Monday 15 April:
Assignment: Just a reminder that you do have a colligative lab write-up due AND the second take home is due on 22 April !!!
Someone asked about question #8 - yep, it's tougher. I feel that if you answer #7 well you should be led to a response for #8.
We kept moving through the basics of atomic structure, moving from isotopes to ions (especially how to interpret charge and their role as electrolytes). We are up to page 78 of the notes.
Lecture began with a look at isotopes. You need to know the definition and have the ability to identify isotopes (grab the notes) - but beyond these two skills, there are two other takeaways.
1) Isotopes of an element undergo the same chemical reactions, because they have the same number of electrons . Recall that chemical reactions are often described in terms of electron activity.
2) An everyday application is the use of radioactive isotopes as diagnostic tools and often therapeutic methodologies.
a) We discussed radioactivity as an unstable nucleus breaking down (giving off some form of radiation).
b) Radiation can be traced in a body.
c) Since a radioactive isotope will be used just as a nonradioactive isotope of the element, we can use a radioisotope (a radioactive isotope) to image tumors of the brain, test for thyroid activity, etc.
We narrowed the conversation to the thyroid gland, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism and the used of the radioisotope Iodine-131.
d) Much of the work regarding the use of radioisotopes as a diagnostic/therapeutic tool was done by a Dr. Rosalyn Yalow, who was awarded the 1977 Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology.
We moved onto our second look at ions (Notice that I keep spiraling the learning points).
Ions are charged species, due to an unequal number of electrons and protons.
They may be single species, monatomic ions , or they may be made of multiple atoms sharing the charge. These are categorized as polyatomic ions. Your notes will review.
Ions may be positive (cations) or negative (anions).
An everyday application of ions comes in the form of electrolyte solutions. We attacked the idea of when to drink an electrolyte solution (e.g. Gatorade), why it may help and when not to drink such a solution.
Gatorade (for instance) is a homogeneous mixture which contains sodium ion and potassium ion. This idea of the two electrolytes in Gatorade led to a discussion of the sodium/potassium pump (Click here)
Class members were asked if they understood that the nervous system functioned in large part as something akin to an electrical signaling system.
That got a "yes".
Members were then asked if they knew how the electrical signal was generated, and that lead us to a discussion of the sodium / potassium pump.
Using ATP to power an exchange, sodium ions (electrolytes) are pumped across a neural (nerve cell) membrane and potassium ions (electrolytes) are pumped into the neural cell across the membrane.
In short, this endothermic exchange of ions is what generates the nerve (electrical) signal. The exchange of three sodium ions for two potassium ions creates a change in the charge system in reference to the interior and exterior of the nerve cell.
The active transport of the sodium / potassium pump and the loss of electrolytes via perspiration were blended with the need to replenish such electrolytes while playing a sport or working our or working hard. Perspiration contains these ions whose presence increases the energy required to evaporate the water away, drawing excess thermal energy from our body.
This connects beautifully with the last lab, colligative properties. Water with dissolved species tends to experience an increase in boiling point - or at the very least, such a solution would require slightly more energy to evaporate into water vapor. Having dissolved species, such as electrolytes in our perspiration engenders a faster or perhaps more efficient loss of excess energy from the body due to the greater energy requirements. It is adaptatively superior.
But such of use of electrolytes means we must replenish these electrolytes lost to the perspiratory process - and this is where something like an electrolyte drink may come in handy.
We also took a fast look at recent research (2022), which suggests that water alone is not the best form of hydration. Rather, water with some type of protein (e.g. low fat milk) may actually be better at hydration. The differences are not large - but it's always nice to bring in recent research.
The lecture period ended with the class working away at interpreting ion charge. This is all tightly linked with Big Idea #3 The Concept of Charge.
I was so pleased to witness the growth in ability and the growing understanding as we fleshed out the problems with ion interpretation. I think we need five more minutes or so to check on understanding and then we shall move on.
Okay, that's it! I am reading the papers of the first round of presenters. Write with questions or challenges you may be having.
Thursday 11 April: I handed out a new take home piece. The class voted for a due date of
Monday, April 22.
I posted a digital copy on the first page (Bring It On Home).
We moving pretty quickly through the basics of atomic structure. I am introducing a fair amount of vocabulary - but the concepts are very available. If you are struggling putting it together - get in touch with me. I will help.
We are up to page 73 of the note packet.
Everything is working towards an understanding of the Concept of Charge (Big Idea #3). I use the term, Concept of Charge to explain a set of ideas describing the charge of ions, and the difference in chemical behavior of an atom and its ion(s).
In essence, I strongly differentiate between the terms; atom and ion.
An atom is the smallest unit of an element, a neutral (in charge), capable of participating in a chemical reaction.
This concept of neutral in charge is important, as the # of protons (the atomic number) = the # of electrons. Recall the demo with "G" up front and the positive and negative
An ion carries a positive or negative charge, due to electrons being lost or electrons being gained. The number of protons does not change in normal, reaction chemistry reactions.
The charge indicates which subatomic particle is in excess. A positive indicates more protons than electrons due to a loss of electrons.
A negative indicates an excess of electrons relative to protons, due to a gain of electrons.
Keep that feudal kingdom on a hill uppermost in your mind.
These ideas will be blended with our understanding of oxidation and reduction in just a few days.
We spent some time practicing our work on isotopic signatures. We practiced determining the number of protons, electrons and neutrons, atomic number and mass number.
I spent some time discussing how small the electron is relative to the proton. To put it in perspective it takes about 1,837 electrons to make up the mass of 1 proton. Thus, when we take a look at mass number, we see it is really equal to (#p+#n) and NOT (#p + #n + #e-).
Recall that electrons relative to protons and neutrons are virtually mass-less! No single atom will every have 1,837 electrons. (We only know of 118 elements). Thus, electrons are pretty much ignored
It's really a matter of staying on top of the vocabulary. So take some time to understand this.
Okay, write with questions. I will work to get back to you asap.
Monday 8 April: Sorry for the late post - I just fell behind in some of my own work!
First, recall that I have pushed back the paper's due date to next Monday 15 April. We have the first 6 presentations signed up and I suspect, we are ready to go!
Last week we wrapped up climate change. Now, recall that this topic will be featured on your next quiz.
The focus rests upon the vibratory motion of the various greenhouse gases.
The greenhouse gases tend to have rather strong covalent bonds.
These bonded species show a wide range of vibratory motion in the bonds via stretching and bending.
Infrared energy from the Earth's surface is absorbed by these chemical species, as they are quite sensitive to absorption in the infrared range (this connects with our work on the electromagnetic spectrum)
These greenhouse gases absorb IR energy, which is essentially converted into potential energy via a greater number of bond vibratory motion.
This potential energy is often released and converted back to infrared energy which is released, in part back towards Earth. Hence we see an increase in Earth's atmospheric temperature - especially in our zone of the atmosphere - the troposphere.
We then began the next unit and we are moving quickly through it. The atom! I am working us toward the next big process - that of redox, where we will build on our work regarding oxidation and reduction.
We are on page 70 of the notes and we will pick up a little speed in this section.
Essentially we began work on the Concept of Charge (Big Idea #3), in our discussion as to what a charge actually means. We took apart the nature of the proton and electron - within reason - and have begun to work on terms, such as atomic number, isotopic signature, neutron, proton and electron.
Okay, see you Thursday ... That's all the news worth printing. Write with quesitons.
Monday 1 April: We were just about ready to tackle Climate Change.
Before that happened however, I ran through some thoughts about the Candle Lab. I am recreating the board work here - just in case it may help you.
First some of the basics:
1) Energy is absorbed to break pre-existing bonds (Bond breaking is endothermic)
2) Energy is released as new bonds are made. (Bond making is exothermic)
3) Fuel burns or combusts. Fuel can be wax/oil, as a hydrocarbon: CxHy. Fuel is oxidized (loses electrons)
4) Oxygen does not "burn". It supports combustion by becoming reduced . Oxygen gains electrons.
5) Fuel + O2 --> CO2 + H2O + kJ of energy (flame as heat/light/hot gases)
Now, for something newer...
6) Technically, a wick is designed to draw up liquids via capillary action/adhesion /cohesion
7) A candle wick draws up melted wax (recall that puddle of wax on top), into a pre-existing flame which began with a lit match.
8) Once in the flame, the melted wax is vaporized and the (now) gaseous molecules are degraded and broken apart into fragments.
9) Oxygen from the atmosphere bonds with the C and H fragments of the hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide and water are produced.
Thus, the C of the carbon dioxide comes from the wax. The H of the water comes from the wax!!!
The making of these new bonds releases more energy (Potential energy converted to Kinetic energy), and this sustains the flame and keeps the flame going.
The flame melts MORE hydrocarbon wax - the wick draws it up to the flame - the flame vaporizes the wax - the heat of the flame rips the molecules apart - oxygen bonds with the carbon and hydrogen releasing more energy, sustaining the flame - which melts MORE hydrocarbon wax - the wick draws....
That conversation took more time than I would have liked - but I felt it was worth it. What did you think?
We then began climate change - which is really the Everyday application of applications to the work we have mastered thus far.
We will see on Thursday how potential energy plays a big role.
We will see how bond strength and bond length play significant roles.
We will see how the conversion of one form of energy to another (par to Big Idea #1) plays a role.
We will see how climate change increases ocean acidification.
We will see how we may apply known solutions.
That, my brilliant, savvy, and thoughtful students is a great deal of insight.
Write with thoughts. Write with questions. Be There!
Thursday 28 March: Okay, we are just about there. Recall I said I was building up to something - and next class we get there!
We wrapped up color by connecting it to
Thus, roughly speaking, the color we see is due to what is NOT absorbed by the electrons of dye molecules.
We put that together, as an application, with the color of most plants.
It was suggested via the video that green is a wavelength that is NOT absorbed well by chlorophyll. Additionally, those organisms which failed to absorb green wavelengths of light were better protected from burn out. Thus they were the species to live long enough to reproduce.
Green wavelengths make up the bulk of white light - hence burn out was dodged by those plants failing to absorb green, thereby regulating their light uptake.
I then took the time to work the demonstration re: light breaking the ionic bond of AgCl.
When AgCl is broken down, small crystals of silver metal are produced. The small crystals appear black, because they act as a light trap, bouncing any light around, not allowing the light to escape (very black hole of silver crystals!)
The ionic bond of AgCl has a strength (a bond strength). Only certain wavelengths have the energy to break that bond. The demo proved that it was the more energetic blues that could do that, when compared to red, green and yellow.
I emphasized that a red light is used in photographic dark rooms, because red visible light did not have the energy to react with any remaining silver chloride in photographic film.
It is a simple - yet elegant means of demonstrating bond strength . And, it provides us another everyday application - albeit, few use dark rooms and film these days, but black and white photography still goes today as a hobby and art form.
I took some time to introduce how a microwave can cook food. Recall it does NOT use infrared energy directly.
Rather, it the partial positive and negative charges found on molecules, such as water (and even oil to some extent) to generate a frictional force which ultimately cooks food.
Recall that these partial charges exist due to differences in electronegativity values. Electronegativity expresses the odds of an atom to attract the electrons of a bond.
The popular Pauling Scale runs from 0.7 to about 4.0 (actually 3.98 - but calm down!)
The greater the value the more likely an atom of a bond will attract the electrons of the bond. That atom carries a PARTIAL charge expression of negative, while the other atom is partially positive.
Microwaves interact with such species. These species when subjected to microwaves increase their wiggles or vibrations around an axis, interacting with other vibration molecules. This interation produces a heating effect.
Okay! Monday is a big day! We get to a whole number of applications regarding the electromagnetic spectrum.
Monday 25 March: We are well into our study of the electromagnetic spectrum. We are on page 59 of the note packet.
It was seriously gratifying to see how readily you took to this topic.
I know much of this sounds like physics - but as you will recall, the origin of the electromagnetic spectrum is electron motion, and that chemical bonds (made of electrons) are seen as some form of potential energy.
So in this topic we have a collision of ideas - yet really they are all the same idea. Chemistry is the study of energy and matter -its composition and its reactions.
