Saving Fred Lab
So this was our first project. It was a life and death situation, and the life of a gummy worm was in our hands. This worm's name was Fred. Fred wasn't like many worms. He enjoyed exploring and adventuring, sadly on this day his adventures were cut short. As he was on his boat, it tipped over. So Fred's boat had flipped leaving his life jacket underneath the boat, away from his reach. So our goal was to use paperclips to lift Fred, remove the life jacket from under the boat, and place it on Fred without dropping him into the water.
The image on the right shows our success when we were able to liberate Fred from his impending doom. We did this through the technic that is very effective but hard to execute.
This was our introduction into the way labs work in this class. It shows to follow procedure and how to fill out a Lab Procedure Form.
The image on the right shows our success when we were able to liberate Fred from his impending doom. We did this through the technic that is very effective but hard to execute.
This was our introduction into the way labs work in this class. It shows to follow procedure and how to fill out a Lab Procedure Form.
Measurements
This is my page after we did a small lab. This lab was to simply learn to measure all of the different type of equipment that we will use throughout the year. From large graduated cylinders to small beakers we learned them all. I really think that this activity was really good for the beginning of the year to help me and others familiarize ourselves with the equipment that we will have to learn to use as the year goes on.
Cycles: Orbital Eccentricity
Elemental Superhero
This project revolved around the periodic table, and elements in the periodic table. If you are wondering what the finely dressed gentleman in the picture to the left has to do with chemistry, please continue reading.
My element was Zirconium, which has an atomic number of 40. It is a polished grey-white metal that can be found in other elements such as Zircon. It cannot be found in nature, only in other minerals. Zirconium has a very high melting and boiling point compared to other metals which makes it a great material when the materials requires being in very broiling temperatures. It is relatively common to be used nowadays, and it is widely used for several purposes. It is very resistant to corrosives and can stand high temperatures, as well as sold for a reasonable price. So it finds it's way to places such as space vehicles, nuclear applications and surgical applications. Now, my superhero's name is Sir Conium, funny right? Sir Conium was born from the intense burning flames of the Sun. He then flew to Earth from there and simply flew surveying the area and molded his body to look like ours so we could understand and accept him easier. He rested on a rock surveying and fell asleep. He dreamt of a light that spoke to him, it told him he was born to protect the Earth. And so he does. On the left is just a photo of what he looks like when he is not Sir Conium. Of when he is just Cuauhtemoc Sanchez, just another citizen in a small village in Mexico. He is on the hill which he first learned of his destiny, of who he was meant to be. |
Flame Test Lab
Roger Rolim de Moura
Zoe Ryan September 12th/15th 2014 With this experiment we took several different compounds and mixed them with methanol. We then lit them on fire to see what color flame they would create. Pre-Lab Questions: What color of light is lowest in energy? The color Red is the color with least energy. What color of light has the highest energy? Violet is the color with the highest amount of energy. What color of light has the lowest frequency? The color with the lowest frequency is Violet. What color of light has the highest frequency? The color with the highest frequency is the color Red. How are electrons "excited"? They are excited in the sense that they have an excess amount of energy. What does it mean when electrons are "excited"? It basically means that that the excited electrons have more energy than they usually do and will begin to release that energy. In your own words, write a short explanation of how an electron absorbs energy and re-emits it as light and why different elements have different spectra: So to become excited an electrons must receive extra energy, to do this it can either absorb a proton or we can just charge it ourselves. So now that the electron is powered up it begins to release some of that energy in the form of light. Only certain kinds of lights on the spectrum can be emitted by different elements due to the energy gap in their individual excited and ground states. |
Below you can see a picture of the little data tables we created. We marked the compounds and their formulas. Then we marked what color their flames were when they were being burned. We as well wrote down some observations to go along with what we wrote.
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In the end, we were able to visually recognize that different elements were able to create different color flames when they were lit. It was very interesting to learn about the light spectrum and how it works. It reminded me of the Pink Floyd album, "Dark Side of the Moon" with the light spectrum showing on the cover. Interestingly enough I also wore the shirt with the same image on that day!
I think what really made this whole lab work was the research we did beforehand about excited electrons. How every compound has different amount of electrons in different energy states and when given excess energy(heat) they let out that energy in different colors. Very interesting and relatively simple chemistry, also very accessible to most people. I don't think there were really any errors that were committed in this lab, mainly because it wasn't so difficult to do. The instructions were actually quite simple and easy to follow. |
Post-Lab Questions:
Why do you think the chemicals have to be heated in the flame first before the colored light is emitted? I think because for light to be emitted the electrons have to have excess energy. And heating them up gives them that energy to begin to create light. Most salts contain a metal and a non-metal. What type of bonds usually form between a metal and a non-metal? They form Ionic type bonds. What is the definition of a salt in chemistry? It is basically an Ionic bond made of a positively charged ion and negatively charged ion. What is fire? It is the burning of oxygen and organic materials. What are the chemicals involved in lighting a match? Red Phosphorous is on the pad that one lights a match on, and the head of the match is mostly made of Potassium Chlorate and sometimes Antimony Trisulfide. What is a chemical reaction? When certain chemical change occurs between substances that creates one or more different substances. What natural cycles does wildfire have an impact on? I would like to think that it really affects the cycles of some plants. Because after fires they would have to begin to grow again become what they were before the fire. List at least three impacts of wildfire in San Diego: It affects animals all around, destroying their homes and food supply. They affect people as well, because wildfires can sometimes be a little bit, destructive of property. And finally they the landscape! Turning fields of vegetation and life into hulking piles of ash within days. |
Snail Acid Lab (Exhibition Lab)
For Exhibition me and my group. Kai Dawson and Brandon Cruz we instructed to create a Chemistry Lab that we would perform and analyze. So we decided that Snail Shells and Acid would be a good combination. We did this experiment because we were interested to see how different types of acids would affect the snail shells.
