HAPPY MOLE DAY!

October 23 (from 6:02 am to 6:02pm) is MOLE DAY!! 

All week we have been working on the relationships between the things we can measure about substances (mass & volume) and the things we can't see & count (# of individual atoms). The key to all of these relationships is the ever-present MOLE. 

We should be experts now in how to convert between grams, moles, liters, and particles. (If not, here's a great tutorial: http://misterguch.brinkster.net/molecalculations.html)

So let's just celebrate mole day with ... drumroll please ... moles of mole jokes!! =D

Q: Why is it bad to tell mole jokes? A: It's mole-itically incorrect 

Q: What is a mole's favorite movie? A: The Green Mole 

Q: What did Avogadro get when he mixed ice cream, chocolate syrup, and milk together? A: A chocolate Moledt 

Q: What did Avogadro teach his students in math class? A: Moletiplication 

Q: What kind of fruit did Avogadro eat in the summer? A: Watermolens 

Q: How many guacs are in a bowl of guacamole? A: Avocados number! 

Q: What does Avogadro put in his hot chocolate? A: Marsh-mole-ows! 

Q: How does Avogadro write to his friends? A: By e-mole! 

Q: Why is Avogadro so rich? A: He's a multi-mole-ionare! 

Q: Why was there only one Avogadro? A: When they made him, they broke the Moled 

Q: What kept Avogadro in bed for two months? A: Moleonucleosis 

Q: What do you get when you have a bunch of moles acting like idiots? A: A bunch of Moleasses 

Q: Why did Avogadro stop going to a chiropractor on October 24th? A: He was only tense to the 23rd! 
source: http://www.jokes4us.com/animaljokes/molejokes.html

Who doesn't love setting things on fire?

This unit we are studying atomic structure - and discovering that most people's ideas about what an atom looks like are stuck at about a 1950's understanding:

To understand modern atomic theory, we have been traveling down the rabbit-hole that is quantum mechanics. And a large part of that is understanding the behavior of light as well as the behavior of electrons. The most fun way to do that is by setting things on fire!

Flame tests show us what happens when we add extra energy to electrons. They absorb that energy, putting them in an excited state. This causes them to jump up to higher energy levels - moving further from the nucleus. This is not particularly stable, so they fall back down to their ground state (original energy level), and give off that excess energy in the form of light. Since each element has a unique arrangement of electrons, each element has a different set of energies those electrons can give off. This translates to each element giving off a unique color of light. TL:DR... PRETTY COLORS!! 

Next up - back to the nucleus to look at mass, isotopes, and radioactivity!

Atmospheric Chemistry Wrap-up

Hard to believe we are already at the end of Unit 2! We've spent the last two weeks looking at the behavior of gases and how they relate to our weather & atmosphere. We looked at the relationships between pressure, volume, and temperature - investigating them using a U-tube.
[not that u-tube... ]



This U-tube!

We explored the connections between these gas laws and weather events, creating some pretty entertaining animations in the process.

Here's just one of many fun examples: http://www.powtoon.com/show/b2o6JVZ4By5/

Yesterday we put our knowledge & skills to the test to explain how & why you can crush a soda can with atmospheric pressure: 

Did you figure out the whole explanation? Get all the right measurements? Use the correct gas law?

Today is our Unit Exam & next week we start the Story of the Atom: from Alchemy to Nuclear Chemistry. How has our understanding of matter changed over time? 

My Chemical Engineers...

Last week I got to see all of the interesting ideas we came up with for a liquid crystal project. I was impressed with the level of thought that went into some of these! Here's just a few of the products that were designed and built by the chemical engineers of U305 Honors Chem...

This is a tub/shower sticker that indicates the water temperature

This one is a scaled-down model of liquid crystal wallpaper, which will change colors in response to room temperature or wiring behind the walls

And this one is a coffee sleeve with a little liquid crystal window that will tell you if your coffee is the right temperature to drink.

There were tons of ideas that I neglected to take pictures of as well. Here's just a few of the most creative ones:

Doorknob Tester (to indicate if there is a fire on the other side)

Hot Pocket™ Tester (to check if the inside of your meal is too hot or cold)

Phone Sticker (to indicate if your phone is about to overheat)

Candy Wrapper Tester (to see if your chocolate candy has melted inside)

Dog Paw Pavement Tester (to make sure the ground isn't too hot for pets before a walk)

Stovetop Sensor (to see if your stovetop is still too hot to touch after cooking)

Hot Tub Tester (to see if your hot tub is at optimum temp for enjoyment)

Bandage that indicates if a wound is infected (since infection raises the temperature of the wound)

Love the ingenuity - let's keep it up! 

Liquid Crystal Presentations are almost here!

I had fun today watching the hustle & bustle of last-minute preparations for the Liquid Crystal Design Challenge. Today was the last class work day to perfect research, design, and presentation plans - so everybody be ready on Tuesday (9/2) to pitch their product!

But I had to share the most entertaining product-testing that I saw...

Creepy Doll Alert!!

The idea was actually pretty clever. They designed a liquid crystal to be used as a foot-arch-tester. But the size limitations I have on the project prevented them from building one big enough for a human foot. So instead, they brought in a doll & a heat lamp. They heated up the doll foot to simulate body temperature, then pressed the doll foot onto the liquid crystal square to show its arch. Great idea....but still....that doll talked, laughed, & sang. It. Was. Creepy.

I can't wait to see what everyone has come up with on Tuesday! 

Enjoy the 3-day weekend =)

Still Struggling with Sig Figs?

You're not alone.

Here are a few resources I have gathered for extra help & practice. Or, you can always come see me before school for extra help! =)

Khan academy videos 
Sig Fig Tutorial
Sig Figs Practice Problems
Another Sig Fig Tutorial

Liquid Crystal Challenge

Today we introduced the Liquid Crystal Design Challenge. In your table groups, you will be designing and building a liquid crystal device. It is up to you to decide what you want your liquid crystal to do. What problem could you solve? What product could you improve upon? Who will create the most innovative design?

You'll be getting some background information and experimenting with liquid crystals over the next two weeks, then it is time to create!

In the meantime, let your creativity be inspired by some beautiful liquid crystal images...

Happy 1st Day!!

It was a great first day of class here in U305. We used today as an introduction to what science is all about - experimentation! Did you solve the mystery of the blue bottle?

Don't forget that your tasks for the week are:

• Read the syllabus
• Complete this syllabus survey
• Take this math skills pretest

And while you are at it, why don't you follow me on twitter!  =)
@RiggsChem

Welcome!

I'm about to start my lucky 13th year of teaching ~ woohoo! ~ and think I'm ready to dive into the world of blogging. It's something brand new for me, so I'll be counting on you student-experts for some guidance!! This should be a place for class announcements, homework help, and interesting things going on in the world of chemistry. And chemistry jokes. Lots of bad chemistry jokes. Here's just a taste =)

I can't wait to start the school year with you!