We have been studying various sides or aspects of this rather singular construct. Now, we are assembling the sides and sometimes this assemblage can be as complicated as a piece from IKEA!
Recall that we discussed that the various forms of the electromagnetic spectrum:
1) have a common cause. That cause is the motion of electrons relative to their nucleus. Hence we see again an application of changes in potential energy and conversion into a form of kinetic energy (electromagnetic energy)
2) are all forms of light and thus, travel at the speed of light. The speed of light in a vacuum is measured as; 299 ,792, 458 meters/ second or approximately 671 million miles/hour)
3) differ from each other in terms of wavelength and frequency. You grasped the inverse relationship between the two so readily. As wavelength decreases, frequency increases.
4) can deliver more energy as the frequency increases.
5) are mostly invisible to us - except for the visible spectrum. The visible spectrum has wavelengths of approximately 700 nanometers [the long red wavelengths] to 380 nanometers [the energetic blues and violets]
I used the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse as a metaphor as to what some of the more powerful frequencies can do to bonds.
We then launched into color - and we hit a snag or two. So, it is with this topic that I will begin on Thursday.
Now, on Thursday, I also have a small demonstration - (No, Q - no explosions) - but rather, a demonstration that visible light, as energy can do work as well as a discussion that bonds are a form of energy and can be made/ broken.
Okay - I am pretty much still around - so get writing with those questions you want to ask. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thursday is the candle lab - I will provide you with everything you need. See you soon.
Thursday 21 March: We are on page 57 of the note packet - We are just about to dive into the electromagnetic spectrum.
The take home message for this evening's class is found on page 54 - the video regarding translation, rotation and vibration of molecules.
First - let's review that the term molecule can be used to describe a chemical species made of nonmetal atoms. O2, P4, CFH3, are each considered to be molecules. CFH3 is considered to be a molecular organic compound , while O2 and P4 are molecular elements.
So the term, MOLECULE, may apply to, or be used to describe both elements and compounds. The term does double duty as it were.
Molecules are made of atoms and these atoms are held to each other with covalent bonds.
Believe it or not - the above is a bit of review. I have been slowly introducing this concept every since we completed our study of compounds. Now, we need to put the ideas in action.
It's like I commented in class - Did you notice how quickly we zoomed into the chemistry? We are past the doorstep of basics. We are in the room - and the room is huge.
That video merged ideas that:
1) potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy (and vice versa)
2) covalent bonds can stretch (increase in potential energy). Sometimes bonds can stretch so much, that they break - this is the beginning of a chemical reaction.
3) covalent bonds can contract (decrease in potential energy)
4) covalent bonds can swing in and out, changing their position relative to another atom, and thereby increase and decrease potential energy.
5) all of this vibrational motion connects to potential energy and kinetic energy exchanges.
6) as a covalent bond stretches it is absorbing energy from the environment.
7) as a covalent bond contracts it releases energy into the environment.
8) Hence, BIG IDEA 1 (LCME) and BIG IDEA 2 (Potential Energy) are intimately connected and enmeshed with each other.
Be sure you understand that the vibrational motion schema described in the video and in this blog
is very important!
We then dove into kinetic energy, heat, thermal/infrared energy and temperature.
Temperature and energy / heat content are NOT the same thing. Recall my work using the giant beaker of science (I am king of the worlblableblale) .
Temperature is the AVERAGE KINETIC ENERGY. Recall that the units of temperature and kinetic energy are different - thus they are different concepts.
There is not such thing as cold energy. Cold is the absence of thermal or infrared energy.
Per our practice problem, energy moves from warm to cold / source to sink / high to low. We feel a draft in the house as warm air moves out into a colder environment.
A few everyday examples of the above idea are:
Some skyscrapers have thin layers of gold on them to reflect sunlight away from the building and heat back into the building.
Our homes use double paned or triple paned windows, in which a gap between panes is filled with a poorly heat conductive gas (like argon [Ar]).
Okay, that's it for now! Write with questions. Stay safe over the weekend. Lab went really well - you are each doing beautifully well! Congratulations.
Monday 18 March: We are well into the study of energy. We are on page 53 of the note packet.
Monday was all about potential energy (Big Idea #2).
Potential energy is essentially the energy associated with the position of something relative to some assumed ground point or origin.
In lecture, I referred to a number of sports metaphors, re the positioning of a racket, a bat, even when you go to kick or punch. We increase the position of an object relative to our plane and by doing so, we increase the potential energy relative to a ball or (as in boxing), a face!!!!!!
I tried to tie this idea to the rock on the top of the hill. A rock at the top has a greater position, thus a greater potential energy, relative to a rock at the bottom of the hill - because I am using the bottom of the hill as my assumed standard.
I made the same argument when discussing gases cooling to their less potential liquid phases.
Hence, the introduction of the Bohr Model with my handy bow, helps us to see that valence electrons (the outermost electrons) tend to have a greater potential energy than other electrons in the atom , relative to the nucleus.
Valence electrons are often, the electrons involved in chemical reactions. While other electrons may be important in a chemical reaction - we will first look to the valence electrons to try and explain various chemical phenomena.
Additionally, I introduced the idea that: Chemical bonds are best associated with some form of potential energy.
Bonds have lengths (thus they may represent a certain level of potential energy) and bonds have strengths.
Often, shorter bonds are low in potential energy and require a great deal of external energy to get them to break. Hence, molecules with short covalent bonds tend to be a bit more chemically stable.
Why? Well, the shorter the bond, the more energy we need to break it, in order to free up the atoms for another chemical reaction.
Some molecules with shorter bond lengths (such as carbon dioxide and water) tend to be relatively unreactive. This becomes very important when we get to our work on climate change.
We also saw that bond making was an exothermic process while bond breaking was an endothermic process.
Everyone was encouraged to write that down. (Did you?)
That idea is enormously important - per my explanation of a flame. The flame is simply the released energy due to a great deal of new bonds BEING MADE - and those bonds are pretty short in length. Thus, a great deal of energy is released into the environment.
Recall, using Big Idea #1 - energy cannot just disappear. When chemicals with longer bonds are reacted and result in products with shorter bond lengths, that excess energy must go somewhere. Ultimately it is released to the environment, as a form of kinetic energy (infrared energy, aka thermal energy or via a "heat" transfer). We call that "a flame".
I used a metaphor of wrapping a gift. We measure out some area of wrapping paper - but we need to trim it, at times. We then throw those scraps away.
Well the products are the wrapped gift, and the tossed paper is analogous to the flame ... the excess or "scrap" energy is being tossed into the environment.
Okay, we will pick this up on Thursday! You are all doing a fine job. Write with questions!
Hence, potential energy is all over our conversations regarding chemical reactions and bonding.
Thursday 4 February: Great Class! Thanks to Q for getting the ruler demo to work! Whoo Whoo!!!!
We are on page 50 of the notes. This means we begin part 3 upon our return from break.
Okay, so we led with two different demos surrounding pressure. I did not fully realize how this idea would capture your imaginations. Yet, it is important to understand how this idea of living at the bottom of an ocean of air, affects gaseous mixtures, weather, breathing, ear popping etc.
The second demo was about crushing a soda can. Now, if interested, take a look at a YouTube video (click here) about a tanker being crushed.
If you watch the video (It's really kind of cool), you should know that this really has happened.
I recall when the interior of a tanker was washed out with steaming hot water. (Can you see where I am going?). The hatch to the tanker was immediately shut and sealed after the interior was flushed out. The water vapor condensed and the interior pressure dropped below the engineered parameters, and...BAM!
We attacked extensive and intensive properties. Intensive properties may be seen as constants for matter, given a steady temperature and pressure. Melting point, normal boiling point, density, specific heat may each be considered an intensive property. The amount of matter does not matter.
Extensive properties change as mass changes, or as volume changes. In fact, mass and volume are both excellent examples of extensive properties.
We then looked at ponds freezing over. I am always trying to show you the chemistry in your life - and this example one part of the explanation as to how life on Earth continues. Due to the density of ice being less than that of 4 degree Celsius water, life beneath the ice pack can continue.
It is very important to realize that there are two temperatures most helpful in understanding the phenomenon. Water is densest at 4 degrees Celsius (Weird right? But water is weird, as I keep telling you) and water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius.
You want to understand this idea. In fact, extensive/intensive properties and ponds freezing over, will be on your "test".
Write with questions. Do not hesitate! Have a safe vacation - and I shall see you on the other side of it.
Thursday 28 February: Class began with an attempt to consolidate the idea of mass via the definition of inertia. That was (I believe) accomplished by the quarter over the cup demo, followed by our statue of The Thinker on the same cup.
Does that sound familiar? Based upon your responses the demo helped to bring home the idea.
We went into the concept of volume at that point - and we had the volume demo to the tune of Mozart's "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". This was to emphasize that 1 Liter = 1,000. mL = 1 cubic decimeter
We then moved onto the demo that gave the thinkers a bit of a problem .... The golf ball in salt water, topped by fresh water, to illustrate density.
We reviewed the idea of density as a concept - not just the math - although running numbers may be helpful.
And, finally, we shall begin pressure on Monday. We have completed page 37 orf the notes.
You were each fabulous in lab! Your buffer results were stunning - perfection! Recall that the hallmark of a buffer solution is to resist changes in the pH of the solution as more acid or base is added.
We discussed how this works in our blood system.
Okay! See you Monday .... Write with questions!
Monday 26 February:
Don't forget to prep the lab on Acids and Bases. We will do the first part (determining pH of various mixtures) and we will do buffers! I really like the piece on buffers.
Don't forget your write up re: Analysis of water ... questions 3, 4, 5 and a reflection. Remember, I want you to research and cite the good and bad of chlorine AND fluoride before you give your opinion as to how you feel about their addition to water.
We are on page 38 (essentially) of the note packet.
Well we are knee-deep into the dimensions of matter. In this section we will take a look at those measurable aspects/properties with which we may describe matter in generally.
Class began with me fulfilling my promise to boil water in a paper cup, using a Bunsen burner. Sorry "Q" I did not provide any Mac & Cheese.
This allowed me to raise the issue that matter - especially substances (but also many mixtures) have a value which indicates how much energy is required to cause an energy exchange in a sample, per gram, per degree Celsius.
That idea is called specific heat. Specific heat or specific heat capacity refers to the energy required to change 1 gram of substance by 1 degree Celsius. This applies to losing energy and of course, it applies to the addition of energy.
The thing to recall is the phrase: Slow to heat up, Slow to cool down and Fast to heat up, Fast to cool down.
This allowed me to compare and contrast metallic aluminum foil to water.
Aluminum foil has a specific heat of 0.92 J/g C while liquid water has a specific heat of 4.18 J/ g C.
1) This explains our easy handling of aluminum foil from the oven, while the food (which is mostly water) stays hot.
2) This explains why our pool's water is warmer in the summer evening than in the early morning.
3) This explains why the ocean (e.g. the shore water of the Atlantic) is often warmer in early Autumn, than it is in Early June.
4) This helps to explain why it tends to be a bit warmer by large bodies of water in the winter and cooler in the summer.
It sounds counterintuitive - but with your refined everyday thinking (thank you Einstein), you can see that it takes all summer for a lake to heat up (Slow to heat up) and a good chunk of the Autumn and Winter for that water to cool down.
I felt we then had a fruitful discussion regarding mass vs. weight.
While mass may be loosely described as the amount of "stuff" possessed by an object, it may better to associate mass with the inertial force required to alter the situation of an object.
That is, a very large "massive" object would require a greater force to change its position/state of being/motion relative to a smaller, less "massive" object.
Recall that I tried to indicate relative mass differences when using the pen and the relatively larger statue (The Thinker, by Rodin).
But perhaps it is best to view mass in light of the concept of weight. Weight is the dimension of a mass as affected by a gravitational field.
When the gravitational field affecting a mass is strong, the object WEIGHS more. The mass does not change.
