing water vapor. The energy is insufficient to break the bonds between the oxygen and hydrogen bonds of water.
Last night's demo however, used an electric current (from a battery in the bottom of the bottle).
An electrical current can do what a Bunsen Burner cannot. An electrical current can break the covalent bonds between oxygen and hydrogen in a molecule of water, and convert it to hydrogen and oxygen gas.
The electrical current was used to DECOMPOSE the compound into simpler substances.
We discussed the poor solubility of both hydrogen gas (dihydrogen) and oxygen gas (dioxygen) in water.
Remember, an aquarium system requires a pump to keep forcing oxygen gas into the water ... and of course we all know about those poor carnival fish (yes, I too am guilty).
We discussed how oxygen gets into the ocean; phytoplankton produce oxygen, wave action captures and helps to dissolve oxygen - but there is also a thought that polymetallic nodules (dark oxygen) play a role.
If you wish to know more, try a 15 minute piece at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iixZ6UptVNo
I then ran an "everyday" mixture separation by making coffee! Using filtration I could separate out the water-soluble ingredients from the ground coffee.
We are surrounded by mixtures of various substances in our everyday world.
To reiterate, only water-soluble compounds can pass through the filter paper. INSOLUBLE materials stay trapped in the filter paper. Thus, I have effectively separated some materials from the original... a mixture separation.
We then wrapped up the some of the other common techniques we use to separate mixtures.
Recall that all of this is about physical mixing or separation. NO NEW BONDS are being made when dealing with mixtures.
We then jumped back into the notes and attacked the nature of an organic compound.
For our work:
1) as a recognition skill, an organic compound will have some level of C to H bonds (C - H)
2) every carbon atom will have 4 covalent bonds.
3) a covalent bond will share electrons. Generally (not always), at least one electron will come from an atom (like carbon) and the second will be from a different element's atom (like hydrogen).
What I really liked was the chance to discuss some of the simpler hydrocarbons; such as methane, propane, butane (and we just touched upon, octane).
Recall that a hydrocarbon is an organic compound which has ONLY hydrogen and carbon atoms.
We took the time to analyze propane. Take a look at what the class came up with as descriptors (we emphasized this was going to help with your paper):
C3H8 (propane) is:
organic ... because it has C-H bonds
a compound ... it is made of two or more different elements bonded in a definite proportion
made with covalent bonds, meaning electrons were being shared
matter, as we can fill a balloon (or a gas tank) with it. Thus it must have a mass and volume
flammable ... it has a chemical reactivity with oxygen
liquefiable (under pressure in the tank), but it vaporizes (turns to a gas) when pressure is released
Frankly - I wish you to compare what you are doing now compared to just two weeks ago!
You're growing.
Write with questions or concerns! See you Thursday.
Thursday 12 September:
Assignment: Read the CHROMATOGRAPHY lab found in the lab manual for Tuesday. It is a mixture separation lab, which is really right in line with our lecture work!
I want to begin by reiterating (notice no one "iterates") that as a class, you are asking fabulous questions and engaged in class. Now, if I can get everyone to read the blog - Halleluiah!
You first assignments were turned in - and with luck (crossed fingers, toes and eyes), I will have both back to you on Tuesday night.
We are on page 14 of the notes - but we need to go back to finish up organic and inorganic compounds.
What should you have learned from last night's lecture? Well, there was a good deal - and I shall try to gather all of the threads - but I figure I will miss something.
Our work began with the idea that compounds can be decomposed (broken down) into the elements that make up the compound and/or into simpler (read, smaller) compounds.
One example was the decomposition of water, into hydrogen gas and oxygen gas (or dihydrogen and dioxygen, as both elements exist as diatomic elements)
I had a demonstration heating up some water, for later in the evening regarding mixtures. However, that boiling water became a focal point of the work.
You see, when liquid water is boiled it turns into water vapor (gaseous water). If we allow this gaseous water to move into the atmosphere, it is measured as humidity.
Water is not decomposed by the heating of water. The bonds between the hydrogen atoms and the oxygen atom are NOT broken.
