Saturday, June 25, 2011

Activity 5

Lithium:
3 Protons
3 Electrons
4 Neutrons
Density: .53



Boron:
5 Protons
6 Neutrons
5 Electrons
Density: 2.46


Density can be defined as the amount of matter in any given space. The equation for density is d=m/V.... or density=mass/volume of an object.

I ran the same density problem on the game and all of the objects floated.

For the Mystery game, A=65.14 kg and sunk, B was .64 kg and floated, C was 4.08 kg and floated, D was 3.1 kg and just barely floated, and finally E was 3.53 kg and sunk to the bottom. B was an apple, C was a diamond, D was aluminum, and E was a diamond.

Standards that could be met by accessing this site and going through these simulations are as follows...
A.4.3 When investigating a science-related problem, decide what data can be collected to determine the most useful explanations
A.4.4 When studying science-related problems, decide which of the science themes are important
A.8.3 Defend explanations and models by collecting and organizing evidence that supports them and critique explanations and models by collecting and organizing evidence that conflicts with them
A.8.6 Use models and explanations to predict actions and events in the natural world
A.12.1 Apply the underlying themes of science to develop defensible visions of the future
B.12.3 Relate the major themes of science to human progress in understanding science and the world
C.8.3 Design and safely conduct investigations* that provide reliable quantitative or qualitative data, as appropriate, to answer their questions
C.8.6 State what they have learned from investigations*, relating their inferences* to scientific knowledge and to data they have collected
G.12.2 Design, build, evaluate, and revise models and explanations related to the earth and space, life and environmental, and physical sciences

Activity 4

Exploration of Science Standards

A.4.1 When conducting science investigations, ask and answer questions that will help decide the general areas of science being addressed:
I remember being in fourth grade and having the scientific process drilled into my brain. I have since remembered the acronym PHEOC... Problem, Hypothesis, Experiment, Observations, Conclusion. When we had the first assignment regarding this process, I didn't even have to refer to notes or resources because we were taught so well what this process was. Our teacher dressed up as "Dr. Pheoc", kind of like a mad scientist to teach us how to ask and answer questions that adress the areas of science we were looking at. It was very effective and really fun! She came in and gave us a weekly visit. It has truly stuck in my brain ever since.

B.4.1 Use encyclopedias, source books, texts, computers, teachers, parents, other adults, journals, popular press, and various other sources, to help answer science-related questions and plan investigations.
Even at a young age, we still referred to all different types of resources that helped answer science-related questions. We used the overhead projector to view different science-related articles on a regular basis. We also referred back to our textbooks to help us set up various experiments. I remember one time we even went to the computer lab, which was a big deal in 1999! There, we played educational games related to science and setting up experiments. Of course, we also utilized our teacher because she was the one who came up with all of the activities that we would participate in.

C.4.4 Use simple science equipment safely and effectively, including rulers, balances, graduated cylinders, hand lenses, thermometers, and computers, to collect data relevant to questions and investigations
Fourth grade was the first time that I had the opportunity to use a microscope. It wasn't that intense, but it opened my eyes to a more hands-on science experience. I think we looked at leaves underneath the lense and got to see all of the different parts up close. Our teacher then laid out pictures of normal sized leaves and we were able to compare the two. I also remember fourth grade as the first time we got to wear those awesome safety goggles. Everyone thought they were so cool wearing those things around! I really got introduced to many new science-related tools in the fourth grade.

D.4.3. Understand that substances can exist in different states-solid, liquid, gas
In this class so far we have touched on the different states in reference to solids, liquids, and gases. By the professor having us set up an experiment to see what types of water freeze faster, we were dealing with both solids (ice) and liquids (water). When we were to see what types of water boiled faster, we were dealing with both liquids (water) and gases (steam once the water started to boil). We were also to look up different pictures related to what water molecules look like when they are solids, liquids, and gases.

E.4.2 Show that earth materials have different physical and chemical properties, including the properties of soils found in Wisconsin
In fourth grade I remember we had a lot of different science-related field trips. I grew up in a suburb of Milwaukee (Waukesha) where there are a lot of nature spaces and parks dedicated to education. Many of these areas have been made over thousands of years from the glaciers. We took a lot of field trips to a space called Kettle Moraine, where we were to identify different areas that were formed by the glaciers. We also spent time examining soils and comparing them to each other. We took them back to the classrooms to examine them further.

F.4.3 Illustrate* the different ways that organisms grow through life stages and survive to produce new members of their type
We had a class pet in the fourth grade... a caterpiller! At my elementary school we had a butterfly garden that was put in when I was going to school there. Our class was able to catch a caterpiller, make a home for it within our classroom, and watch it transform into a butterfly! This is one of the greatest memories that I have from grade school. It was so hands on and still to this day interests me. We watched the bug go through it's life stages, lay eggs, and turn into a butterfly. Once it was done growing we let him go back into our school butterfly garden.

G.4.4 Identify* the combinations of simple machines in a device used in the home, the workplace, or elsewhere in the community, to make or repair things, or to move goods or people
We studied a lot about simple machienes in the fourth grade! I remember studying for weeks on end about pullies, levers, and wheels. I'm sure there were a lot more, too. We were able to go around the school and identify different simple machienes that we saw through out the classrooms and hallways. We also were assigned to bring in a simple machiene from home. It was a very hands on unit that can still be applied to everyday life.