And that is part of the take-home message. Weight is a function of gravity. Mass is the amount of "stuff". Hence when we change gravitational fields (such at going to orbit the Earth or the top of the highest mountains, the equator, the Poles, Death Valley, or the moon!), our weight changes. Mass stays the same. (No one flings off an arm or a leg to become "weightless").
We messed around with the Exploratorium site (link in your notes) and J was kind enough to let us look at his weight on various celestial bodies. Yeah, that neutron star was a bummer.
Recall I tried to draw this implication with my example of a 120 lbs astronaut going to the moon.
She would weigh only about 20 lbs on the moon - and for a time, her musculature would grant her "super powers". Prior to her muscles adapting to the moon's gravitational field. she would be able to jump higher, lift heavier objects etc. And this brought us to Superman coming from a people who evolved on a high gravity planet and landing on Earth. He would be like our astronaut on the moon. His musculature would allow him to lift heavy objects etc...
We also discussed however, how that is all fiction - but still, given that this is Everyday Chemistry - literature and comics, as are all the written arts and media arts subject to our investigation. They are part of our "everyday experience".
I also took a minute to bring high school physics into the mix. Many may recall using F = ma, but given problems in which the matter was described in pounds! Here is where we must account for the differences between the two ideas, as well. We need to convert pounds to a mass ... and move on from there. Ah yes, I too recall the horror...
I then moved on to Pressure. We will continue with that next class.
I think we need to do very little with density.
We will hit volume on Thursday - I have a demo!
Write with questions. You are marvelous! Hell, you are made from 13.5 billion years old atoms. You are the very stuff of stars!
You are the universe expressing itself as human - Why wouldn't you be completely fabulous??????
Thursday 22 February: Okay, we are ready to begin the dimensions of matter .... You folks are doing great!
The Analysis of Water is under your belts. You saw precipitates, and color changes (chemical reactions).
You worked with homogeneous solutions (aqueous solutions) and ultimately completed our lab work regarding the separation of a mixture components (think chromatography, and analysis of water).
In class I really tried to hammer home the idea that for the most part we are the "hottest" thing in the environment.
This fact helps to explain: perspiration, why it is a cooling process, why we feel cooler getting out of the shower or pool, why we need to be careful working/playing in 100 degree (plus) weather.
I introduced you to Frayer diagrams - I like them as they can compare/contrast two or more ideas pretty readily. They can help clear up misconceptions and/or work through concepts which may be more nuanced than we like.
I wrapped the class with an introduction into the learning structure /style I like to follow. Learning styles have a weird and less-than-stellar background.
I agree with one of your peers studying education - that we all learn via multiple modalities - but I also believe many of us have a preferred approach or two. The piece I follow (proposed by Marzzano), is that when multiple modalities are accessed, we increase the likelihood of learning.
Our job as students (because I am still learning too), is to manipulate the incoming concepts, the data supporting those concepts, and the skills associated with those concepts, to meet our needs. Yep! That may mean more work than what is happening in class - but that is the job.
So begin to look for your preference(s) and/or how I am trying to meet my goal of presenting for multiple modalities.
Okay! We are going to pick up a bit of speed now. I will see you Monday! Enjoy the weekend. Stay cool.
Write with any concerns/questions.
Thursday 15 February:
Assignment Due: Your Graded Practice work is due on Thursday 22 February, per our class discussion.
Also, we will have lab per our conversation on Thursday 22 February. We will run the Analysis of Water lab. Prep it. Water samples from your well would be fabulous. If a can I will melt some snow (I haven't done that for this lab in ages). Samples from the dorms or your home if on town water will give lackluster results. I will provide a rather polluted sample for you to test - so don't worry if you don't have a water sample.
May I say that I am beginning to feel the blog is not so important. This is a roundabout way of saying that I am very impressed by the class as a whole. You folks are doing exceedingly fine work. We have been discussing issues that I do not cover every semester. Your participation is excellent - not only in answering questions, but in asking questions. Bravo/Brava to every single person.
Now, as to those discussions I have been trying to address the concept of energy exchanges in terms of both, chemical reactions and physical changes.
The overriding rule here is that when considering energy exchange between the chemicals and the environment, it is always from the point of view of the chemicals.
The environment, as emphasized on Thursday evening is air or water.
Sometimes water is part of the chemical system - however, for most of our work, it will probably be part of the environment 99.9% of the time.
So how can you interpret the above?
Imagine dissolving sodium hydroxide (NaOH(s)) in water. The sodium hydroxide is the chemical and water is the environment. Keep this in mind.
The terms; exothermic, endothermic and change in enthalpy were introduced.
You may infer that for exothermic exchanges , more energy is released by the formation of products than is absorbed by the breaking of bonds in the reactants, so you will find Joules or Kilojoules (the units for energy) on the product side of an equation.
Endothermic exchanges imply that more energy is absorbed by the reactants than released by the formation of product, thus the energy (J or kJ) will be found on the reactant side of any type of equation.
We write the J or kJ on the reactant side or product side because chemists are ultimately interested in communicating the change in enthalpy (Enthalpy refers to the heat content of the chemicals). Change in is the operative part of the phrase.
We worked at the idea that energy must be added to the chemicals (activation energy) AND that energy is released from the chemicals.
However, we tend to record only the difference between these two energy values and call that recorded value, the CHANGE IN enthalpy (the change in the heat content of the chemicals when comparing the reactants to the products).
So, going back to that sodium hydroxide example: When sodium hydroxide is dissolved (a physical change) in water, more energy is RELEASED or is PRODUCED than is absorbed. Hence the dissolving of sodium hydroxide is an exothermic exchange.
The chemicals lose energy or "give off" energy to the surrounding environment (water). Thus, the temperature of the water will INCREASE. The water is absorbing the releases/lost/produced energy from the sodium hydroxide, as the sodium hydroxide dissolves.
I did this as the first demonstration in class, two last Monday. As to why more energy is given off - that is a whole other kettle of fish. Simply know that I am trying to teach recognition and interpretation skills here.
We then used some of this new learning to interpret the "sweating glass" phenomenon or why your bathroom mirror fogs up.
Now, this example is more complicated... hence it is a real world application (as real world stuff tends to be great for pointing out all the nuances.)
For instance,
The ice cold drink in a glass, absorbs energy from the humidity (water vapor) in the air. The water vapor condenses to liquid and collects on the glass (or mirror).
From the point of view of the chemicals in the drink, they are absorbing energy, hence there is an endothermic piece here.
Conversely if we wish to consider the water vapor as the chemical in question, the water vapor is losing energy to the colder drink, thus from the pov of the water vapor it is an exothermic exchange.
So endothermic and exothermic exchanges sort of go hand in hand. We simply need to establish what we wish to be the chemicals being examined vs. the environment in which those chemicals are found.
Write with questions. You folks are marvelous - truly the children of the stars!
Thursday 8 February: Okay, we are onto Matter and Energy Part 2! This means that we are on page 19 or so of the new packet.
In lecture I tried to put a wrap on petroleum products as mixtures. With that, I went back to discuss the separation of oil (refining oil) in terms of the distillation process (page 16).
We then took a look at what 1 barrel of oil (42 gallons) gives us.
Of the 42 gallons, per the notes, 6 gallons or so are dedicated to creating a host of materials. A few are listed on page 17.
Now, this idea of being "bathed in oil" is a more difficult one for students to grasp. When I imply that aspirin comes from oil, for instance, people get a funny look on their face.
In lecture we dealt with this by going to the Penn State link (click) found here as well as at the bottom of page 17.
As we scrolled through the link we could integrate past lecture material (such as the symbolism used in drawing molecules). I made note of the benzene ring . Benzene can be derived from oil (as the webpage implies) and that molecule can be used in the manufacture of aspirin (or many other materials). Thus, we are not "eating" oil when we take an aspirin, but we are ingesting something which may have originated in that mixture, we separate out via the various refining or distillation processes.
Clearly, oil is important.
However, another great question was asked in class (Your participation rate consistently adds so much value to the work) - regarding other sources of such important materials, should oil become scarce.
The answer is - yes - there are other sources.
I highlighted Eastman Chemicals as one such company capable of supplying important materials. Eastman Chemicals is learning or has learned how to master the art of cellulosic fermentation , which gives us ethanol, from switchgrass and other plant-based materials. They are also capable of developing much needed stock chemicals required by our economy and culture. (And, NO, I do not own any stock in the company ....although one class member did a quick search and was impressed by its growth potential!)
You see, I have no issue bringing up the business side of things as this is Everyday Chemistry. A third of you are in business! I had no issue discussing musical instruments made of brass alloy - as we have artists in the class. It is all about trying to bring an understanding of chemical principals and their interactions in our daily lives.
With that done, we launched into an understanding of what differentiates a chemical reaction from a physical change.
Not everything which happens with chemicals is a chemical reaction (think making a mixture....)
The key to understanding what constitutes a chemical reaction is to understand that there must be some sort of change in the electron cloud of the reacting species so that NEW BONDS are made.
Dissolving, merely breaks pre-existing bonds. It's NOT a good example of a chemical reaction.
We'll look more closely at this next time.
You were terrific in lab! Happy Super Bowl or just, Happy Weekend! See you Monday. Write with any questions or concerns.
Monday 5 February: Well we are just about done with Unit 1 Part 1. We will get to Part 2 on Thursday.
We are on page 16 of the notes. (Page 17 is the last page of the packet!)
We have been focused upon the construct of "Mixtures".
During Monday, I introduced acidic and alkaline (basic) solutions.
We deal with the Arrhenius Theory of Acids and Bases. (I am a huge fan as well of another theory, Bronsted-Lowry, but we can come back to that in a bit)
An acid in the Arrhenius sense, increases the concentration of H+ in water, donating that H+ to water molecules, turning them into H3O+1 [hydronium ion]
Acidic solutions have pH levels lower than 7. The smaller the pH value, the greater the concentration of hydronium ions in solution (more acid).
Consider three solutions. One has a pH of 6, another has a pH of 5 and a third has a pH of 4.
Each solution is acidic (pH is less than 7)
We learned that the solution with a pH of 5 is 10 times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 6.
A solution with the pH of 4 is 10 times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 5, AND 100 times more acidic than that solution with a pH of 6.
A base in the Arrhenius sense, increases the concentration of OH-1 in water.
Basic (or an alkaline) solutions have pH levels greater (higher) than 7. The larger the pH value, the greater the concentration of hydroxide (OH-1) ions.
Alcohols are NOT bases. Alcohols have OH bonded to a carbon atom.
Bases tend to have OH bonded to metal species, as in NaOH(aq), KOH(aq), Ca(OH)2(aq), Al(OH)3(aq).
Note, you can determine that Na, K, Ca and Al are metals by looking at your periodic table.
Recall that the symbol (aq) tells us that we are dealing with a mixture, specifically an aqueous solution. The solvent is water, as represented by the "aq". The solute is the dissolved substance.
We then shifted to petroleum mixtures.
Petroleum products refer to oil, natural gas, coal, tar, gasoline, kerosene etc.
I took great pains to develop a timeline as to when these "fossil fuels" were developed, some 360 million to 300 million years ago.
Plant matter which died and found itself in anoxic (lacking oxygen) environments, this matter, often developed into one of the big 3 forms of petroleum products (oil, coal, natural gas).
360 million years ago, bacteria and fungi (mushrooms, molds etc...) were not equipped to decompose the lignin molecules in the woody plants. Hence plants around this time were not well decomposed (and this allowed for the development of petroleum products to some degree.)
60 million years later (300 million years ago), bacteria and fungi had evolved the means of decomposing lignin and the development of petroleum products around the world fell off.
We have been tapping that petroleum reserve, in a big way, as of the late 19th century.
Thursday we will learn more about petroleum products in class. Write with questions! You are wonderful!!!!
Thursday 1 February: I am getting behind on writing these - but I hope you each get a chance to look over the blog, at least, prior to the next class.
So we are page 14 of the notes.
The focus of the entire night's work was; mixtures.
Mixtures are:
1) Physical combinations of at least 2 different substances (elements & / or compounds) in varying proportions.
2) No changes really occur to the electron clouds of the mixed species. Making a mixture is not really a chemical reaction.
