Mini-Blog post #3

For my third mini project, i made ice cream. When making ice cream it is quite simple. The salt reacts with the ice to create an endothermic reaction. But there are a few simple items.

Needed items:
1. 1 cup of milk
2. a plastic sandwhich bag (preferably ziplock types)
3.1/3 cup of salt
4. 3 tsp of vanilla
5. 1/2 cup of sugar
6. ice
7. freezer ziplock
8. any condiments you wish for your ice cream

to do:
First you need a ziplock baggie. Then take the 1 cup milk and put it in the bag. After, put the 3 tsp of vanilla in the milk. Add the sugar and stir it around in the baggie. Make sure to securely close the baggie. Once that is finished, place the small baggie in a bigger freezer ziploc. put a couple scoops of ice and add the salt. Stir around in the big baggie, until the milk mixture frezzes and you have ICE CREAM.

scientific explanation:
There is no reactions in the milk mixture, but the main part of the reaction is the salt and the ice create an endothermic reation. Then, the endothermic reaction gives off large amounts of cold temperatures. This freezes the milk mixture and creates the ice cream.

Mini-Blog Post #2

For my mini projece I watched oil rise to the top of a cup of water and simutaneously watching food coloring or dye drop to the bottom. The dye created a sea of colors while dropping to the bottom.



What you'll need:

1. A cup of water

2. about 2 tbls of oil

3. food coloring/dye (try to use a variety of colors)

4. a seperate cup (no ingredients in the cup)



To do:

First you will need to get a cup of water. Make sure the cup is not completey full of water, you want to leave about half of the cup empty. After getting that cup of water, pour the 2tbls of oil in a different seperate cup. Once the oil is in a different cup, take your choice of dye a put a few drops of it in the seperate oil cup. Make sure to use a couple of colors to see the full effect of the experiment. After the dye and the oil are together, carefully pour the oil mixture in the water cup. What happens?



Scientific explanitions:

When you finally pour the mixture in the water, usually the oil will dip to the bottom then rise to the top with the dye. After the oil mixture rises to the top, ususally, the dye in the oil becomes heavier than the oil and sinks past the oil. It leaves its circular form and drops in to the water leaving streaks in the water. This creates the color streaks , when you have one or more colors it tends to work better. This happens because the dye becomes denser than the oil and is a little bit denser than the water ad sinks to the bottom creating the water streaks and pool of color at the bottom of the cup.

chem standards

ChemStd 12c: Identifying possible reasons for inconsistent results, such as sources of error or uncontrollable conditions.

When we do experiments, we sometimes have good and bad results. This may depend on our skills and experience or uncontrollable elements and errors made during the process.

When performing an experiment, a person may come upon three types of errors:

1. human errors
2. Systematic errors
3. random errors

Human errors are caused due to the experimenter making a mistake while reading the instrustions, reading the instuments wrong, calculating incorrectly, or making an error by spilling or pouring too much of a substance.

Systematic errors are caused by the instruments of the experiment, which may change the data, graphs, and possible outcomes of the entire experiment itself. For example, if we used water in an experiment and had to leave it outside, depending on the day, the water's density might changes and the results can come out differently changing the whole experiment.

random errors occur because they are uncontrollable and they are not consistently accurate. A good example of a random error is timing an experiment with a stop watch or regular watch. since we cannot stop the watch exactly on the time needed. It may vary some of the results.

Uncontrollable conditions include weather and atmospheric temperatures.

Mills Creek Canyon Field trip

A couple weeks ago we went to go visit the wonderful out doors of mills creek canyon. while out there we had a nature hike and an interesting afternoon. There were many positive things about the trip as well as negatives. For starters I thought it was a good way to spend a good class in the oudoors. The nature trail was a lot of fun and good walking excercise. I thought it was a fun because I was with my friends and we went around searching for new items and exploring the trails. Though there were many positives there were also a few negatives. I thought there was an eating area, but I guess we were wrongly informed, so I stood eating my lunch which wasn't horrible but not really fun. Another negative was the worksheet. The first time around the canyon was so fast there was no way to be able to draw or write down information. It was a bit frustating. And lastly I think that Mr.Olson should be leading the group always because some the the parents got lost and it was a tad bit confusing at some turning points.Overall a very fun trip!

