Reactions Lab

The purpose of the Reactions Lab was to see how different substances reacted with each each other and to write balanced chemical equations for each reaction along with classifying those equations.

My favorite reaction was reaction #4 which was when we put some hydrogen peroxide into a test tube, then added some manganese dioxide to it, and then put a glowing splint halfway down into the test tube. When the manganese dioxide touched the hydrogen peroxide, it sizzled a lot, and then when we put the glowing splint into the test tube, there was a big flame and then the fire died out. It was my favorite because it really cool to watch. Here is a picture of the test tube we did my favorite reaction in:

Here is a picture of the equations and classifications of all the reactions:

Solid Evidence Lab

The purpose of the Solid Evidence Lab was to observe reactions between ionic substances and write the chemical reactions that occur and the equations that correspond to each reaction.

Here is a picture of my well plates:

Here is a picture of the chemical reactions:

Here is a picture of the equations:

Nomenclature Puzzle Lab

During the Nomenclature Puzzle Lab, my group and I had to put together a puzzle of compounds so we can practice identifying different compounds and matching them to their corresponding formulas. The biggest challenge was identifying which formula went with which compound and trying to fit all of them together in order to make the puzzle work. I believe that my biggest contribution to the group was putting together smaller groups of matching compounds and formulas so it became easier to put the bigger puzzle together in the end.

Atomic Mass of Candium Lab

During the Atomic Mass of Candium Lab we had to separate the different types of isotopes and find the percent abundance for each of them. We also had to find the masses of each isotope and the averages for each type. We then had to calculate the average atomic mass for candium.

Ask a group nearby what their average atomic mass was. Why would your average atomic mass be different than theirs?

Our average atomic mass was 0.77 and another group's was 1.2. We concluded that we would get a different answer then another group because since it was a small sample, it is more likely for there to be irregularities within the data and not every group had the same sample size.

If larger samples of candium were used, for example if I gave you a whole backpack filled with candium, would the differences between your average atomic mass and others' average atomic masses be bigger or smaller?

If we had larger samples of candium, the difference between our average atomic mass and another group's would be smaller because statistically, larger sample sizes mean that there will be less variation in the data. 

If you took any piece of candium from your sample and placed it on the balance, would it have the exact average atomic mass that you calculated?

If we took any piece of candium from my sample and placed it on the balance, it would not have the exact average atomic mass that we calculated because it is nearly impossible for a data point to be the exact average, but it would be close.

Chromatography Lab

                                                                                        Questions:

Why is it important that only the wick and not the filter paper circle be in contact with the water in the cup?

It is important that only the wick and not the filter paper circle be in contact with the water in the cup because if the whole circle was submerged in water, the ink would not spread outward from the middle like it does when only the wick is submerged. 

What are some of the variables that will affect the pattern of colors produced on the filter paper?

The marks that we drew on the circle will affect the pattern of colors produced on the filter paper along with which markers we chose to use, and how much ink we put on the paper. The solubility will also affect the pattern of the colors produced on the filter paper because some colors are more soluble so they will spread farther out towards the edges of paper while other colors are less soluble so they will only spread a few centimeters away from the center.

Why does each ink separate into different pigment bands.

Each ink separates into different pigment bands because each of the inks have different properties allowing them to either move faster on the paper, which means they end up farther away from the middle of the paper, or slower, which means they end up closer to the middle. 

Choose one color that is present in more than one type of ink. Is the pigment that gives this color always the same? Do any of the pens appear to contain common pigments?

One color that is present in more than one type of ink is blue. The pigment that makes this color is always the same because it is used to make the black ink in marker and pens. Many of the markers appear to contain common pigments because many of the colors are consistently shown throughout the chromatographs. 

Why are only water-soluble markers or pens used in this activity? How cold the experiment be modified to separate the pigments in "permanent" markers or pens?

Only water-soluble markers and pens were used in this activity so the ink could be carried by the water towards the outer edges of the filter paper. This experiment could be modified to separate the pigments in "permanent" markers and pens by changing the solvent we use.

Aluminum Foil Lab

During our Aluminum Foil Lab, we had to determine the thickness of a piece of aluminum foil using only a ruler, a scale, and a calculator. The density was given to us but we had to find the mass of the foil along with the length and width of the foil in order to calculate an accurate thickness (aka height).

My partner and I started by weighing the piece of foil on the scale to find out its mass and then measured its' length and width by using the ruler. We then used the calculator to multiply the length by the width but kept the height as h. After we found out what the volume would be excluding the height, we set up an equation to figure out what the height would be. We know that volume=density/mass, so my partner and I plugged in the corresponding numbers and figured out what the height of the piece of foil would be. After, we had to convert our answer from centimeters to millimeters so we set up a proportion using the conversion factor 10 millimeters in 1 centimeter to figure out what the thickness of the piece of foil would be in millimeters.

Here is a picture of our calculations and answers:

I was surprised that we were able to calculate the thickness of a piece of foil with only few equations that I could understand as a newbie in the chemistry world. It was a little challenging to keep track of which equations I needed for each new calculation and the conversion. Overall, it was a fun activity and I understand the calculations that I did and how I did them.

Density Block Lab

During the Density Block Lab, we had to find the mass of one block by using only a ruler and a calculator. The density was given to us but we had to find out the volume of the block by measuring the length, width, and height of the block in order to calculate an accurate mass. Density is the degree of compactness of an object which can be found by using the volume; which is the amount of space an object occupies, and the mass; which is how big an object is.

My partner and I first used the ruler to measure the length, width, and height of the block in order to calculate the volume. We then used the density that was given to us and the volume that we just calculated and plugged the numbers into a calculator following the equation: mass=density x volume which gave us the mass of the block.

Here is a picture of my work for both blocks that we measured:

Here is a picture of my final answer and my percent errors for both blocks that we measured:

                                                         



As you can see in the pictures above, my partner and I did not get the right answer the first time but when we tried again, we got the right answer with just a 1.1% difference between our estimate and the exact mass of the block. During our first try, my partner and I did not have accurate length, width, and height measurements for our block which led to our volume being wrong, and eventually to our mass being wrong. We learned that we had to be precise with our measurements and take the extra seconds to make sure that we have the correct answer and to double check our work.