3) We can recognize a mixture when:
a) there is a list of ingredients.
b) there is a grade or rating as in 87 octane gasoline, or skim milk, or 2% milk.
c) the sample is heterogeneous.
d) the sample has a rather unscientific name - or rather when it HAS a very common name: air, gum
beef, toothpaste, lettuce, ketchup, milk, steel.
4) Mixtures can be separated into their component substances via using techniques such as; distillation, chromatography, filtration, evaporation, crystallization etc.
We then spoke a little bit about the composition of air (at least at the level of the atmosphere in which humans live, the troposphere)
Air is 78% nitrogen gas (or dinitrogen, N2), 21% oxygen gas (or dioxygen, O2) with the remaining 1% made up of water vapor, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, the nitrogen oxide compounds, sulfur dioxide etc.
Air does not contain much hydrogen or H2(g). Most of the hydrogen atoms are bound up in water molecules. Air does contain a small amount of helium gas, He(g).
We then took a long look at separation of mixture by referencing the work of Alice Ball. I referred you to the work of Julian Lavon Percy as well. There is a link to both under the video tab of this website.
I tried to speak extensively about the COVID mRNA vaccine as a mixture and dispel a number of misconceptions.
1) We cannot develop COVID from the vaccine, as the vaccine contains only the mRNA of the spike protein.
It is important to know that the vaccine does NOT contain any dead or live virus. The chills and/or general illness we experience from the vaccine is due to our bodies using resources to ramp up a defense. Additionally, the vaccine and the mRNA of the spike protein are eliminated within 2 weeks from our body.
2) The vaccine cannot change the DNA or the chromosomes in our cell nuclei. That is just not how vaccines work. They do not penetrate our cells to affect such a change.
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett is another fabulous mind. She is an African-American scientist who led / directed a team of other scientists which developed the breakthrough of the mRNA vaccine. Wrapping the mRNA of the spike protein in lipids (fats) delays the attack of the the body's defense systems, allowing the body to develop the appropriate long-term immunity cells needed to destroy actual COVID viral particles.
Antibiotics do NOT fight viral infections. Antibiotics are great for many BACTERIAL infections - but not viral infections.
We need antiviral medicines - and such antiviral treatments are Paxlovid and Remdesivir (to help fight COVID-19), or Raltegravir (to help fight HIV),or Descovy (to help fight hepatitis B) etc...
Your ears should be burning because I have been talking up a storm about how able, bright and involved you, as a group have been! Bravo/Brava!!!!!
Monday 29 January: I think you are doing beautifully, as a class! The engagement on your part is just terrific.
Monday saw us attack the differences between inorganic compounds and organic compounds.
This is a tougher topic - as the definitions are not as clean nor as precise as I would like.
Essentially, organic chemistry is all about compounds of CARBON (with a few exceptions).
I teach a recognition skill using a more biochemical recognition for an organic compound, in that I have urged you to look for C - H covalent bond(s).
(The challenge is if you look up the definition of an organic compound in 50 textbooks [I have] you get about four different or four types of definitions that are variations on a theme.)
The C - H variation works really well for our classwork.
Your engagement in applying the vocabulary to the examples on the board was wonderful.
We messed around with generating terms we could apply to inorganic, as well as organic compounds.
I took the chance to introduce hydrocarbons (organic compounds with just C and H) as well as organic compounds with functional groups.
Functional groups are just special bonds or groups of atoms which imbue the compound with special characteristics and types of reactions.
This is only important in that it allows me to bring up, ketones, alcohols, esters etc... in our lecture.
Your work on identification blew me away! You were identifying compounds as, compounds, organic compounds, as demonstrating catenation, as hydrocarbons (or not) .... BAM! A GREAT CLASS!!!!!
We did a little exercise with the combustion of methane (natural gas) in oxygen ... MU-HA-HA-HA!
I asked why the building wasn't exploding and M told us that there wasn't oxygen in the pipes - so no combustion could occur! Bravo!
We talked a little about putting out grease fires (More later)
J asked about that special sort of ring structure found on the table on page 11. That terrific question allowed me to discuss that it's a shorthand. At every vertex we can assume there is a C atom, most probably bonded to a H atom, unless otherwise indicated.
The TAKE HOME MESSAGE is to know how to tell when a compound is an inorganic compound or organic compound. You have a table to help you with organic functional groups.
We moved onto mixtures.
The most important type of mixture (for our work) is the aqueous solution, designated with (aq). It is a homogenous type of mixture, with water as a solvent and some other compound as the solvent. (More on that come, Thursday)
I tried to separate a mixture of iron and salt with a magnet and saltwater, via evaporation.
I will show you the final result on Thursday.
The separation of iron from salt with a magnet allowed me to attack a conspiracy theory of sorts out on the web.
So here is your "everyday" chemistry application.
YES! It's true that certain cereals have powdered iron METAL mixed into the fabric of the flake.
Why?
Well, iron in compounds (ions of iron) taste awful to people. Remember, I mentioned the taste of blood as being less than appetizing? Well, red blood cells contain a compound made with iron ion (a charged species of iron ... sometimes Fe+3 and other times, Fe+2)
This compound is hemoglobin. It carries oxygen to our cells. Oxygen is necessary for cellular respiration (more on that later, too)
Anyway, iron compounds are distasteful. Thus cereal manufacturers put metallic iron powder into the mixture.
We don't taste it. However, once that iron gets to our stomach acid, it is converted to is ion form (Fe+3 or Fe+2) and absorbed into our body, and used to make more hemoglobin.
There is nothing insidious going on here. It is a means of fortifying a foodstuff with an important mineral.
We spoke about anemia, male multivitamins (tend not to have iron), vs female multivitamins (which do tend to have iron) as well as hematocrit levels .
Just as an aside hematocrit levels measure the proportion of red blood cells in your blood. If the levels are too low, you may have anemia.
If your levels are too high, you could be dehydrated or have some level of heart or lung disease!
And, hematocrit levels are linked to red blood cells, which require hemoglobin, which requires some form of iron!
See? We went, full circle - from chemistry to biology, to health, and back to chemistry.
Okay! Write with questions. Read that measurement / density lab. We will hit that Thursday.
Thursday 25 January: Sorry for such a late post. This weekend has been - busy! I am not usually this late - but as I said ... busy!
We are on page 8 of the notes, moving onto page 9 on Monday.
We did a whole lot of chemistry in class!
There are two really broad categories of matter: SUBSTANCES and MIXTURES.
The two terms are mutually exclusive in that a sample of matter, cannot be both!
Every mixture is made up of two or more substances but is not A substance.
Our everyday experience really surrounds mixtures - but to understand mixtures, we nee to understand substances - hence, the topic of Monday's lecture.
There are two categories of substances: Elements and Compounds.
Terms such as homogeneous (uniform) and heterogeneous (non-uniform) were introduced as adjectives.
By definition, all substances must be homogeneous (pure/uniform). Thus, the properties of a substance tend to be uniform - e.g. a single melting point, normal boiling point, density etc...
There are 118 recognized elements. These elements are divided up in any number of ways, but I use, metals, nonmetals, metalloids and noble gases. Your copy of the Periodic Table of elements includes the designations. Use it!
One easy way to recognize an element when written down on the page is to look for a single type of capital letter. (NOT, one capital letter ... one type of capital letter).
Elements are used to make compounds.
Compounds are two or more elements in a specific ratio, chemically united via bonds. The subscripts of a compound's formula help to indicate this ratio.
The ratio is fixed ... change the ratio, and you change the compound. Consider the comic in your notes, about H2O and H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide). One helps support human life, the other is a non-chlorine bleach and a poison.
One way to recognize a compound's formula, when written down is to look for two or more DIFFERENT types of capital letters.
We then spent some time practicing identification - and frankly, you were right up to speed.
We attack mixtures on Monday.
We worked away at our first lab of the year! Bravo and Brava to each of you. There was a lot of chemistry in that - I re-introduced those pesky electrons. We discussed the nature of alloys (which are a form of mixture of metals). We lit Bunsen burners, used evaporating dishes , crucible tongs etc.
Your write-up must include questions 1, 2 and a reflection. The format of the lab write-up is in the introductory packet.
Write with questions.
Monday 22 January:
I need to make a few announcements:
1) I think it is fair to push the due date for the Capsule of COVID Chemistry back to Monday , 29 January.
It gives you an extra weekend. The purpose of the assignment is to get you used to reading about science issues as well as getting used to doing some research - especially researching some unfamiliar terms.
2) Staying with the COVID assignment, one student noticed that questions 3 and 5c) were essentially the same question. Just answer them both ... you can use the same answer ... no big deal. The guy who created the assignment has issues....
3) I will take page 12 from the introductory packet, in lab, on Thursday. Page 12 is your signed copy of the contract. Be sure you have it read. Please be sure to put your name at the top.
I began class by looking at some strategies which should help while reading academic material.
I know I find it helpful to:
1) limit highlighting to the absolutely important/interesting. It forces me to select the most salient point on a page.
2) write questions, comments or definitions in the margins. I mark up my readings with questions and/or connections I think I am making, as I read. I sort of journal as I read. For instance, mark up your lab manual - find the objective of the lab in the introduction, question procedure etc. Mark up that COVID reading. Look at the questions first and read for that information. Take notes / Write questions. Engage!
Okay we moved on from the technical into the notes. We are on page 5 of the notes
Page 3 of the notes try to draw a distinction between reaction chemistry and nuclear chemistry.
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.
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.
I 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 relatively available for first year chemistry students to grasp.
We introduced the terms, reactants and products. Reactants are those species to the left of the reaction arrow, while products are those chemical species to the right of the reaction arrow.
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!
This suggests that the origins of chemistry, the desire to turn lead into gold is not possible.
You cannot get gold produced, if you did not start with some form of gold
I felt the conversation which evolved in the class was terrific.
For instance, we looked at whether the sun was an example of matter, based upon one class member's question. And, yes, it is matter. We looked at the solid phase (a military parade), the liquid phase (a dorm room party) and the gas phase (a soccer game of 5 year old kids).
The sun, is a plasma (ionized gas ... or gas particles with electrons ripped off). So, based just on this, if gas is matter, we may infer that plasma is also matter.
But this wasn't sufficient - so we looked at sending an object towards the sun - pretending we could get that object there, without being destroyed. As your classmate said, we could then land it on the sun - which suggests that the sun is matter-full. It has substance. It also occupies volume. The sun is a sphere (it's not flat). In fact, it takes 1.3 million Earths to fill the volume of the sun!!!!!!
Hence, in terms of the definition of matter, the sun is matter, as it is a mass of plasma-like gas, and has volume! Science is NOT a bunch of facts - it is a means / a process of explaining and or predicting our universe.
We then determined that the sun was NOT on fire / burning / combusting.
Yes, it's hot - but we can't burn something without oxygen (in the most classic sense of the term, burn).
There is very, very, very little oxygen in space. Hence the sun is NOT burning. It is undergoing one of those nuclear reactions from the top of the class.
And so, here we are! Everything wrapped up, and ready for next class.
Write with any issues/questions. See you all on Thursday for our first lab!
Thursday 18 January 2024: And So It Begins!!!!
First: Here are the upcoming things you need to do:
1) Assignment: A Capsule of COVID Chemistry (Due Thursday 25 January) Simply print out the 7 questions and your answers to them. Write me if you have any issues regarding the work.
2) Review the Class/Lab Agreement (Page 12 of the Introductory Packet). Sign and date it. You will give that copy to me, in class on Monday, 22 January.
3) Read the Alchemy Lab for Thursday Night. I will have pennies for you. You DO NOT need to bring in your own pennies.
We are on page 3 of the note packet.
Your takeaways 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 lecture even if you are very late. This is especially important if it is a Thursday and we have lab!
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.
3) There is no final exam, during finals week. There is a term paper and presentation. The parameters of the final and the presentation questions to be answered 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 are the stuff of stars, you are 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.
Drop an email with questions / concerns / thoughts. It is nice to meet each of you!
Assignment: Just a reminder that you do have a colligative lab write-up due AND the second take home is due on 22 April !!!