The energy of these bonds (the force of attraction of hydrogen's electron, for the nucleus of oxygen) is far stronger than the energy used to boil the water.
How can we try to prove it? Well, we discussed the Hindenburg - the hydrogen gas-filled dirigible (blimp) which exploded into flames. Hydrogen gas (dihydrogen) is very, very flammable.
When we tried to light the vapor coming off of the beaker of boiling water, nothing happened. It must not be hydrogen gas coming off.
Secondly we spoke about bonfires down by the lake or ocean. We have constant evaporation of water and yet, the atmosphere does not explode into flames with the bonfire.
And here we had yet another great question. The question eventually led us to investigate: What is evaporation and why does it occur only at the surface of the water sample?
I tried to explain that water molecules exert an attractive force upon each other. Water molecules in the middle of the beaker are attracted by forces all around them, exerted by the other surrounding molecules.
However, those molecules at the surface have no such strong attractive force above them (below and to the sides - yes - but not above). These molecules have a touch less "drag" on their motion, thus they have a touch more energy and this allows them to "pop" into the atmosphere as individual molecules.
Then another question followed upon the heels of this conversation. Someone really wanted to get a better grasp of the balanced equation regarding the decomposition of water.
2 H2O(l) --> 2 H2(g) + O2(g)
We attacked this diagrammatically and I stressed that the atoms making up the water are the atoms making up the hydrogen gas and the oxygen gas! The atoms are "recycled" - giving us yet another glimpse of BIG IDEA #1 The Law of the Conservation of Matter and Energy (and Charge), in action!
I skipped a few pages of notes, to get us to mixtures and the demonstration.
We discussed that chemical reactions result in new solids, liquids or gases (bubbles), or
chemical reactions result in bold color changes (clear going white or yellow) .
When we make a mixture, the above really does NOT happen. Making a mixture is really a physical change. Words like melting or boiling or dissolving apply when discussing mixtures. There are no NEW BONDS being made.
Mixtures are of varied composition. A great example of a mixture is a salad. You can add whatever you like - but it is all just a physical combination. Thus, mixtures are much more easy to separate than it is to decompose a compound.
So, I mixed salt and water, and then using that damn boiling water, I separated the mixture! Soon we saw the salt crystals form. Recall the dissolved material does not disperse away as the water is vaporized.
At this point, I introduced the idea of an aqueous solution.
The term, solution, implies a mixture.
The term, aqueous, implies that something is dissolved in water.
Hence, there is some NEW VOCABULARY in the above. Mixtures are often referred to as solutions or suspensions. There is more to come later...
Anyway, the everyday application is that when mixtures separate, the dissolved stuff tends to be left behind. Hence, glass windows are dirty after a rainstorm. Our teapots need to be cleaned with a little vinegar to get rid of the crusty stuff left behind when tap water is boiled.
Another way to look at this separation is to consider making coffee. The grounds of coffee are left in the filter paper after the application of hot water extracts the water-soluble flavorings.
The original coffee grounds are the mixture - we dissolve out and separate (via a filter) the flavorings we call coffee.
Okay, I think that's it. There is a fair amount of material being covered in the formal notes and through the answers/discussions of your questions.
How are you doing? Are you following along?
A good test of your mastery is to try to explain one or two ideas (like separating a mixture) to a family member. If you can do that, you are ahead! If not, ask questions, take more notes and we can keep attacking the ideas.
I am seeing growth already however, in many of you. I think you are doing and growing quite slendidly.
Write with issues/concerns or questions! Prep the chromatography lab - and at the very least, I shall see you on Tuesday!
Thursday 5 September: At the end of this blog post, I summarized a conversation I had with classmates about writing (as in, answering lab questions, or the COVID assignment). You may find it helpful.
Assignments: Both your Alchemy lab and your COVID assignments are due on Thursday, 12 September, in class. Check out my suggestions for writing responses and the end of today's blog.
For the Alchemy Lab, you need ONLY answer questions 1 & 2 and provide a reflection. In the reflection, include a critical reasoning piece (a few sentences) as to When the production of alloys have played a part in history.