Beginning this experiment I was looking to simply work on an interesting project but now I realize that there is more to learn from an experiment as simple as this one. Because with these different types of acids and levels of pH we can tell how certain animals shells will react due to the Snail's Shell being very similar to other animals. All in all there was plenty to learn from this experiment, thus making it, in my eyes, a success.
Now regardless of whether the experiment worked or not I wish I could have tested much more different pH's that would affect the Snail Shell, thought I was quite limited. I was hoping to use Salicylic as another chemical to test, although I was unable to obtain the right tools to use it. I think that without this other acid it didn't really take away too much from the project but simply gave it less variety.
Now when I began this project I had one question on my mind as to "why this matters". That was until I saw the results of my work. I noticed that shells like these, combined with acids like those did not end up too well for the animal. And I thought to myself whether Snails, or any other shelled animal would ever be in contact with such chemicals that are so rare in nature. Though I learned, that they may be rare in nature, they are quite common in the Human World and when we, Humans, accidentally spill chemicals or carelessly drop them in vegetation or oceans all of the animals take effect to these chemicals. Even if they are protected by a shell.
Now regardless of whether the experiment worked or not I wish I could have tested much more different pH's that would affect the Snail Shell, thought I was quite limited. I was hoping to use Salicylic as another chemical to test, although I was unable to obtain the right tools to use it. I think that without this other acid it didn't really take away too much from the project but simply gave it less variety.
Now when I began this project I had one question on my mind as to "why this matters". That was until I saw the results of my work. I noticed that shells like these, combined with acids like those did not end up too well for the animal. And I thought to myself whether Snails, or any other shelled animal would ever be in contact with such chemicals that are so rare in nature. Though I learned, that they may be rare in nature, they are quite common in the Human World and when we, Humans, accidentally spill chemicals or carelessly drop them in vegetation or oceans all of the animals take effect to these chemicals. Even if they are protected by a shell.
Exhibition Reflection-The Watershed
My Exhibition experience was amazing, to say in the least. I enjoyed all of the time that I spent explaining to people and creating the project. Of course being a member of the High Tech NC village since the Sixth Grade has really aided me in how I approach and spend time at Exhibitions, since I've done so many since I began. I think that was really strength that I had in my part of the exhibition. Though the project's best strength was definitely it's color and inter-activeness. This brought people's attention and brought them to us, without us having to reach out so much.
Of course, my project was not perfect as there are always things that could have been done. What I would have looked to do was make the wheel much larger, with maybe one or two more concepts to explain. This would have obviously been more work but would make the project much more interesting and appealing. Hard work pays off! This project was, in my opinion, very interesting and full of different concepts and ideas, which is why I enjoyed it. There was always something to learn about the Watershed and I'm not sure I'll ever know it all. But I definitely got pretty close! |
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Nematode Lab
DAY I: The Nematode Dish
To begin the lab we started out by viewing Laboratory Nematodes courtesy of Ms. Lyman. We took turns viewing the huge Nematode colony through some microscopes. We then took notes on what we saw in our observations. We look through two microscopes, a high power and low power one to get different views of the Nematodes. To the left is a photo of my notes, but because they are not even legible in any way I will describe some of the note. For example, one of the things I observed was that the larger Nematodes seem to just bulldoze through all the smaller ones, as well as what seemed like egg shells. And I learned that is was just eating bacteria off those eggs. Fun fact also, some of the smaller words get stuck to the bigger ones which make the bigger worm seem, bigger. In my notes I also wrote down some research that I found including this fact: all Nematodes(of this kind) have exactly 959 cells. Which was interesting to see that they have a consistent amount of cells in each. |
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DAY II: The Hunt for the Nematodes
On day two we did not sit around the room and look through microscopes, but we took to the field! We learned a little more and talked about our observations for a bit then went outside with our sample trays and searched for Nematodes in the dirt around the school. Me and my partner decided to search the wettest parts of the school for this specimen so our first place was near the little pond outside, which was especially wet because of the weekend rain. So we grabbed a chunk of mud and placed it on our dish. Our next spot was under a plant near a tree closer to the middle school. Of course both of these areas are shown on the left where the photos are. We grabbed a chunk there and headed to class where we separated little pieces of the sample to be searched later on Day III. |
DAY III
When we were finally called up to take a look at our samples we were disappointed. It turns out that our Nematode finding skills had failed us, as our samples failed to obtain any Nematodes. Although we were able to learn plenty which I'm sure is much more important.