Someone asked about question #8 - yep, it's tougher. I feel that if you answer #7 well you should be led to a response for #8.
We kept moving through the basics of atomic structure, moving from isotopes to ions (especially how to interpret charge and their role as electrolytes). We are up to page 78 of the notes.
Lecture began with a look at isotopes. You need to know the definition and have the ability to identify isotopes (grab the notes) - but beyond these two skills, there are two other takeaways.
1) Isotopes of an element undergo the same chemical reactions, because they have the same number of electrons . Recall that chemical reactions are often described in terms of electron activity.
2) An everyday application is the use of radioactive isotopes as diagnostic tools and often therapeutic methodologies.
a) We discussed radioactivity as an unstable nucleus breaking down (giving off some form of radiation).
b) Radiation can be traced in a body.
c) Since a radioactive isotope will be used just as a nonradioactive isotope of the element, we can use a radioisotope (a radioactive isotope) to image tumors of the brain, test for thyroid activity, etc.
We narrowed the conversation to the thyroid gland, hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism and the used of the radioisotope Iodine-131.
d) Much of the work regarding the use of radioisotopes as a diagnostic/therapeutic tool was done by a Dr. Rosalyn Yalow, who was awarded the 1977 Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology.
We moved onto our second look at ions (Notice that I keep spiraling the learning points).
Ions are charged species, due to an unequal number of electrons and protons.
They may be single species, monatomic ions , or they may be made of multiple atoms sharing the charge. These are categorized as polyatomic ions. Your notes will review.
Ions may be positive (cations) or negative (anions).
An everyday application of ions comes in the form of electrolyte solutions. We attacked the idea of when to drink an electrolyte solution (e.g. Gatorade), why it may help and when not to drink such a solution.
Gatorade (for instance) is a homogeneous mixture which contains sodium ion and potassium ion. This idea of the two electrolytes in Gatorade led to a discussion of the sodium/potassium pump (Click here)
Class members were asked if they understood that the nervous system functioned in large part as something akin to an electrical signaling system.
That got a "yes".
Members were then asked if they knew how the electrical signal was generated, and that lead us to a discussion of the sodium / potassium pump.
Using ATP to power an exchange, sodium ions (electrolytes) are pumped across a neural (nerve cell) membrane and potassium ions (electrolytes) are pumped into the neural cell across the membrane.
In short, this endothermic exchange of ions is what generates the nerve (electrical) signal. The exchange of three sodium ions for two potassium ions creates a change in the charge system in reference to the interior and exterior of the nerve cell.
The active transport of the sodium / potassium pump and the loss of electrolytes via perspiration were blended with the need to replenish such electrolytes while playing a sport or working our or working hard. Perspiration contains these ions whose presence increases the energy required to evaporate the water away, drawing excess thermal energy from our body.
This connects beautifully with the last lab, colligative properties. Water with dissolved species tends to experience an increase in boiling point - or at the very least, such a solution would require slightly more energy to evaporate into water vapor. Having dissolved species, such as electrolytes in our perspiration engenders a faster or perhaps more efficient loss of excess energy from the body due to the greater energy requirements. It is adaptatively superior.
But such of use of electrolytes means we must replenish these electrolytes lost to the perspiratory process - and this is where something like an electrolyte drink may come in handy.
We also took a fast look at recent research (2022), which suggests that water alone is not the best form of hydration. Rather, water with some type of protein (e.g. low fat milk) may actually be better at hydration. The differences are not large - but it's always nice to bring in recent research.
The lecture period ended with the class working away at interpreting ion charge. This is all tightly linked with Big Idea #3 The Concept of Charge.
I was so pleased to witness the growth in ability and the growing understanding as we fleshed out the problems with ion interpretation. I think we need five more minutes or so to check on understanding and then we shall move on.
Okay, that's it! I am reading the papers of the first round of presenters. Write with questions or challenges you may be having.
Thursday 11 April: I handed out a new take home piece. The class voted for a due date of
Monday, April 22.
I posted a digital copy on the first page (Bring It On Home).
We moving pretty quickly through the basics of atomic structure. I am introducing a fair amount of vocabulary - but the concepts are very available. If you are struggling putting it together - get in touch with me. I will help.
We are up to page 73 of the note packet.
Everything is working towards an understanding of the Concept of Charge (Big Idea #3). I use the term, Concept of Charge to explain a set of ideas describing the charge of ions, and the difference in chemical behavior of an atom and its ion(s).
In essence, I strongly differentiate between the terms; atom and ion.
An atom is the smallest unit of an element, a neutral (in charge), capable of participating in a chemical reaction.
This concept of neutral in charge is important, as the # of protons (the atomic number) = the # of electrons. Recall the demo with "G" up front and the positive and negative
An ion carries a positive or negative charge, due to electrons being lost or electrons being gained. The number of protons does not change in normal, reaction chemistry reactions.
The charge indicates which subatomic particle is in excess. A positive indicates more protons than electrons due to a loss of electrons.
A negative indicates an excess of electrons relative to protons, due to a gain of electrons.
Keep that feudal kingdom on a hill uppermost in your mind.
These ideas will be blended with our understanding of oxidation and reduction in just a few days.
We spent some time practicing our work on isotopic signatures. We practiced determining the number of protons, electrons and neutrons, atomic number and mass number.
I spent some time discussing how small the electron is relative to the proton. To put it in perspective it takes about 1,837 electrons to make up the mass of 1 proton. Thus, when we take a look at mass number, we see it is really equal to (#p+#n) and NOT (#p + #n + #e-).
Recall that electrons relative to protons and neutrons are virtually mass-less! No single atom will every have 1,837 electrons. (We only know of 118 elements). Thus, electrons are pretty much ignored
It's really a matter of staying on top of the vocabulary. So take some time to understand this.
Okay, write with questions. I will work to get back to you asap.
Monday 8 April: Sorry for the late post - I just fell behind in some of my own work!
First, recall that I have pushed back the paper's due date to next Monday 15 April. We have the first 6 presentations signed up and I suspect, we are ready to go!
Last week we wrapped up climate change. Now, recall that this topic will be featured on your next quiz.
The focus rests upon the vibratory motion of the various greenhouse gases.
The greenhouse gases tend to have rather strong covalent bonds.
These bonded species show a wide range of vibratory motion in the bonds via stretching and bending.
Infrared energy from the Earth's surface is absorbed by these chemical species, as they are quite sensitive to absorption in the infrared range (this connects with our work on the electromagnetic spectrum)
These greenhouse gases absorb IR energy, which is essentially converted into potential energy via a greater number of bond vibratory motion.
This potential energy is often released and converted back to infrared energy which is released, in part back towards Earth. Hence we see an increase in Earth's atmospheric temperature - especially in our zone of the atmosphere - the troposphere.
We then began the next unit and we are moving quickly through it. The atom! I am working us toward the next big process - that of redox, where we will build on our work regarding oxidation and reduction.
We are on page 70 of the notes and we will pick up a little speed in this section.
Essentially we began work on the Concept of Charge (Big Idea #3), in our discussion as to what a charge actually means. We took apart the nature of the proton and electron - within reason - and have begun to work on terms, such as atomic number, isotopic signature, neutron, proton and electron.
Okay, see you Thursday ... That's all the news worth printing. Write with quesitons.
Monday 1 April: We were just about ready to tackle Climate Change.
Before that happened however, I ran through some thoughts about the Candle Lab. I am recreating the board work here - just in case it may help you.
First some of the basics:
1) Energy is absorbed to break pre-existing bonds (Bond breaking is endothermic)
2) Energy is released as new bonds are made. (Bond making is exothermic)
3) Fuel burns or combusts. Fuel can be wax/oil, as a hydrocarbon: CxHy. Fuel is oxidized (loses electrons)
4) Oxygen does not "burn". It supports combustion by becoming reduced . Oxygen gains electrons.
5) Fuel + O2 --> CO2 + H2O + kJ of energy (flame as heat/light/hot gases)
Now, for something newer...
6) Technically, a wick is designed to draw up liquids via capillary action/adhesion /cohesion
7) A candle wick draws up melted wax (recall that puddle of wax on top), into a pre-existing flame which began with a lit match.
8) Once in the flame, the melted wax is vaporized and the (now) gaseous molecules are degraded and broken apart into fragments.
9) Oxygen from the atmosphere bonds with the C and H fragments of the hydrocarbon and carbon dioxide and water are produced.
Thus, the C of the carbon dioxide comes from the wax. The H of the water comes from the wax!!!
The making of these new bonds releases more energy (Potential energy converted to Kinetic energy), and this sustains the flame and keeps the flame going.
The flame melts MORE hydrocarbon wax - the wick draws it up to the flame - the flame vaporizes the wax - the heat of the flame rips the molecules apart - oxygen bonds with the carbon and hydrogen releasing more energy, sustaining the flame - which melts MORE hydrocarbon wax - the wick draws....
That conversation took more time than I would have liked - but I felt it was worth it. What did you think?
We then began climate change - which is really the Everyday application of applications to the work we have mastered thus far.
We will see on Thursday how potential energy plays a big role.
We will see how bond strength and bond length play significant roles.
We will see how the conversion of one form of energy to another (par to Big Idea #1) plays a role.
We will see how climate change increases ocean acidification.
We will see how we may apply known solutions.
That, my brilliant, savvy, and thoughtful students is a great deal of insight.
Write with thoughts. Write with questions. Be There!
Thursday 28 March: Okay, we are just about there. Recall I said I was building up to something - and next class we get there!
We wrapped up color by connecting it to
- visible light (ROYGBV) on the electromagnetic spectrum
- electron absorption of visible light
- failure to absorb certain wavelengths by electrons
Thus, roughly speaking, the color we see is due to what is NOT absorbed by the electrons of dye molecules.
We put that together, as an application, with the color of most plants.
It was suggested via the video that green is a wavelength that is NOT absorbed well by chlorophyll. Additionally, those organisms which failed to absorb green wavelengths of light were better protected from burn out. Thus they were the species to live long enough to reproduce.
Green wavelengths make up the bulk of white light - hence burn out was dodged by those plants failing to absorb green, thereby regulating their light uptake.
I then took the time to work the demonstration re: light breaking the ionic bond of AgCl.
When AgCl is broken down, small crystals of silver metal are produced. The small crystals appear black, because they act as a light trap, bouncing any light around, not allowing the light to escape (very black hole of silver crystals!)
The ionic bond of AgCl has a strength (a bond strength). Only certain wavelengths have the energy to break that bond. The demo proved that it was the more energetic blues that could do that, when compared to red, green and yellow.
I emphasized that a red light is used in photographic dark rooms, because red visible light did not have the energy to react with any remaining silver chloride in photographic film.
It is a simple - yet elegant means of demonstrating bond strength . And, it provides us another everyday application - albeit, few use dark rooms and film these days, but black and white photography still goes today as a hobby and art form.
I took some time to introduce how a microwave can cook food. Recall it does NOT use infrared energy directly.
Rather, it the partial positive and negative charges found on molecules, such as water (and even oil to some extent) to generate a frictional force which ultimately cooks food.
Recall that these partial charges exist due to differences in electronegativity values. Electronegativity expresses the odds of an atom to attract the electrons of a bond.
The popular Pauling Scale runs from 0.7 to about 4.0 (actually 3.98 - but calm down!)
The greater the value the more likely an atom of a bond will attract the electrons of the bond. That atom carries a PARTIAL charge expression of negative, while the other atom is partially positive.
Microwaves interact with such species. These species when subjected to microwaves increase their wiggles or vibrations around an axis, interacting with other vibration molecules. This interation produces a heating effect.
Okay! Monday is a big day! We get to a whole number of applications regarding the electromagnetic spectrum.
Monday 25 March: We are well into our study of the electromagnetic spectrum. We are on page 59 of the note packet.
It was seriously gratifying to see how readily you took to this topic.
I know much of this sounds like physics - but as you will recall, the origin of the electromagnetic spectrum is electron motion, and that chemical bonds (made of electrons) are seen as some form of potential energy.
So in this topic we have a collision of ideas - yet really they are all the same idea. Chemistry is the study of energy and matter -its composition and its reactions.
