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Acids and bases: 3/18/2021

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 This week my classmates and I were able to further our understanding on pH levels and how they change from substance to substance. In addition to this lab we were able to participate in a virtual experiment that allowed us to observe the pH balance of different liquids while changing the conditions. Materials:  4 tarnished pennies Vinegar, water, baking soda, lemon juice, ammonia 5 small cups Stirring rods pH strips Lab:  The objective of this lab was to monitor the pH level of the liquids, and it's relationship to the pennies. To begin my partner and I poured vinegar, water, baking soda, lemon juice, and ammonia into 5 small cups then placed the pennies inside. Next we used the pH strips to test the levels while the pennies where in the cups. The chart below shows the levels recorded with the pennies in the cups (black) and the levels once they were removed (red) along with the affect on the pennies. Once the levels were recorded we removed the pennies and took ...
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Truss Bridge: 4/1/2021

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Activity:  This week my classmates and I were able to construct a bridge made of popsicle sticks. Our goal was to build the lightest bridge possible, while maintaining a strong structure that could hold weight. To accomplish this I decided to model my bridge after the warren which is pictured below.    Construction :  I began by creating both of the side frames which consisted of 26 sticks for each side, which ended up being 52 total. I then built the base and the top which only took 18 sticks total. I found that adding vertical supports made the bridge more stable, so I added an additional 2 sticks to each side. Once completed I ended up using 72 sticks total. I glued each piece together with hot glue, and upon completion I went back and added Elmer's glue to the joints of the bridge to insure stability. In the end my bridge weighed 82 grams. Results:  My bridge ended up holding 67 pounds which was suspended from the bottom as seen in the pictures below. T...
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Balloon in a bottle: 03/11.2021

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 In this lab my classmates and I were able to get a better understanding of pressure and volume according to Charles law. My partner and I were able observe pressure and volume changes within a closed system. Listed below are the materials used.  Materials: 250 ml Flask                       Hotplate Balloon                                Ice Shallow foil pan Lab:  First my partner and I filled a 250ml flask with about 125ml of water and attached  a balloon to the top. Once this was complete we brought the water to a boil. As the temperature  increased the volume of the balloon began to double which followed Charles law. As the water began to transform into a gas  the molecules filled the balloon  causing it to inflate, and eventually pop. Next we cre...
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Crushing a can: 03/11/2021

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 This week my classmates and I gained a better understanding of Charles Law. The law states that doubling the temperature of a gas, doubles its volume as long as the amount of gas and pressure remain constant. We also revisited Boyle's Law, that states that pressure remains balanced between object and atmosphere. We were able to test these laws by conducting this experiment.  Materials: (2) aluminum cans Shallow foil pan 10 ml graduated cylinder Ice Hotplate Tongs Lab:  My partner and I started by rinsing out the can, and creating an ice bath. We then used tongs to turn the hot can upside down in the cold water, and noticed the can took in water. Following this we repeated the previous steps, but this time we added 5ml of water to the can before flipping it upside down. The can imploded and took in some water. Once again we repeated the previous steps but added 10ml of water. This had a similar effect; the can imploded and took in a small amount of water....
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Elephant's Toothpaste: 02/23/2021

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 This week my classmates and I were able to further our understanding of chemical reactions. We also were able to identify  a catalyst,  a substance that increases the reaction rate without being consumed. The catalase in this experiment was the yeast, which broke down the hydrogen peroxide.  During this lab we were able to see the physical changes that occurred when the molecules interacted with each other.  Materials: 100ml beaker  Yeast  Suturing rod 500ml flask Dish soap  Food Coloring  6% Hydrogen peroxide  Lab:  My partner and I began by first adding two packets of yeast to the 100ml beaker, along with 50ml of warm water and began to mix. Secondly we added 200ml of hydrogen peroxide to the flask along with dish soap and food coloring. Finally we added the yeast to the flask and observed the reaction. Once the yeast was added bubbling started immediately and the flask was warm to the touch. Shortly after foam shot out of t...
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Lava lamp lab: 02/23/2021

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 This week my classmates and I gained a better understanding of chemical reactions. We learned that a chemical reaction is defined as two or more molecules interacting and changing. In a reaction there are products and reactants. In order for it to be a reaction the product must be chemically different from the reactants.  Materials: Kid’s test tube and cap Vegetable oil Water ½ Alka-Seltzer tablet 5 drops food coloring Lab:  As we began to make the lava lamp my partner and I first filled the test tube about 3/4 of the way with vegetable oil. Next we added one cap full of water to the tube along with 5 drops of blue food coloring. Following this we added 1/2 of  an Alka-Seltzer tablet then shook the test tube lightly. Once the chemical reaction began to take place we noticed a few changes. The food coloring seemed to be moving through the oil in small bubbles. Also, we noticed small bubbles of CO2 that seemed to be coming from the  Alka-Seltzer tablet. W...
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Chemistry basics lab: 02/18/2021

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 This week we took a deeper look into exothermic and endothermic reactions. First as a group we discussed and defined each reaction. A exothermic reaction is when energy is released in the form of heat, and a endothermic reaction is when heat is absorbed from the surroundings.  Materials: Calcium chloride Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) Citric acid Beakers Stirring rods 100ml graduated cylinder Thermometer Exothermic reaction:  My partner and I first used the thermometer verify that the water was at room temperature. Next we measured out 10 ml of calcium chloride chips and added it to the water, creating a solution. Following this we recorded the change in temperature every 5 seconds for 1 minute. Our data showed that the temperature was rising at a constant rate, and the maximum temperature was 30 degrees Celsius. As seen below we created a graph based off our data to represent the changes in temperature over time.  Exothermic reaction:  Similar to...
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