Stoichiometry Week 2 Post #3

Today was test day, and I actually felt pretty good about it. I walked into class feeling pretty prepared  because I did a lot of practice last night with the practice tests and I studied the weekly quiz. Overall I've felt pretty good about this entire unit because I've understood it from the get go, which made it easier when we built on it with more complex concepts. I hope I did as well as I think I did, but I'll just have to wait and see.

Stoichiometry Week 2 Post #2

So last week's quiz went okay, I was feeling really good about it when I walked into class but during the quiz I kept getting answers that were just slightly off from the multiple choice answers, which was frustrating. After the quiz I was unsure what my score would be, but it ended up better than I thought it would be, which was good. Last week I went over the quiz to see which questions I got wrong and why and it was really helpful, so I hope I don't make those same mistakes on tomorrows unit test.

Stoichiometry Week 2 Post #1

Last week on Thursday, we started the Cu (II) Chloride Lab. From reading over the lab beforehand it seemed pretty simple, and both my lab partner and I made in into the lab pretty easily. The lab was really fun because we got to react a nail (Fe) with CuCl2 in a baby food jar, and then after the weekend we came back and got to see what exactly had happened. It was also interesting because Mrs. Frankenburg had told us that Iron would either react with a 2+ charge or a 3+ charge and it would be totally random which charge of iron our nail would react like.

mixing the Cu (II) Chloride with water

after we added the nail

after the jar sat overnight

what our end product looked like

Stoichiometry Week 1 Post #1

I haven't had this feeling since, like, the first unit. This feeling of actually understanding the lesson. I was afraid this unit was going to be pretty difficult, but so far it's going well. I'm really happy and proud of myself for actually understanding this. I just hope my knowledge doesn't go straight out the window, when I take the quiz tomorrow. I'm hoping I can at least keep it together until then. These are some helpful links and videos I found:

Stoichiometry

Limiting Reagent

Stoichiometry Practice

Limiting Reagent Practice Problems

Chemical Reactions Week 3 Post #2

Test Day. The two most dreaded words. I was extremely nervous for this test because I had done so poorly on the last one and I couldn't afford to fail another test. Going into this test I felt more confidant about my knowledge and understanding of the material and I'm hoping my score will reflect that. I will admit there were some questions that I didn't know how to answer but I gave it my best shot and moved on to the questions I did know how to do. I'm nervously awaiting the day when our tests are put in the grade book, wish me luck!

Chemical Reactions Week 3 Post #1

Yesterday we got to do the metals lab. It was actually pretty fun and easy, all we had to do was put 6 different metals in six different well plates and then add a solution to the well plates and watch for a reaction. Sometimes it took as long as 10 minutes for the reaction to take place, but not all the metals reacted each time. The only metal that reacted every time was Calcium. Then once we had seen all the reactions we created our own activity series based upon the reactions of the metals. Overall I liked this lab and it was fun to see what metals would react and which ones wouldn't.

Chemical Reactions Week 2 Post #2

Tomorrow is the dreaded weekly quiz. I feel more prepared for this quiz than the last unit test, and after getting my score on that test, I'm definitely going to spend more time studying this time around. Below are some links I found super helpful for studying:

CHO Method

Types of Chemical Reactions

Practice Balancing Combustion Reactions

Practice Balancing Chemical Equations

Redox reactions

Assigning Oxidation Numbers

Chemical Reactions Week 2 Post #1

On Friday we did the Solubility Rules Lab. I was worried because my lab partner had already said she wouldn't be here, but the lab turned out to be really easy, so I was relieved. For the lab we mixed two different chemical compounds together to see if it made a solid. Since I had already completed the data table, I had a pretty good idea of which ones would react and which ones wouldn't. I was right except for about 2 of the chemical combinations. Overall I liked this lab and it was pretty fun.

These are some of the reactions we got to see take place!

Chemical Reactions Week 1 Post #1

Finally!!! Something I understand!! Today we learned about balancing chemical equations, which is like the one thing I actually remember from physical science. Not only do I remember it, I remember how to do it, AND I'm pretty good at it! I'm so glad for this unit because I really need this breather from learning all knew information at a fast pace. Yes, I know we will build on this information and it will get more complex as the unit goes, but I'm hoping that since I have a solid understanding of the base material I won't have such a hard time when all the complex stuff gets thrown at us.

Chemical Composition Week 2 Post #3

Today we got our test grades back. My grade reflected the feeling I had about the test, dread. I missed 5 questions, which in ordinary circumstances would be pretty good, but seeing as there were only 17 questions total, that makes for a 70%. I looked back over my test today at the questions I missed and found out the correct answers, some of the questions I just made simple mistakes but some I just honestly had no idea how to figure out. I'm gonna do some major reviewing/studying this weekend and hopefully I will do better on the unit test on Monday.