Reminder: There is not class or lab on Tuesday 10 September. Everyone will get credit for the missed lab, as it is my issue - not your issue. I will take your Alchemy Lab write-up in class, on Thursday 12 September.
We are hovering somewhere between pages 8 and 9. The bulk of the class surrounded work as to the organization of matter, using the terms
substances (which include elements and compounds)
and mixtures.
A good take home message is best explained with the following extended metaphors:
1) An element is like the letter of the alphabet.
We recognize a letter via certain primary properties, such as sound & shape. A letter is fundamental. I t cannot be broken down (decomposed) into simpler letters. It is as simple as it gets - while exhibiting those primary properties.
An element is very much like this. An element is identified by its number of protons (the atomic number).
The Periodic Table of the Elements is organized according to increasing atomic number. Were we to discover something on Mars which had only 29 protons, we would call it copper, as copper atoms have only 29 protons (or an atomic number of protons).
Elements cannot be decomposed into simpler elements. They may be split or bonded but they cannot be made simpler.
2) A compound is very much like a word, made up of letters, in a definite proportion. Change a letter, you change the word. (Change an element or change the number of a specific element, the compound is different)
For instance take the word GOOGLE. You could in, theory, write it as: G2O2LE.
If we were to change a single letter, we get something utterly different: GOGGLE or G3OLE.
The words have different meanings (properties), spellings (formulas), uses (chemical reactivity), arrangement of letters (bonds).
For instance, we can compare the compounds water, H2O and hydrogen peroxide H2O2.
Per the cartoon on page 8 of your notes, they have very different chemical reactivity (one is deemed somewhat poisonous), they have different formulas, different bonding (which we will study later) and while they are both fluids at room temperature, they have widely different properties such a normal boiling points (100 C vs 150.2 C) , and freezing points (0 C vs -43 C).
Compounds exist as bonded groups of elements in definite ratios and possess relatively unique properties, we, as chemists, may manipulate.
3) A mixture is very much like a sentence, made up of a nonspecific grouping of letters and/or compounds.
We did not get to this in class - but we shall on Thursday 12 September.
Consider the sentence: I like chocolate. There are single letters and words. (It is a grouping of elements and compounds)
I can change the intensity of the sentence (or to continue in the metaphor: change the composition and balance of a mixture) by simply adding a few more terms. I like chocolate, so very, very much!
Mixtures are physical combinations of substances already made. Each element and compound tend to maintain their own physical characteristics in a mixture. That is, they do not change too much.
NO NEW BONDS are made when making a mixture.
So what is meant by maintaining their general characteristics? Well consider how a glass of water tastes.
Consider how solid salt (sodium chloride) tastes.
Now add sodium chloride to water. The sodium chloride "taste" is still there. The basic property of that taste is maintained.
Consider a chemical reaction, in which the properties of the reactants (components) are almost always changed relative to the products.
H2(g) boils at a very low -252.9 C.
O2(g) boils at a slightly less frigid, -183 C.
Yet, chemically combine theses species: 2 H2(g) + O2(g) --> 2 H2O(l) we produce new bonds and a compound with a very different boiling point than the reactants. Water, as we established in class, boils at 100 C.
Okay - well, all of this shall be picked up in class. But if you have read this far.... BRAVO/BRAVA you are that much further ahead.
Answering Questions/ Writing: Now, I got to speaking with a few classmates on Thursday evening and we worked on writing for my class.
I suggested my system, I call the APs
When answering any question: Give the Answer. Just give it .... straight up.
"Yes", "No", 17, The Declaration of Independence, Marie-Anne Lavoisier ... Just start there.
Then provide Proof as to why that Answer is appropriate. Well, what the hell is "proof"?
Proof comes in many forms:. It can be:
a) a theory (like the Law of the Conservation of Matter and Energy and how it applies to the Answer)
b) a definition (like the definition of potential energy, density and how it applies etc...)
c) collected data from a lab and why it is relavant
d) a property you looked up, like a boiling point, a melting point etc ...
e) an arithmetic equation or calculation (which we do not use in our class)
f) a reference to our work in lecture or a cited reference to something you looked up.