We have been studying various sides or aspects of this rather singular construct. Now, we are assembling the sides and sometimes this assemblage can be as complicated as a piece from IKEA!
Recall that we discussed that the various forms of the electromagnetic spectrum:
1) have a common cause. That cause is the motion of electrons relative to their nucleus. Hence we see again an application of changes in potential energy and conversion into a form of kinetic energy (electromagnetic energy)
2) are all forms of light and thus, travel at the speed of light. The speed of light in a vacuum is measured as; 299 ,792, 458 meters/ second or approximately 671 million miles/hour)
3) differ from each other in terms of wavelength and frequency. You grasped the inverse relationship between the two so readily. As wavelength decreases, frequency increases.
4) can deliver more energy as the frequency increases.
5) are mostly invisible to us - except for the visible spectrum. The visible spectrum has wavelengths of approximately 700 nanometers [the long red wavelengths] to 380 nanometers [the energetic blues and violets]
I used the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse as a metaphor as to what some of the more powerful frequencies can do to bonds.
We then launched into color - and we hit a snag or two. So, it is with this topic that I will begin on Thursday.
Now, on Thursday, I also have a small demonstration - (No, Q - no explosions) - but rather, a demonstration that visible light, as energy can do work as well as a discussion that bonds are a form of energy and can be made/ broken.
Okay - I am pretty much still around - so get writing with those questions you want to ask. I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thursday is the candle lab - I will provide you with everything you need. See you soon.
Thursday 21 March: We are on page 57 of the note packet - We are just about to dive into the electromagnetic spectrum.
The take home message for this evening's class is found on page 54 - the video regarding translation, rotation and vibration of molecules.
First - let's review that the term molecule can be used to describe a chemical species made of nonmetal atoms. O2, P4, CFH3, are each considered to be molecules. CFH3 is considered to be a molecular organic compound , while O2 and P4 are molecular elements.
So the term, MOLECULE, may apply to, or be used to describe both elements and compounds. The term does double duty as it were.
Molecules are made of atoms and these atoms are held to each other with covalent bonds.
Believe it or not - the above is a bit of review. I have been slowly introducing this concept every since we completed our study of compounds. Now, we need to put the ideas in action.
It's like I commented in class - Did you notice how quickly we zoomed into the chemistry? We are past the doorstep of basics. We are in the room - and the room is huge.
That video merged ideas that:
1) potential energy can be converted into kinetic energy (and vice versa)
2) covalent bonds can stretch (increase in potential energy). Sometimes bonds can stretch so much, that they break - this is the beginning of a chemical reaction.
3) covalent bonds can contract (decrease in potential energy)
4) covalent bonds can swing in and out, changing their position relative to another atom, and thereby increase and decrease potential energy.
5) all of this vibrational motion connects to potential energy and kinetic energy exchanges.
6) as a covalent bond stretches it is absorbing energy from the environment.
7) as a covalent bond contracts it releases energy into the environment.
8) Hence, BIG IDEA 1 (LCME) and BIG IDEA 2 (Potential Energy) are intimately connected and enmeshed with each other.
Be sure you understand that the vibrational motion schema described in the video and in this blog
is very important!
We then dove into kinetic energy, heat, thermal/infrared energy and temperature.
Temperature and energy / heat content are NOT the same thing. Recall my work using the giant beaker of science (I am king of the worlblableblale) .
Temperature is the AVERAGE KINETIC ENERGY. Recall that the units of temperature and kinetic energy are different - thus they are different concepts.
There is not such thing as cold energy. Cold is the absence of thermal or infrared energy.
Per our practice problem, energy moves from warm to cold / source to sink / high to low. We feel a draft in the house as warm air moves out into a colder environment.
A few everyday examples of the above idea are:
Some skyscrapers have thin layers of gold on them to reflect sunlight away from the building and heat back into the building.
Our homes use double paned or triple paned windows, in which a gap between panes is filled with a poorly heat conductive gas (like argon [Ar]).
Okay, that's it for now! Write with questions. Stay safe over the weekend. Lab went really well - you are each doing beautifully well! Congratulations.
Monday 18 March: We are well into the study of energy. We are on page 53 of the note packet.
Monday was all about potential energy (Big Idea #2).
Potential energy is essentially the energy associated with the position of something relative to some assumed ground point or origin.
In lecture, I referred to a number of sports metaphors, re the positioning of a racket, a bat, even when you go to kick or punch. We increase the position of an object relative to our plane and by doing so, we increase the potential energy relative to a ball or (as in boxing), a face!!!!!!
I tried to tie this idea to the rock on the top of the hill. A rock at the top has a greater position, thus a greater potential energy, relative to a rock at the bottom of the hill - because I am using the bottom of the hill as my assumed standard.
I made the same argument when discussing gases cooling to their less potential liquid phases.
Hence, the introduction of the Bohr Model with my handy bow, helps us to see that valence electrons (the outermost electrons) tend to have a greater potential energy than other electrons in the atom , relative to the nucleus.
Valence electrons are often, the electrons involved in chemical reactions. While other electrons may be important in a chemical reaction - we will first look to the valence electrons to try and explain various chemical phenomena.
Additionally, I introduced the idea that: Chemical bonds are best associated with some form of potential energy.
Bonds have lengths (thus they may represent a certain level of potential energy) and bonds have strengths.
Often, shorter bonds are low in potential energy and require a great deal of external energy to get them to break. Hence, molecules with short covalent bonds tend to be a bit more chemically stable.
Why? Well, the shorter the bond, the more energy we need to break it, in order to free up the atoms for another chemical reaction.
Some molecules with shorter bond lengths (such as carbon dioxide and water) tend to be relatively unreactive. This becomes very important when we get to our work on climate change.
We also saw that bond making was an exothermic process while bond breaking was an endothermic process.
Everyone was encouraged to write that down. (Did you?)
That idea is enormously important - per my explanation of a flame. The flame is simply the released energy due to a great deal of new bonds BEING MADE - and those bonds are pretty short in length. Thus, a great deal of energy is released into the environment.
Recall, using Big Idea #1 - energy cannot just disappear. When chemicals with longer bonds are reacted and result in products with shorter bond lengths, that excess energy must go somewhere. Ultimately it is released to the environment, as a form of kinetic energy (infrared energy, aka thermal energy or via a "heat" transfer). We call that "a flame".
I used a metaphor of wrapping a gift. We measure out some area of wrapping paper - but we need to trim it, at times. We then throw those scraps away.
Well the products are the wrapped gift, and the tossed paper is analogous to the flame ... the excess or "scrap" energy is being tossed into the environment.
Okay, we will pick this up on Thursday! You are all doing a fine job. Write with questions!
Hence, potential energy is all over our conversations regarding chemical reactions and bonding.
Thursday 4 February: Great Class! Thanks to Q for getting the ruler demo to work! Whoo Whoo!!!!
We are on page 50 of the notes. This means we begin part 3 upon our return from break.
Okay, so we led with two different demos surrounding pressure. I did not fully realize how this idea would capture your imaginations. Yet, it is important to understand how this idea of living at the bottom of an ocean of air, affects gaseous mixtures, weather, breathing, ear popping etc.
The second demo was about crushing a soda can. Now, if interested, take a look at a YouTube video (click here) about a tanker being crushed.
If you watch the video (It's really kind of cool), you should know that this really has happened.
I recall when the interior of a tanker was washed out with steaming hot water. (Can you see where I am going?). The hatch to the tanker was immediately shut and sealed after the interior was flushed out. The water vapor condensed and the interior pressure dropped below the engineered parameters, and...BAM!
We attacked extensive and intensive properties. Intensive properties may be seen as constants for matter, given a steady temperature and pressure. Melting point, normal boiling point, density, specific heat may each be considered an intensive property. The amount of matter does not matter.
Extensive properties change as mass changes, or as volume changes. In fact, mass and volume are both excellent examples of extensive properties.
We then looked at ponds freezing over. I am always trying to show you the chemistry in your life - and this example one part of the explanation as to how life on Earth continues. Due to the density of ice being less than that of 4 degree Celsius water, life beneath the ice pack can continue.
It is very important to realize that there are two temperatures most helpful in understanding the phenomenon. Water is densest at 4 degrees Celsius (Weird right? But water is weird, as I keep telling you) and water freezes at 0 degrees Celsius.
You want to understand this idea. In fact, extensive/intensive properties and ponds freezing over, will be on your "test".
Write with questions. Do not hesitate! Have a safe vacation - and I shall see you on the other side of it.
Thursday 28 February: Class began with an attempt to consolidate the idea of mass via the definition of inertia. That was (I believe) accomplished by the quarter over the cup demo, followed by our statue of The Thinker on the same cup.
Does that sound familiar? Based upon your responses the demo helped to bring home the idea.
We went into the concept of volume at that point - and we had the volume demo to the tune of Mozart's "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star". This was to emphasize that 1 Liter = 1,000. mL = 1 cubic decimeter
We then moved onto the demo that gave the thinkers a bit of a problem .... The golf ball in salt water, topped by fresh water, to illustrate density.
We reviewed the idea of density as a concept - not just the math - although running numbers may be helpful.
And, finally, we shall begin pressure on Monday. We have completed page 37 orf the notes.
You were each fabulous in lab! Your buffer results were stunning - perfection! Recall that the hallmark of a buffer solution is to resist changes in the pH of the solution as more acid or base is added.
We discussed how this works in our blood system.
Okay! See you Monday .... Write with questions!
Monday 26 February:
Don't forget to prep the lab on Acids and Bases. We will do the first part (determining pH of various mixtures) and we will do buffers! I really like the piece on buffers.
Don't forget your write up re: Analysis of water ... questions 3, 4, 5 and a reflection. Remember, I want you to research and cite the good and bad of chlorine AND fluoride before you give your opinion as to how you feel about their addition to water.
We are on page 38 (essentially) of the note packet.
Well we are knee-deep into the dimensions of matter. In this section we will take a look at those measurable aspects/properties with which we may describe matter in generally.
Class began with me fulfilling my promise to boil water in a paper cup, using a Bunsen burner. Sorry "Q" I did not provide any Mac & Cheese.
This allowed me to raise the issue that matter - especially substances (but also many mixtures) have a value which indicates how much energy is required to cause an energy exchange in a sample, per gram, per degree Celsius.
That idea is called specific heat. Specific heat or specific heat capacity refers to the energy required to change 1 gram of substance by 1 degree Celsius. This applies to losing energy and of course, it applies to the addition of energy.
The thing to recall is the phrase: Slow to heat up, Slow to cool down and Fast to heat up, Fast to cool down.
This allowed me to compare and contrast metallic aluminum foil to water.
Aluminum foil has a specific heat of 0.92 J/g C while liquid water has a specific heat of 4.18 J/ g C.
1) This explains our easy handling of aluminum foil from the oven, while the food (which is mostly water) stays hot.
2) This explains why our pool's water is warmer in the summer evening than in the early morning.
3) This explains why the ocean (e.g. the shore water of the Atlantic) is often warmer in early Autumn, than it is in Early June.
4) This helps to explain why it tends to be a bit warmer by large bodies of water in the winter and cooler in the summer.
It sounds counterintuitive - but with your refined everyday thinking (thank you Einstein), you can see that it takes all summer for a lake to heat up (Slow to heat up) and a good chunk of the Autumn and Winter for that water to cool down.
I felt we then had a fruitful discussion regarding mass vs. weight.
While mass may be loosely described as the amount of "stuff" possessed by an object, it may better to associate mass with the inertial force required to alter the situation of an object.
That is, a very large "massive" object would require a greater force to change its position/state of being/motion relative to a smaller, less "massive" object.
Recall that I tried to indicate relative mass differences when using the pen and the relatively larger statue (The Thinker, by Rodin).
But perhaps it is best to view mass in light of the concept of weight. Weight is the dimension of a mass as affected by a gravitational field.
When the gravitational field affecting a mass is strong, the object WEIGHS more. The mass does not change.