Chemical Composition Week 2 Post #2

The dreaded weekly quiz...I walked into class feeling pretty confidant that I knew the material and could do well on the quiz. When the quiz landed on my desk I quickly saw that I was wrong, way, way wrong. The first question ruined my good attitude and confidence. Luckily after that the questions got easier and my confidence began to grow again. For the most part, I knew how to answer the questions and felt pretty confident about my answers. This was a  major step up from the Pre-test, which I was incredibly grateful for. Then came the last question, I knew what the question wanted me to do and I did it, but the answer I got was not one of the choices. I redid the problem and continued to get the same answer, I finally just gave up and chose a random answer that was kind of close to the answer I was getting. This was a roller coaster of a test, I started out low, then surprisingly it got better, but I just ended up back in the same place I started.

Chemical Composition Week 2 Post #1

My aha moment for this unit has finally come! I actually understand how to find molar mass, and how to change mass to moles to representative particles, and vice versa. I used to get so confused, with all the steps and the length of the math problems but now it's finally clicked for me! I'm so glad I understand now because we have a quiz tomorrow and I probably would have failed without the help of my lab partner explaining the process to me again in class today. I also found the following websites and pictures to be very beneficial.

Naming Hydrated Ionic Compounds

Molar Mass Practice

Hydrated Compounds video

Hydrates and Composition Practice

Empirical and Molecular Formula

Empirical Formula Practice Problems

Chemical Composition Week 1 Post #1

Today was the dreaded pre-test. It was rough, I knew practically nothing on the test. At one point I even considered abandoning the questions all together and just making a pretty pattern on the bubble sheet. This was the worst pre-test yet, at least on the other ones I recognized some of the information as material that I previously learned, but on this one I was utterly clueless. This was a horrible start to what ended up being an equally horrible day. I'm so glad we don't have school tomorrow because I just really need a breather after the day I've had.

Measurement Week 2 Post #2

Today was the day our Last Meal Conversion Project was due. For the project, we had to find three recipes, an appetizer, a main course, and a dessert, and then convert the standard measurement units in the recipe to metric units. It sounded a lot harder than it actually was, and I found it to be relatively simple. Then, once we had found the recipes and converted it, we had to choose one to make and bring in for the class today. We had a big variety of food, including buffalo chicken dip, mini quiches, and cheesecake. I chose to make my dessert recipe, which was stained glass sugar cookies.  It was really fun to see what everybody made and everything tasted delicious!

Measurement Week 2 Post #1

Yesterday was our mid-unit quiz. I was pretty nervous going into it because I felt unprepared even though I studied for it the night before. The first ten questions were pretty simple, so that gave me a false sense of security about the rest of the test, which turned out to be not so easy. When I finally got up the courage to check my grade, I was glad to see I got an 80%, which isn't my best test score ever, but it's better than I had hoped for. I'm definitely going to devote more time into studying for the unit exam on Thursday.

KHDDCM Chart

Scientific Notation

Scientific Notation Practice

Heterogeneous v Homogeneous

Pure Substance

Mixture

homogenous mixture

heterogeneous mixture

Measurement Week 1 Post #2

On Friday, since it was National Mole Day, we had a Mole Day party. We were all given the assignment to make a stuffed mole, and then brought them in on Friday to display for our classmates.Some people created a themed mole, like mole dancer, or guacamole, but it wasn't required so not everybody did. Everybody also brought in food or drinks to share with the class. It was really fun, we got to sit and talk with people from our class, and look at everybody's mole creation.

The Moles!

Measurement Week 1 Post #1

Today we took our pre-test for the new unit, it didn't go well, for me at least. This new unit is measurement, so one would think it would be relatively easy, unfortunately, you would be wrong. Except for a handful of questions, I had no idea what the question was asking me and therefore I simply guessed on the answers because I had no clue what I was supposed to be doing. So far this unit had started out poorly, but I'm sincerely hoping that it will improve, otherwise this is just going to go downhill fast, and I'd rather that not happen.








Conversion Practice

Significant Figures

Significant Figures Practice

Addition Rules

Multiplication Rules

Multiplication/Division/Addition/Subtraction Practice

Atomic Structure and Radioactivity Week 3 Post #2

Today was the unit test. I walked into the classroom feeling stressed and unprepared, but I actually felt better after the test was over. It took me most of the hour to complete it but I feel like I did well. Some of the questions I recognized from the pre-test we took before this unit and some I recognized from our last quiz. Last night I had a major study session over everything we've learned so far and I had to teach myself about chapter 19.3 which we didn't go over in class. 😁 I was the most worried about that, but luckily there wasn't a whole lot of questions pertaining to chapter 19.3 on the test. Whew! Well here we go onto the next whirlwind chapter of chemistry, unfortunately, I don't think this is ever going to stop.

Nomenclature review

What's a Geiger counter?

