First Unit Test Coming

Our first test will be this Thursday, March 30. The test will be on all the material that we have covered since I started on March 6th. This includes energy diagrams, equilibrium and vapor pressures; and includes information on Tables H & I. Links to notes and appropriate resources can be found on the blog entries for the past few weeks.

We started watching the video Atom: Clash of the Titans, in preparation for the upcoming unit on the nucleus. This can be viewed at home by following this link.

The link for the notes for the next unit, Nuclear, is here.

First Unit Finished

All classes have finished the first unit. Click here for the notes on the Phase Changes.

First and fourth block classes will have a quiz on Monday.

There will be a unit test for all classes on Thursday.

We talked in class about how air pressure is exerted all around us. We saw a short video where they filled a train tank car with steam and then sealed it and the container collapsed. I discussed a small scale demo of this processing a soda can, and I offered students 3 points extra credit of Thursdays test if they do the experiment at home. To do this at home a person needs to put a small amount of water into an aluminum can and heat the water to boiling. The can should be held with tongs or a couple of forks (turned to hold the can). After the water boils you should see the condensation of the steam at the top. Wait two seconds and then invert the can into a large unbreakable container of cool/cold water. The can should collapse under the pressure. Bring the can in and get the 3 points. This is how it should look.

Similar experiments can be dine on other scales, like a 55 gallon steel drum.

Equilibrium & Phase Change

This is a link to a nice overview on equilibrium.

We will have a quiz on Monday on Potential Energy Diagrams and Equilibrium.

We had a quiz in all classes today. The quizzes are based on 5 points but have a bonus point available, so you could get extra credit for each quiz.

We started the Equilibrium lab today wnd will complete it on Friday. The lab is due the day after the next lab period.

I was asked to provide some information on naming compounds. This is a link to a good flowchart on naming,  I will briefly show it in class.

Kinetics and Equilibrium

All classes were given a worksheet on Potential Energy Diagrams. This worksheet should be done for Monday, 3/13. We will review it in class and a quiz will be given on Tuesday.

We have progressed through the notes. We discussed LeChattilier's principle by looking at the Haber process. Click here for information about scientist Fritz Haber.

Upcoming labs:
Equilibrium lab
Heating Curve Lab

First day

It was nice to meet most students today. As promised, this is the link to get the notes for our firsr unit, Kinetics & Equilibrium.
We will be doing this lab, on conservation of matter on Thursday and Friday of this week.

Here is a link to get the notes on note taking.

Chemistry at Cairo-Durham

I have been hired to teach chemistry at Cairo-Durham Central School District. I am expected to go in for an introduction to the students in mid February, and then start full time in early March. But since this is for a maternity leave, all dates are subject to change, at the behest of the baby.

I will post notes, assignments, upcoming tests and useful links as the class proceeds.