Week of May 2

We're entering the home stretch now.  One month until final exams.  Keep up the good work, and keep your grade up!

Monday:  We'll start out our Nuclear Unit (Unit 13) with a video on Nuclear Power called Nove: Power Surge.  If you are interested in calculating your own carbon footprint, try here.

Tuesday:  We're going to need candy in class today!  I'll bring in what we need for the activities.  We'll be using M&M's and Vine candy (like Twizlers or RedVines).  Remember, the more we bring in, the more we can eat!!  We'll be doing the Vine Candy Half Life Activity, as well as starting the Candium Half-Life Lab.  Also, I'm going to hand out the Reading Study Guide.  Get started on RSG 13 . . . you should have 12.1 read for this Wednesday, May 4th. 

Wednesday:  (Half Day)  We finished up the candium lab from yesterday and turned it in.  The second half of the long class periods (4th-6th hour) will be SSR time.

Thursday:  We'll pass back the lab and discuss the important points on it.  We're also going to go over the first part of the Notes for Unit 13.  We'll also work on the Half-Life Problems worksheet.

Friday:  TBA

Week of April 25

Monday - No School

Tuesday - Today we met in the Maroon Room for liquid nitrogen demos.  Videos are now up, and can be viewed on My YouTube Channel.

Wednesday - PSAE Testing.

Thursday - PSAE Testing.

Friday - We'll be watching a Nova Video in class.  I plan on posting the optional project for the year this weekend.  It will only be posted online, as I will mention in class.

Week of April 18, 2011

Monday:  We introduced chromatography today with a lab using FDA approved food dyes. 

Control FDA Approved Colors



Unknown Colors

For more information on food dyes and the controversy behind them, see these recent articles at this link and this link from the Chicago Tribune.  Also, this article in the Washington post is interesting.





Tuesday:  We'll take notes about chromatography, and get the Reading Study Guide for Unit 12.5.  Homework will be to read through the book and complete the Reading Study Guide by Thursday.  We'll also be watching a video describing what chromatography is, how it's done, and some applications. 



Wednesday:  Today we'll be doing a CSI style lab using ink chromatography.  Bring yourself, and any notes you think you'll need to complete the lab.   Need to makeup the lab?  Download the original lab, and use the following links as your evidince.  Exhibit A and Exhibit B part 1 and Exhibit B part 2



Thursday:  The Reading Study Guide was turned in today.  We did the Chromatographic Candies Lab.  We'll need to bring in M&M or Skittles for the lab, if we want to eat any.  I will only bring in enough to complete the lab.

Friday:  No School.

This is a qr barcode:

Extra Credit Opportunity (Online Only)

Reposted.  This offer only valid for a limited time.

Here is an opportunity for extra credit.  I am using an online company called DropBox to easily post and share files online.  DropBox initially gives you only so much space for free, and I need more than what they give.  Fortunately, they have a referral program, and for each person that signs up using my link, I will get more space as well as be notified of who has signed up.

In order to get 10 points extra credit, you need to:

1. Click on the link: http://db.tt/0JaEICh
2. Register as a DropBox user at this link.
3. Download and install the software.
4. Run the software and login using the password you set up in step 2. 

When you complete step 4, DropBox will send me an email notifying me of a new user that I have referred and will let me know the name you registered with.  I'll give you extra credit only if you make it to step 4.

Limited Time Only!

Week of April 11, 2011

Monday:  Have your Reading Study Guide done through 8.2.  Today we continued in our notes by discussing equilibrium constants, and learning what they tell us about a chemical reaction.  Homework will be to complete the worksheet on equilibrium constant problems.

Tuesday:  We began class by working in our groups to get a concensus on the homework.  After that we went over a couple of the tougher problems as a class.  We then continued working with equilibrium constants.  Today's worksheet: equilibrium constant problems 2.  This worksheet was turned in before class was over, or it will be handed in first thing tomorrow.

Wednesday:  Today we discussed Le Chatlier's Princple.  I also did a demo for Le Chatlier's Principle.  If you missed the demo, or want to see it again, you can click here.  There was a handout to help you take notes about the demo.  Homework will be to complete the Le Chatlier's Principle Worksheet. 

Thursday:  Today we will go over the Review in class for Unit 12.  Answers to the review are at this link.  Answers to the RSG are at this link.

Friday:  Today is the Test on Unit 12.  Reading Study Guide for Unit 12, and the Unit 12 Review will be due today.

Week of April 4, 2011

Welcome back from Spring Break!  I hope that everyone had a restfull break, and is ready to come back and learn some more Chemistry!  This week we'll be finishing up Unit 11 by discussing and working with calorimetry.  We'll also be starting Unit 12, Industrial Chemistry.  The test for Unit 12 will be on Friday, April 15th.

Monday:  Today we did a Science Section ACT Practice test.  I also haded out an Intro to Calorimetry problem.  You should have worked for 15-20 min on solving the intro problem.  If you can't solve it, at least work out some logical steps to try and solve it.

Tuesday:  Have your Introduction to Calorimetry ready to go when you walk in.  Remember, you should have spent 15 minutes trying to work on some logic on how to solve the problem.  We started our discussion on Calorimetry today after a group activity solving the introductory problem from Monday. We also got a calorimetry worksheet. 

The following two images show a solution for the Intro to Calorimetry Problem:

If you didn't like the two equation solution, then you could have made one master equation.  My logic for it is seen in the last image for today.

Wednesday:  We did a calorimetry activity in class today to show how specific heat capacity values are calculated.   I also handed out the RSG for Unit 12.  You should begin working on that, with a goal of having it done by Thursday, April 14th.

If you need to do makeup activity (or redo the activity) here's some sample data.  On a blank sheet of paper, neatly show all work for finding the specific heat of the unknown metal. Circle your final answer with units.


Thursday:  Today we did a lab on chemical equilibrium.  I'll post the data that I got in class here.  Note: This is class average data, not individual group data.

Friday:  Today we started notes on Unit 8.1, which introduced the ideas of reversible reactions, chemical equilibirum, and dynamic equilibrium.  We compared our lab results.   You should have your RSG done through chapter 8.2.