Alpha and Beta Decay

Half-Life Practice Problems

Gamma Decay

Radioactive Decay Practice Problems

Atomic Structure and Radioactivity Week 3 Post #1

Yesterday in class we started the Dating-Radioactive Style Lab. We had to cut up pieces of paper and then shake them around in a plastic cup and then dump them out and separate the pieces that landed colored side up from the ones that landed white side up. The pieces that landed colored side up were set off to the side, while the white side up pieces went back in the cup,  Then, the process began all over again. We repeated this 6 times. The purpose of this lab was to learn about half-life and how radioactive dating can help scientists dating past crimes. Today in class we learned how to graph our data in a Microsoft Excel document, and then answered the post-lab questions that were posed to us about the experiment. The lab was slightly confusing at first, but once I understood the concept it was relatively easy and I liked it because I got to practice how to calculate half-life.

Atomic Structure and Radioactivity Week 2 Post #2

The lecture in class was difficult for me to understand and hard to follow, at times. Last night, I read over chapter 3.2-3.4 and took notes which really helped to clear up my confusion. Now I understand the scientists and their theories much better, and the vocab terms like atomic number, mass number, and isotopes are much clearer to me. Now off the top of my head I can determine, describe,and find mass number and atomic number. Atomic number is equal to the number of protons in a nucleus, and is represented by the A in the A over Z and then element symbol equation. While mass number is the sum of the number of protons and number of neutrons in a nucleus, and is represented by the Z in the A over Z and then element symbol equation. The book work problems we were assigned on page 87 were also very beneficial to me and I was able to test myself on how well I really knew the information.

Atomic Mass

Mass Number

Atomic Number

Average Atomic Mass Practice Problems

Atomic and Mass Number Practice Problems

Isotopes

Atomic Structure and Radioactivity Week 2 Post #1

Today we did the beanium lab during class. We were given White beanium, Black beanium, Red beanium, and Pinto beanium. Then we had to find the number of atoms of each isotope present, the total mass of all the isotopes, the the average mass for each isotope, and the percent abundance of each isotope. Once we found the average mass per isotope and the percent abundance per isotope, we used that information to find the average atomic mass. In order to do that, you multiply the the average mass of one isotope by the percent abundance of that isotope and add it to the next isotope average mass multiplied by its percent abundance.
I really enjoyed this lab, it was easy and fun, and it also helped me learn how to calculate average mass and percent of abundance of isotopes. It was also good practice for finding the average atomic mass for beanium.

Atomic Structure and Radioactivity Week 1 Post #2

In today's lecture we learned a lot about scientists and their theories on Atomic Structure and Radioactivity. Most of the scientists got some characteristics wrong because certain things had yet to be discovered. Though as time progressed the scientists' theories became more and more accurate. We also learned about the Law of Constant Composition, which states that a given compound always has the same composition, regardless of where it comes from. This law was established by a scientist named Dalton. J.J. Thomson, another scientist, created the plum pudding model, also known as the chocolate cookie model.  It states that electrons are embedded in a positively charged spherical "cloud", much like chocolate chips are embedded in the cookie dough.


Dalton's Atomic Theory

Rutherford's Experiment

Thomson's Theory  

Dalton's theory flashcards

Thomson's flashcards

Rutherford's theory flashcards

Atomic Structure and Radioactivity Week 1 Post #1

9/15: Today we took our pre-test for the Atomic Structure and Radioactivity unit. I knew hardly nothing on the pre-test, so it looks like this unit will be entirely new information for me. I recognized some terms like alpha-decay and beta-decay but I don't know what they mean. I also recognized half-life as something we had learned in physical science, but I don't remember anything about it or how to find it. Hopefully the text focus assigned to us tonight, and the lecture tomorrow will help clear up my confusion.

Nomenclature Post #2

9/14: The first pre-test we took made me really nervous because I recognized the information as something I had learned previously, but I couldn't remember how to apply that information. Luckily for me, once we started going over it in class, it all came back. This unit was actually easier than I than I expected, which I was really glad for. I was able to memorize the 22 polyatomic ions with my flashcards and I continually got better percentages on all 3 tests that we took. I'm looking forward to the upcoming units, and hopefully I will continue to do well in the coming weeks.

Compound Naming Practice


How To Name Compounds


4 Step Approach

Naming Rules

Type 3 Naming

Type 1 and 2 Naming

Nomenclature Post #1

9/11: I learned a lot during the Frontier Chemistry Project. I was surprised by the fact that so many plants had medicinal qualities, I knew about the healing qualities of the aloe plant, and a few others before I started this project, but now I know so much more. At the beginning this project seemed really daunting, and once I started it I understood better what I was supposed to do. It just took a lot, a lot of research, and hunting down plants so I could take a picture with them. When I first learned about the essay, I was really nervous, but once I started the project and started learning about the abundance of plants with medicinal qualities, I wasn't as anxious about the essay. By the time it was time to write the essay, I was really confidant about my ability to write about these plants.