And that is part of the take-home message. Weight is a function of gravity. Mass is the amount of "stuff". Hence when we change gravitational fields (such at going to orbit the Earth or the top of the highest mountains, the equator, the Poles, Death Valley, or the moon!), our weight changes. Mass stays the same. (No one flings off an arm or a leg to become "weightless").
We messed around with the Exploratorium site (link in your notes) and J was kind enough to let us look at his weight on various celestial bodies. Yeah, that neutron star was a bummer.
Recall I tried to draw this implication with my example of a 120 lbs astronaut going to the moon.
She would weigh only about 20 lbs on the moon - and for a time, her musculature would grant her "super powers". Prior to her muscles adapting to the moon's gravitational field. she would be able to jump higher, lift heavier objects etc. And this brought us to Superman coming from a people who evolved on a high gravity planet and landing on Earth. He would be like our astronaut on the moon. His musculature would allow him to lift heavy objects etc...
We also discussed however, how that is all fiction - but still, given that this is Everyday Chemistry - literature and comics, as are all the written arts and media arts subject to our investigation. They are part of our "everyday experience".
I also took a minute to bring high school physics into the mix. Many may recall using F = ma, but given problems in which the matter was described in pounds! Here is where we must account for the differences between the two ideas, as well. We need to convert pounds to a mass ... and move on from there. Ah yes, I too recall the horror...
I then moved on to Pressure. We will continue with that next class.
I think we need to do very little with density.
We will hit volume on Thursday - I have a demo!
Write with questions. You are marvelous! Hell, you are made from 13.5 billion years old atoms. You are the very stuff of stars!
You are the universe expressing itself as human - Why wouldn't you be completely fabulous??????
Thursday 22 February: Okay, we are ready to begin the dimensions of matter .... You folks are doing great!
The Analysis of Water is under your belts. You saw precipitates, and color changes (chemical reactions).
You worked with homogeneous solutions (aqueous solutions) and ultimately completed our lab work regarding the separation of a mixture components (think chromatography, and analysis of water).
In class I really tried to hammer home the idea that for the most part we are the "hottest" thing in the environment.
This fact helps to explain: perspiration, why it is a cooling process, why we feel cooler getting out of the shower or pool, why we need to be careful working/playing in 100 degree (plus) weather.
I introduced you to Frayer diagrams - I like them as they can compare/contrast two or more ideas pretty readily. They can help clear up misconceptions and/or work through concepts which may be more nuanced than we like.
I wrapped the class with an introduction into the learning structure /style I like to follow. Learning styles have a weird and less-than-stellar background.
I agree with one of your peers studying education - that we all learn via multiple modalities - but I also believe many of us have a preferred approach or two. The piece I follow (proposed by Marzzano), is that when multiple modalities are accessed, we increase the likelihood of learning.
Our job as students (because I am still learning too), is to manipulate the incoming concepts, the data supporting those concepts, and the skills associated with those concepts, to meet our needs. Yep! That may mean more work than what is happening in class - but that is the job.
So begin to look for your preference(s) and/or how I am trying to meet my goal of presenting for multiple modalities.
Okay! We are going to pick up a bit of speed now. I will see you Monday! Enjoy the weekend. Stay cool.
Write with any concerns/questions.
Thursday 15 February:
Assignment Due: Your Graded Practice work is due on Thursday 22 February, per our class discussion.
Also, we will have lab per our conversation on Thursday 22 February. We will run the Analysis of Water lab. Prep it. Water samples from your well would be fabulous. If a can I will melt some snow (I haven't done that for this lab in ages). Samples from the dorms or your home if on town water will give lackluster results. I will provide a rather polluted sample for you to test - so don't worry if you don't have a water sample.
May I say that I am beginning to feel the blog is not so important. This is a roundabout way of saying that I am very impressed by the class as a whole. You folks are doing exceedingly fine work. We have been discussing issues that I do not cover every semester. Your participation is excellent - not only in answering questions, but in asking questions. Bravo/Brava to every single person.
Now, as to those discussions I have been trying to address the concept of energy exchanges in terms of both, chemical reactions and physical changes.
The overriding rule here is that when considering energy exchange between the chemicals and the environment, it is always from the point of view of the chemicals.
The environment, as emphasized on Thursday evening is air or water.
Sometimes water is part of the chemical system - however, for most of our work, it will probably be part of the environment 99.9% of the time.
So how can you interpret the above?
Imagine dissolving sodium hydroxide (NaOH(s)) in water. The sodium hydroxide is the chemical and water is the environment. Keep this in mind.
The terms; exothermic, endothermic and change in enthalpy were introduced.
You may infer that for exothermic exchanges , more energy is released by the formation of products than is absorbed by the breaking of bonds in the reactants, so you will find Joules or Kilojoules (the units for energy) on the product side of an equation.
Endothermic exchanges imply that more energy is absorbed by the reactants than released by the formation of product, thus the energy (J or kJ) will be found on the reactant side of any type of equation.
We write the J or kJ on the reactant side or product side because chemists are ultimately interested in communicating the change in enthalpy (Enthalpy refers to the heat content of the chemicals). Change in is the operative part of the phrase.
We worked at the idea that energy must be added to the chemicals (activation energy) AND that energy is released from the chemicals.
However, we tend to record only the difference between these two energy values and call that recorded value, the CHANGE IN enthalpy (the change in the heat content of the chemicals when comparing the reactants to the products).
So, going back to that sodium hydroxide example: When sodium hydroxide is dissolved (a physical change) in water, more energy is RELEASED or is PRODUCED than is absorbed. Hence the dissolving of sodium hydroxide is an exothermic exchange.
The chemicals lose energy or "give off" energy to the surrounding environment (water). Thus, the temperature of the water will INCREASE. The water is absorbing the releases/lost/produced energy from the sodium hydroxide, as the sodium hydroxide dissolves.
I did this as the first demonstration in class, two last Monday. As to why more energy is given off - that is a whole other kettle of fish. Simply know that I am trying to teach recognition and interpretation skills here.
We then used some of this new learning to interpret the "sweating glass" phenomenon or why your bathroom mirror fogs up.
Now, this example is more complicated... hence it is a real world application (as real world stuff tends to be great for pointing out all the nuances.)
For instance,
The ice cold drink in a glass, absorbs energy from the humidity (water vapor) in the air. The water vapor condenses to liquid and collects on the glass (or mirror).
From the point of view of the chemicals in the drink, they are absorbing energy, hence there is an endothermic piece here.
Conversely if we wish to consider the water vapor as the chemical in question, the water vapor is losing energy to the colder drink, thus from the pov of the water vapor it is an exothermic exchange.
So endothermic and exothermic exchanges sort of go hand in hand. We simply need to establish what we wish to be the chemicals being examined vs. the environment in which those chemicals are found.
Write with questions. You folks are marvelous - truly the children of the stars!
Thursday 8 February: Okay, we are onto Matter and Energy Part 2! This means that we are on page 19 or so of the new packet.
In lecture I tried to put a wrap on petroleum products as mixtures. With that, I went back to discuss the separation of oil (refining oil) in terms of the distillation process (page 16).
We then took a look at what 1 barrel of oil (42 gallons) gives us.
Of the 42 gallons, per the notes, 6 gallons or so are dedicated to creating a host of materials. A few are listed on page 17.
Now, this idea of being "bathed in oil" is a more difficult one for students to grasp. When I imply that aspirin comes from oil, for instance, people get a funny look on their face.
In lecture we dealt with this by going to the Penn State link (click) found here as well as at the bottom of page 17.
As we scrolled through the link we could integrate past lecture material (such as the symbolism used in drawing molecules). I made note of the benzene ring . Benzene can be derived from oil (as the webpage implies) and that molecule can be used in the manufacture of aspirin (or many other materials). Thus, we are not "eating" oil when we take an aspirin, but we are ingesting something which may have originated in that mixture, we separate out via the various refining or distillation processes.
Clearly, oil is important.
However, another great question was asked in class (Your participation rate consistently adds so much value to the work) - regarding other sources of such important materials, should oil become scarce.
The answer is - yes - there are other sources.
I highlighted Eastman Chemicals as one such company capable of supplying important materials. Eastman Chemicals is learning or has learned how to master the art of cellulosic fermentation , which gives us ethanol, from switchgrass and other plant-based materials. They are also capable of developing much needed stock chemicals required by our economy and culture. (And, NO, I do not own any stock in the company ....although one class member did a quick search and was impressed by its growth potential!)
You see, I have no issue bringing up the business side of things as this is Everyday Chemistry. A third of you are in business! I had no issue discussing musical instruments made of brass alloy - as we have artists in the class. It is all about trying to bring an understanding of chemical principals and their interactions in our daily lives.
With that done, we launched into an understanding of what differentiates a chemical reaction from a physical change.
Not everything which happens with chemicals is a chemical reaction (think making a mixture....)
The key to understanding what constitutes a chemical reaction is to understand that there must be some sort of change in the electron cloud of the reacting species so that NEW BONDS are made.
Dissolving, merely breaks pre-existing bonds. It's NOT a good example of a chemical reaction.
We'll look more closely at this next time.
You were terrific in lab! Happy Super Bowl or just, Happy Weekend! See you Monday. Write with any questions or concerns.
Monday 5 February: Well we are just about done with Unit 1 Part 1. We will get to Part 2 on Thursday.
We are on page 16 of the notes. (Page 17 is the last page of the packet!)
We have been focused upon the construct of "Mixtures".
During Monday, I introduced acidic and alkaline (basic) solutions.
We deal with the Arrhenius Theory of Acids and Bases. (I am a huge fan as well of another theory, Bronsted-Lowry, but we can come back to that in a bit)
An acid in the Arrhenius sense, increases the concentration of H+ in water, donating that H+ to water molecules, turning them into H3O+1 [hydronium ion]
Acidic solutions have pH levels lower than 7. The smaller the pH value, the greater the concentration of hydronium ions in solution (more acid).
Consider three solutions. One has a pH of 6, another has a pH of 5 and a third has a pH of 4.
Each solution is acidic (pH is less than 7)
We learned that the solution with a pH of 5 is 10 times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 6.
A solution with the pH of 4 is 10 times more acidic than a solution with a pH of 5, AND 100 times more acidic than that solution with a pH of 6.
A base in the Arrhenius sense, increases the concentration of OH-1 in water.
Basic (or an alkaline) solutions have pH levels greater (higher) than 7. The larger the pH value, the greater the concentration of hydroxide (OH-1) ions.
Alcohols are NOT bases. Alcohols have OH bonded to a carbon atom.
Bases tend to have OH bonded to metal species, as in NaOH(aq), KOH(aq), Ca(OH)2(aq), Al(OH)3(aq).
Note, you can determine that Na, K, Ca and Al are metals by looking at your periodic table.
Recall that the symbol (aq) tells us that we are dealing with a mixture, specifically an aqueous solution. The solvent is water, as represented by the "aq". The solute is the dissolved substance.
We then shifted to petroleum mixtures.
Petroleum products refer to oil, natural gas, coal, tar, gasoline, kerosene etc.
I took great pains to develop a timeline as to when these "fossil fuels" were developed, some 360 million to 300 million years ago.
Plant matter which died and found itself in anoxic (lacking oxygen) environments, this matter, often developed into one of the big 3 forms of petroleum products (oil, coal, natural gas).
360 million years ago, bacteria and fungi (mushrooms, molds etc...) were not equipped to decompose the lignin molecules in the woody plants. Hence plants around this time were not well decomposed (and this allowed for the development of petroleum products to some degree.)
60 million years later (300 million years ago), bacteria and fungi had evolved the means of decomposing lignin and the development of petroleum products around the world fell off.
We have been tapping that petroleum reserve, in a big way, as of the late 19th century.
Thursday we will learn more about petroleum products in class. Write with questions! You are wonderful!!!!
Thursday 1 February: I am getting behind on writing these - but I hope you each get a chance to look over the blog, at least, prior to the next class.
So we are page 14 of the notes.
The focus of the entire night's work was; mixtures.
Mixtures are:
1) Physical combinations of at least 2 different substances (elements & / or compounds) in varying proportions.