All in all it was a great experience.
When we were finally called up to take a look at our samples we were disappointed. It turns out that our Nematode finding skills had failed us, as our samples failed to obtain any Nematodes. Although we were able to learn plenty which I'm sure is much more important.
All in all it was a great experience.
Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet: The Future of the Third World
To view the full version of this idea click HERE. I would recommend it if you're definitely interested in this project.
The Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet is an idea that was created by me that would change the way that human feces was handled worldwide. I believe that there are areas all around the world that could use my idea whether first or third world. All people should be able to use the Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet and its add-ons to their full advantage. The purpose of the Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet is to keep waste out of water streams, and out of the public eye. Also, to attempt to use it for bettering agriculture, which means to compost the feces from the toilet and turn it into nutrient-filled soil that can be used for farming vegetables. The design is very simple, and can be built out of durable material, preferably metal that is long lasting.
The Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet is an idea that was created by me that would change the way that human feces was handled worldwide. I believe that there are areas all around the world that could use my idea whether first or third world. All people should be able to use the Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet and its add-ons to their full advantage. The purpose of the Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet is to keep waste out of water streams, and out of the public eye. Also, to attempt to use it for bettering agriculture, which means to compost the feces from the toilet and turn it into nutrient-filled soil that can be used for farming vegetables. The design is very simple, and can be built out of durable material, preferably metal that is long lasting.
There are two parts to the Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet. There is the toilet itself, which is a square with a hole on the top and a funnel at the bottom. How you store or move the feces which is used is all dependent on the area which the toilet is based. Whether it's underground in a hole or above ground is also dependent on where the toilet is. But for this visual I simply placed the feces and bottom of the toilet on a hole with planks of wood covering the gaps.
What I would do is have the feces be placed in a separate area where it can be moved for it's composting process and so that it can easily be separated when full. That's the basic way that the toilet would be set up. When the bin or whatever feces storage container being used is full, then it is moved to a separate area where it can be composted. Before composting the feces it must be cleansed of any bacteria or diseases it might have, so it can either be heated at hot temperatures for a long period of time, or it can be let to dry and for the bacteria to die for at least six months. Both ways are difficult. How we would do either is an issue I've had for a while but hopefully harnessing the power of the sun with a solar oven might be a feasible idea to help with the process. |
Why is it important to keep feces away from people? First, the human waste smells quite awful and it shouldn't be smelt at any point during the day. That's only a very minor issue considering the next issues. Most importantly, and one of the reasons there are issues in third-world countries is that sometimes feces goes untreated into the water sources of many, many people. Ingesting sewer water can have some major effects on a person's health. One of the illnesses is Stomach Flu. Some of the effects of Stomach Flu is vomiting and diarrhea. The other illnesses include the different types of Hepatitis which all lead to Viral Hepatitis. The effects of are the following.
1: Destroyed Liver tissue
2: Weakens body immune system
3: Causes liver failure
4: Liver Cancer
5: Death
Considering how big the toilet is and and how most of it involves manual labor compared to other which involve electricity the Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet shouldn't be too expensive. It most definitely should be under five hundred dollars, and depending on material and labor, which doesn't cost anything, it should probably be less than two hundred dollars. Of course the project still has some issues to work out and isn't completely perfect, I can assure anyone that the idea and Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet itself is an innovative idea that can definitely change the lives of people all around the world. Whether it may be in the sweet corn-growing ranches of Mexico to the island of Haiti to the deserts of Africa.
1: Destroyed Liver tissue
2: Weakens body immune system
3: Causes liver failure
4: Liver Cancer
5: Death
Considering how big the toilet is and and how most of it involves manual labor compared to other which involve electricity the Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet shouldn't be too expensive. It most definitely should be under five hundred dollars, and depending on material and labor, which doesn't cost anything, it should probably be less than two hundred dollars. Of course the project still has some issues to work out and isn't completely perfect, I can assure anyone that the idea and Funnel-Tunnel-Toilet itself is an innovative idea that can definitely change the lives of people all around the world. Whether it may be in the sweet corn-growing ranches of Mexico to the island of Haiti to the deserts of Africa.
Students Without Borders
Before beginning to read this make sure you're caught up on our project! Click here to view the project!
Now, if you're caught up you'll know that we created a solar oven for the purpose of cleansing feces from all pathogens and harmful bacteria. We're doing this to test that our method of cleansing feces is effective and simple enough so that people in third world countries will be able to use their feces as fertilizer. This will improve crop yield and allow for bigger better fruits with nutrients that were once carried from feces. Although the project was a little bit off schedule. The oven took quite a long time to build because of the bricks drying and hardening process. So the testing never really began, which is what I'd like to do. If I had unlimited time I would test the oven, to see if it really does what we wanted. I'd also create a more permanent oven that's a little less portable but a lot more effective. This would help us learn what's required to clear feces of all pathogens and viruses, we would also be able to test different areas and different scenarios which could affect the oven. Of course we didn't have that time but I think we did very well as is. We have done the research and built the structure and all that was missing were a couple of tests. |