Then, provide the "stuff or settings" to round out your response.
For instance, if you use a fancy-schmancy science term in your proof, DEFINE that term.
If you use the term electronegativity define it!
If you use the term antioxidant, then define it!
This keeps your responses organized, concise, and supported.
I hope this gives you some ideas.
Write with questions and/or issues! I will see you Thursday!
Tuesday 3 September: (Sorry for such a late post ... I actually wrote this and never published it. I am losing my marbles.
First off - WOW!!!!!!! What a fine job in lab everyone did! Our first lab is done and I believe everyone walked away with a little "gold" in their pocket.
So, besides the technical piece/success of the lab, what made it so great?
Well, just about everyone had their goggles on throughout the exercise - Wonderful
Members of the class were attentive and engaged throughout the lab. - Again - Terrific
The clean up was perfect!
You folks did a really terrific job. Bravo/Brava!
In class, we are still around page 7 of the notes.
We did not get very far in the notes - but the ideas we covered were big, shifting paradigm and driving home the very basic ideas in chemistry. So we're good!
We began class with work on the Law of the Conservation of Matter and Energy as elucidated by the power couple of Antoine Laurent Lavoisier and Marie Anne Lavoisier.
In short, Big Idea 1 is all about getting our, what you put in - but rearranged via new bonds, creating new substances.
I think the exercise using the words (e.g. DORMITORY --> DIRTY ROOM) worked pretty well. You tell me - but I had the distinct impression that things began to click.
I feel most of you tried to work in a team while attacking the "TRY THIS" exercise on page 7.
I tried very hard to get you to shift the paradigm while speaking of oxygen.
I posed two important questions: Why do we breathe? and Is the Sun burning?
The idea was to spark your thinking. The first question will be addressed when we know a bit more about the topic of redox.
The second question leaps off the page in light of Einstein's statement that: " The whole of science is nothing more than a refinement of everyday thinking."
You will find this quote on the first page of this website btw. I think it is valid and important to realize just how much we can achieve with some practiced, creative, "refined", logical thinking.
You understand and know more than you realize. The trick is putting the pieces together so that, you can "explain and predict" per the definition of science.
We moved on to the study of the definitions of substances, elements, compounds and mixtures. We didn't finish that - and we will pick it up in our next lecture.
These terms are simply the basic sort of vocabulary we need to read about / and to discuss chemical issues.
In short there are two types of substances: Elements and Compounds.
There are 118 known elements and there are tens of millions of compounds.
Compounds are made up of the 118 elements (really only about 90 of the elements are really used), in some sort of ratio.
Mixtures are physical combinations of substances (elements or compounds). We will attack this on Thursday.
Write with questions!
Thursday 29 August:
Assignment: Be sure you have read the Alchemy lab in the lab manual. Bring the manual to lab. I will provide the pennies - so don't worry about that!
What a great beginning to the semester! What I saw was a group of learners engaged in asking very interesting questions - clarification questions - answering questions ...marvelous!
We moved into the first note packet. We are on page 5
I offered up our first chemical demonstration - the combustion of methane. I hope to keep going back to this demo to highlight our work, as we move through the course material.
I introduced a number of ideas such as; reactants, products, bonds (which have a strength and length).
Reactants are those species to the left of the reaction arrow, while products are those chemical species to the right of the reaction arrow.
Bonds - as we shall see - are really a form of potential (chemical) energy. Kinetic energy is the energy of motion. Potential energy is the energy due to "position". Atoms in a compound are held to each other with chemical bonds. These bonds have a length (a distance) and thus, bonds are intimately associated with potential energy!
And then we hit the notes:
1) Page 4 of the notes try to draw a distinction between reaction chemistry and nuclear chemistry.
For our class, we are concerned, primarily with reaction chemistry. This means that we are concerned with all things, electron. Electrons and changes in the electron cloud(s) of reacting chemical species are at the very heart of reaction chemistry.
2) We defined matter, as anything possessing mass and volume.