2) No changes really occur to the electron clouds of the mixed species. Making a mixture is not really a chemical reaction.
3) We can recognize a mixture when:
a) there is a list of ingredients.
b) there is a grade or rating as in 87 octane gasoline, or skim milk, or 2% milk.
c) the sample is heterogeneous.
d) the sample has a rather unscientific name - or rather when it HAS a very common name: air, gum
beef, toothpaste, lettuce, ketchup, milk, steel.
4) Mixtures can be separated into their component substances via using techniques such as; distillation, chromatography, filtration, evaporation, crystallization etc.
We then spoke a little bit about the composition of air (at least at the level of the atmosphere in which humans live, the troposphere)
Air is 78% nitrogen gas (or dinitrogen, N2), 21% oxygen gas (or dioxygen, O2) with the remaining 1% made up of water vapor, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, the nitrogen oxide compounds, sulfur dioxide etc.
Air does not contain much hydrogen or H2(g). Most of the hydrogen atoms are bound up in water molecules. Air does contain a small amount of helium gas, He(g).
We then took a long look at separation of mixture by referencing the work of Alice Ball. I referred you to the work of Julian Lavon Percy as well. There is a link to both under the video tab of this website.
I tried to speak extensively about the COVID mRNA vaccine as a mixture and dispel a number of misconceptions.
1) We cannot develop COVID from the vaccine, as the vaccine contains only the mRNA of the spike protein.
It is important to know that the vaccine does NOT contain any dead or live virus. The chills and/or general illness we experience from the vaccine is due to our bodies using resources to ramp up a defense. Additionally, the vaccine and the mRNA of the spike protein are eliminated within 2 weeks from our body.
2) The vaccine cannot change the DNA or the chromosomes in our cell nuclei. That is just not how vaccines work. They do not penetrate our cells to affect such a change.
Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett is another fabulous mind. She is an African-American scientist who led / directed a team of other scientists which developed the breakthrough of the mRNA vaccine. Wrapping the mRNA of the spike protein in lipids (fats) delays the attack of the the body's defense systems, allowing the body to develop the appropriate long-term immunity cells needed to destroy actual COVID viral particles.
Antibiotics do NOT fight viral infections. Antibiotics are great for many BACTERIAL infections - but not viral infections.
We need antiviral medicines - and such antiviral treatments are Paxlovid and Remdesivir (to help fight COVID-19), or Raltegravir (to help fight HIV),or Descovy (to help fight hepatitis B) etc...
Your ears should be burning because I have been talking up a storm about how able, bright and involved you, as a group have been! Bravo/Brava!!!!!
Monday 29 January: I think you are doing beautifully, as a class! The engagement on your part is just terrific.
Monday saw us attack the differences between inorganic compounds and organic compounds.
This is a tougher topic - as the definitions are not as clean nor as precise as I would like.
Essentially, organic chemistry is all about compounds of CARBON (with a few exceptions).
I teach a recognition skill using a more biochemical recognition for an organic compound, in that I have urged you to look for C - H covalent bond(s).
(The challenge is if you look up the definition of an organic compound in 50 textbooks [I have] you get about four different or four types of definitions that are variations on a theme.)
The C - H variation works really well for our classwork.
Your engagement in applying the vocabulary to the examples on the board was wonderful.
We messed around with generating terms we could apply to inorganic, as well as organic compounds.
I took the chance to introduce hydrocarbons (organic compounds with just C and H) as well as organic compounds with functional groups.
Functional groups are just special bonds or groups of atoms which imbue the compound with special characteristics and types of reactions.
This is only important in that it allows me to bring up, ketones, alcohols, esters etc... in our lecture.
Your work on identification blew me away! You were identifying compounds as, compounds, organic compounds, as demonstrating catenation, as hydrocarbons (or not) .... BAM! A GREAT CLASS!!!!!
We did a little exercise with the combustion of methane (natural gas) in oxygen ... MU-HA-HA-HA!
I asked why the building wasn't exploding and M told us that there wasn't oxygen in the pipes - so no combustion could occur! Bravo!
We talked a little about putting out grease fires (More later)
J asked about that special sort of ring structure found on the table on page 11. That terrific question allowed me to discuss that it's a shorthand. At every vertex we can assume there is a C atom, most probably bonded to a H atom, unless otherwise indicated.
The TAKE HOME MESSAGE is to know how to tell when a compound is an inorganic compound or organic compound. You have a table to help you with organic functional groups.
We moved onto mixtures.
The most important type of mixture (for our work) is the aqueous solution, designated with (aq). It is a homogenous type of mixture, with water as a solvent and some other compound as the solvent. (More on that come, Thursday)
I tried to separate a mixture of iron and salt with a magnet and saltwater, via evaporation.
I will show you the final result on Thursday.
The separation of iron from salt with a magnet allowed me to attack a conspiracy theory of sorts out on the web.
So here is your "everyday" chemistry application.
YES! It's true that certain cereals have powdered iron METAL mixed into the fabric of the flake.
Why?
Well, iron in compounds (ions of iron) taste awful to people. Remember, I mentioned the taste of blood as being less than appetizing? Well, red blood cells contain a compound made with iron ion (a charged species of iron ... sometimes Fe+3 and other times, Fe+2)
This compound is hemoglobin. It carries oxygen to our cells. Oxygen is necessary for cellular respiration (more on that later, too)
Anyway, iron compounds are distasteful. Thus cereal manufacturers put metallic iron powder into the mixture.
We don't taste it. However, once that iron gets to our stomach acid, it is converted to is ion form (Fe+3 or Fe+2) and absorbed into our body, and used to make more hemoglobin.
There is nothing insidious going on here. It is a means of fortifying a foodstuff with an important mineral.
We spoke about anemia, male multivitamins (tend not to have iron), vs female multivitamins (which do tend to have iron) as well as hematocrit levels .
Just as an aside hematocrit levels measure the proportion of red blood cells in your blood. If the levels are too low, you may have anemia.
If your levels are too high, you could be dehydrated or have some level of heart or lung disease!
And, hematocrit levels are linked to red blood cells, which require hemoglobin, which requires some form of iron!
See? We went, full circle - from chemistry to biology, to health, and back to chemistry.
Okay! Write with questions. Read that measurement / density lab. We will hit that Thursday.
Thursday 25 January: Sorry for such a late post. This weekend has been - busy! I am not usually this late - but as I said ... busy!
We are on page 8 of the notes, moving onto page 9 on Monday.
We did a whole lot of chemistry in class!
There are two really broad categories of matter: SUBSTANCES and MIXTURES.
The two terms are mutually exclusive in that a sample of matter, cannot be both!
Every mixture is made up of two or more substances but is not A substance.
Our everyday experience really surrounds mixtures - but to understand mixtures, we nee to understand substances - hence, the topic of Monday's lecture.
There are two categories of substances: Elements and Compounds.
Terms such as homogeneous (uniform) and heterogeneous (non-uniform) were introduced as adjectives.
By definition, all substances must be homogeneous (pure/uniform). Thus, the properties of a substance tend to be uniform - e.g. a single melting point, normal boiling point, density etc...
There are 118 recognized elements. These elements are divided up in any number of ways, but I use, metals, nonmetals, metalloids and noble gases. Your copy of the Periodic Table of elements includes the designations. Use it!
One easy way to recognize an element when written down on the page is to look for a single type of capital letter. (NOT, one capital letter ... one type of capital letter).
Elements are used to make compounds.
Compounds are two or more elements in a specific ratio, chemically united via bonds. The subscripts of a compound's formula help to indicate this ratio.
The ratio is fixed ... change the ratio, and you change the compound. Consider the comic in your notes, about H2O and H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide). One helps support human life, the other is a non-chlorine bleach and a poison.
One way to recognize a compound's formula, when written down is to look for two or more DIFFERENT types of capital letters.
We then spent some time practicing identification - and frankly, you were right up to speed.
We attack mixtures on Monday.
We worked away at our first lab of the year! Bravo and Brava to each of you. There was a lot of chemistry in that - I re-introduced those pesky electrons. We discussed the nature of alloys (which are a form of mixture of metals). We lit Bunsen burners, used evaporating dishes , crucible tongs etc.
Your write-up must include questions 1, 2 and a reflection. The format of the lab write-up is in the introductory packet.
Write with questions.
Monday 22 January:
I need to make a few announcements:
1) I think it is fair to push the due date for the Capsule of COVID Chemistry back to Monday , 29 January.
It gives you an extra weekend. The purpose of the assignment is to get you used to reading about science issues as well as getting used to doing some research - especially researching some unfamiliar terms.
2) Staying with the COVID assignment, one student noticed that questions 3 and 5c) were essentially the same question. Just answer them both ... you can use the same answer ... no big deal. The guy who created the assignment has issues....
3) I will take page 12 from the introductory packet, in lab, on Thursday. Page 12 is your signed copy of the contract. Be sure you have it read. Please be sure to put your name at the top.
I began class by looking at some strategies which should help while reading academic material.
I know I find it helpful to:
1) limit highlighting to the absolutely important/interesting. It forces me to select the most salient point on a page.
2) write questions, comments or definitions in the margins. I mark up my readings with questions and/or connections I think I am making, as I read. I sort of journal as I read. For instance, mark up your lab manual - find the objective of the lab in the introduction, question procedure etc. Mark up that COVID reading. Look at the questions first and read for that information. Take notes / Write questions. Engage!
Okay we moved on from the technical into the notes. We are on page 5 of the notes
Page 3 of the notes try to draw a distinction between reaction chemistry and nuclear chemistry.
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.
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.
I 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 relatively available for first year chemistry students to grasp.
We introduced the terms, reactants and products. Reactants are those species to the left of the reaction arrow, while products are those chemical species to the right of the reaction arrow.
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!
This suggests that the origins of chemistry, the desire to turn lead into gold is not possible.
You cannot get gold produced, if you did not start with some form of gold
I felt the conversation which evolved in the class was terrific.
For instance, we looked at whether the sun was an example of matter, based upon one class member's question. And, yes, it is matter. We looked at the solid phase (a military parade), the liquid phase (a dorm room party) and the gas phase (a soccer game of 5 year old kids).
The sun, is a plasma (ionized gas ... or gas particles with electrons ripped off). So, based just on this, if gas is matter, we may infer that plasma is also matter.
But this wasn't sufficient - so we looked at sending an object towards the sun - pretending we could get that object there, without being destroyed. As your classmate said, we could then land it on the sun - which suggests that the sun is matter-full. It has substance. It also occupies volume. The sun is a sphere (it's not flat). In fact, it takes 1.3 million Earths to fill the volume of the sun!!!!!!
Hence, in terms of the definition of matter, the sun is matter, as it is a mass of plasma-like gas, and has volume! Science is NOT a bunch of facts - it is a means / a process of explaining and or predicting our universe.
We then determined that the sun was NOT on fire / burning / combusting.
Yes, it's hot - but we can't burn something without oxygen (in the most classic sense of the term, burn).
There is very, very, very little oxygen in space. Hence the sun is NOT burning. It is undergoing one of those nuclear reactions from the top of the class.
And so, here we are! Everything wrapped up, and ready for next class.
Write with any issues/questions. See you all on Thursday for our first lab!
Thursday 18 January 2024: And So It Begins!!!!
First: Here are the upcoming things you need to do:
1) Assignment: A Capsule of COVID Chemistry (Due Thursday 25 January) Simply print out the 7 questions and your answers to them. Write me if you have any issues regarding the work.
2) Review the Class/Lab Agreement (Page 12 of the Introductory Packet). Sign and date it. You will give that copy to me, in class on Monday, 22 January.
3) Read the Alchemy Lab for Thursday Night. I will have pennies for you. You DO NOT need to bring in your own pennies.
We are on page 3 of the note packet.
Your takeaways 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 lecture even if you are very late. This is especially important if it is a Thursday and we have lab!
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.
3) There is no final exam, during finals week. There is a term paper and presentation. The parameters of the final and the presentation questions to be answered 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 are the stuff of stars, you are 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.
Drop an email with questions / concerns / thoughts. It is nice to meet each of you!