H.4.4 Develop* a list of issues that citizens must make decisions about and describe* a strategy for becoming informed about the science behind these issues
Since I lived so close to the capitol growing up, it was a tradition for all the fourth graders each year to go to the capitol building for a field trip. Everyone in fourth grade always looked forward to this! Teachers really hyped it up, too. Pretty much every subject we learned about for the few months leading up to the trip dealt with something government related, such as the issues that citizens must make. We incorperated science into this by studying up on conservation issues around Southeastern Wisconsin. Again, we visited different nature spaces and saw how conservation helped the environment.

Activity 3


Ethylene C2H4

IUPAC: Ethene



Carbon Dioxide CO2

IUPAC: Carbon Dioxide


Arsine AsH3

IUPAC: Arsenic trihydride


1. Fructose C6H12O6
2. Sucrose C12H22O11

Elements typically have 2 oxygens, 4 carbons, and 1 hydrogen.
IUPAC stands for International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.

Companies that aim to be environmentally friendly and safe can get away with saying that their products are chemical free because
they don't always use such harsh chemicals that other old-school chemicals do. For example, after doing some research on this subject,
I have noticed that many companies try to stay away from phosphates and amonias.

Activity 2

Atomic Structure and Period Table
LIST TWO OF THE FOLLOWING…
Alkali Metals: Lithium (Li), Sodium (Na)
Alkaline Earth Metals: Calcium (Ca), Barium (Ba)
Halogens: Chlorine (Cl), Iodine (I)
Noble Gases: Helium (He), Neon (Ne)
Transition Metals: Titanium (Ti), Gold (Au)
Non-Metals: Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C)
Metalloids: Boron (B), Silicon (Si)


The overall structure of the periodic table can be explained in vertical columns and horizontal rows. Groups (otherwise called families) make up the vertical columns. These elements have similar chemical properities. Periods make up the horizontal rows. Elements are categorized from having metallic properties to nonmetallic properties. The ones that have metallix properties are located on the left, and the ones that have nonmetallic properties are located on the right.



MODEL 1 - Sodium
Atomic number: 11
Atomic mass: 22.98977
Which two subatomic particles are equal?: Protons and Electrons















MODEL 2 - Beryllium
Atomic number: 4
Atomic mass: 9.012182
Which two subatomic particles are equal?: Protons and Electrons















MODEL 3 - Fluorine
Atomic number: 9
Atomic mass: 18.9984032
Which two subatomic particles are equal?: Protons and Electrons



























According to our class slides, the ground state is when electrons are in their lowest state of energy. The excited state is caused by a flame or other source. This energy source gets absorbed by electrons, causing them to be in a higher state of energy. In this heightened state of energy, it emits a photon of energy, which is seen as light. (This is explains how colors of fireworks arise.) Different elements produce different colors when they are excited because it depends on the amount of energy that is released from the electron.

The overall volume of an atom is located in the nucleus, which contains all the protons and neutrons of an atom.

To make an isotope for one of my models, I would need to change the amount of neutrons, by either adding or remocing one. This would change the necleus of my atom.


Friday, June 24, 2011

Activity 1

Does hot water or cold water boil faster?
Hypothesis: I believe that hot water will boil faster than cold water.

Controlled variables: Source of water, temperature of stove, amount of water put in each pot.

Scientific method:
1. Propose a question
2. Do your research
3. Make a hypothesis
4. Perform an experiment
5. Draw a conclusion
6. Report the results

Scientfic method in my experiment:
1. (Question) Does hot water or cold water boil faster?
2. (Research) In looking at the class slides and through the textbook, I know that water boils at 100C and water freezes at 0C. I also know that physical changes occur when a substance isn't changed, just takes on a new form. Two examples from the class slides are melting and freezing.
3. (Hypothesis) I believe that hot water will boil faster than cold water because it starts off as a higher temperature so it has a shorter distance to get to 100C than the cold water will have.
4. (Experiment) In my journey to find out if hot water or cold water boils faster, I first measured two cups of hot water for one pot and two cups of cold water for another pot.


I then put two of my stove burners on setting 5 and put them their respective sides... hot water on the left and cold water on the right.



I set my stopwatch as soon as I put them on the burners and checked in every 30 seconds, which is my quantitative research. I then documented what I saw using descriptions, which is my qualitative observations.


 EXPERIMENT #1
Hot Water
Cold Water
1:00
Nothing Happening
Nothing Happening
1:30
Some Heat Rising
Nothing Happening
2:00
More Heat
Nothing Happening
2:30
Boil at 2:35
Nothing Happening
3:00
Boiling
Some Heat Rising
3:30
Boiling
Some Heat Rising
4:00
Boiling
More Heat
4:30
Boiling
More Heat
5:00
Boiling
Boil at 5:25



 EXPERIMENT #2
Hot Water
Cold Water
1:00
Nothing Happening
Nothing Happening
1:30
Some Heat Rising
Nothing Happening
2:00
More Heat
Nothing Happening
2:30
Boil at 2:42
Nothing Happening
3:00
Boiling
Some Heat Rising
3:30
Boiling
Some Heat Rising
4:00
Boiling
More Heat
4:30
Boiling
More Heat
5:00
Boiling
Boil at 5:29

5. (Conclusion) Hot water boils faster than cold water.
6. (Results) It took almost 3 minutes longer for cold water to boil than hot water in Experiment #1, and it took about the same time difference in Experiment #2.

Water molecule:



Molecular arrangement in the three states of matter:
According to our class slides, a solid has a definite shape and volume, while a liquid has a definite volume but no definite shape, and a gas doesn't have a definite volume or shape.