It's a classic definition - however, most of us don't really understand mass (which is different from weight) and understanding the term, volume, can escape us.
But the ideas are available to us. We can generally tell what something is, but what it is NOT.
Most of our work deals with either matter, and if something is not matter, it will be energy.
Thus, we started to work with a balloon :-)
In a sense, matter is anything which can fill a balloon for a period of time.
Hence, anything which can fill a balloon, will be matter, and will, by definition, have a mass and occupy a volume (whatever those words really mean).
Anything that can't fill a balloon will be associated with energy (You know what something is, by what it is not)
For example, helium is matter. We can fill a balloon for a reasonable amount of time with helium gas. That sample of helium gas will have a mass and it will take up a certain amount of space (it has a volume).
However, light, is NOT matter. We cannot fill a balloon with just light. Thus we may infer (conclude) that light, is a form of energy.
We touched upon the relationship between matter and energy.
3) We then introduced Big Idea #1 The Law of the Conservation of Matter/ Energy / Charge.
The term, charge, refers to the conservation of electrons - but we will get to that a bit later.
The BIG IDEA that matter is conserved, during a chemical reaction is important and a relatively "available" idea for first year chemistry students to grasp.
Essentially, you cannot get some sort of chemical in the products, IF THAT SPECIES were not part of the reactants.
For instance: if we react carbon and oxygen, to produce carbon dioxide
C + O2 --> CO2
You CANNOT get silver (Ag) or chlorine (Cl), or magnesium (Mg) in the products - as these species were not in the reactants. You may only get some combination of BOTH carbon and oxygen.
You CANNOT get out, what you never put in!
And so, here we are! Everything wrapped up, and ready for next class.
Write with any issues/questions. See you all on Tuesday for our first lab!
Tuesday 27 August 2024: And So It Begins!!!!
Assignments:
1) Review the Class/Lab Agreement (Page 13 of the Introductory Packet). Sign and date it. You will give that copy to me, in class on Thursday 29 August.
2) Read the Alchemy Lab for next Tuesday's Lab . I will have pennies for you. You DO NOT need to bring in your own pennies.
3) There is an assignment due on Thursday 12 September: A Capsule of Covid Chemistry. You are welcome to download a copy of the work (found on the first or "notes" page of this website). Just copy out the questions and provide responses at a level of quality expected of any university student.
Your takeaways from the first evening should be, among other things:
1) Your attendance at lecture is very much valued. Traffic is an issue. You need to budget time well. If you feel you are going to be late, keep driving! Get into the lecture even if you are very late. This is especially important if it is a Tuesday, and we have lab! Be careful - but get into class.
2) Your attendance at lab is imperative. I do have a few things up my sleeve to help - but remember, if you miss two labs, that earns an "F". This is a lab-based course. Passing depends upon, in part, upon completion of the labs and an appropriate lab report. I will help you write your report(s). Just ask.
3) There is no final exam, during finals week. There is a term paper and three presentation periods. These presentations occur during our last three lab periods, prior to exam week. The parameters of the term paper and the presentation questions are in the introductory packet (as is just about everything else!). A lab schedule and thus a reasonable class calendar is in the introductory packet.
4) I will work to be available to help you - keep me in the loop by dropping an email or stop off to speak with me. I am "floating" office hours, to better accommodate schedules and needs.
5) We are the stuff of stars - We are the universe expressing itself as life!
6) Not only are you the stuff of stars, but you are also my client. You have rights and obligations. Your rights include asking me to spend time with you to help you write, study, learn. Your obligations include putting your best foot forward, being present, engaging in class, and civility.
7) Science is knowledge. It is not just information. It is a process / a means of looking at the physical universe which allows us to make predictions and/or provide explanations.
8) Chemistry studies matter, the reactions of matter and the energy associated with those reactions.
9) There are important lab safety rules to be obeyed. I will keep reminding you of the rules but you are ultimately responsible for appropriate behavior and safety. Do not hesitate to ask questions.
Drop an email with questions / concerns / thoughts. It is nice to meet each of you!