View Mills Creek Canyon in a larger map

Mini blog post #1

For my first mini project i blew up a balloon and let the air out. But while letting the air out i hold two side of the balloon. Creating a rippling noise with the air.

For this project you'll need:
1. a balloon
2. air
3. a pair of hands :)

To do:
Take the balloon and fill it with air. Then slowly release the air with your hands. But while releasing the air pull the balloon elastic out to the side and slowly release, creating a rippling noise.

science?

the science in the project deals with surface area. The tighter the balloon is srteched the more noise it makes. less surface area less noise, more s.a more noise. These concepts are directly related.
Photocredit: Jensen Li

I propose we ..... put a needle through a balloon (without popping the balloon)

Links:

1.http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/homeexpts/needle.htm
2.http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/homeexpts/homeexpts.html

Materials:

• balloons


• long wooden or metal skewers


• pertoleum jelly a sharp pin


• cellophane tape

Procedure

1. Blow up a balloon and tie it close.


2. Take the skewers and dip the tip in the petroleum jelly, spread the rest of the jelly on the skewers.


3. Carefully take the skewer and push it gently through the balloon.


4. Push the skewer through the top and gnetly through the knot of the balloon.


5. With the skewer push it through in a twist motion.

Saftey Precautions:

• Be careful not the poke yourself with the skewers.

Scientific Principles:

The reason why the balloon pops with no petroleum jelly is because it breaks the long polymer chains in the rubber. The molecules in the balloon consist of cross linked polymers. When the tension on the cross-links is too much, the cross-links will break and pull-apart.

CAHSEE scores

I was so excited that i passed the High school exit exam! Though i did ok, i passed the test with a over average score. The test went ok and my parents are very happy with my scores. I received a 395 on the English portions and a 404 on the algebra portion. Its not great but at least i passed!!!!

spring break

My break was super fun! I went surfing in SD and that was an awesome experience. We also went to sea world. That was also fun too. I wish that i could live in San Diego with my Aunt's family. We also went to Bucca Di Beppo and sat at the Kitchen's table. That was so FUN. We even got free food, since some of them were mistake orders. It was all really good Italian food. The last day we went to P.F Chang's and had Gourmet Chinese food. As my first time there i had iced tea and we shared the food. It was Ok, in my opinion.

STAR TESTING

This coming up week is STAR TESTING! fun :( i am so not looking forward to testing. I hope that the test will not be to bad and the test will go easily for me. For the 1oth graders we have to test an extra day. That kind of sucks but i think it wont be too bad. I just can't wait for star testing to be over and i'm looking forward to the awesome spring break.

spring break 2010

This year i am going to San Diego for spring break. I have gone here for the past couple of years. This year i am traveling alone with my sister. No parents on the plane with us!!! I am a bit nervious because it is my first time alone but i think i can handle it. We are in San Diego to visit my cousins and Aunt. This is the only few times i see them which is very exciting for me. We may go to the beach, and go swimming, and possibly seaworld! And we may go to our favorite fro-yo parlor, Golden Spoon. They even have gold spoons! I'm super excited and i know this will be the best year ever!!!

David Webb and Vacuums!!!!

On block day we were fortunate to have an awesome visitor. His name was David Webb. He talked about our recent unit and other topics like vacuums. He also did other experiments showing how the vacuums work. Like the marshmallows getting bigger then all suddenly shrinking. Or the balloon enlarging until it can't go anymore then popping. These experiments i found very interesting. I liked the presentation and hope that he could come again to show our class a different set of experiments!

Upcoming test

I am supper nervious for the Energy test. I understand the types of reactions and what to do but i hope that i do well on the test this monday. My first goal is to try to finish the test and then hopefully getting the problems right. I am studying the packets and trying to master the online games. Hopefully i will do well on the test and pass with flying colors.

the 2010 olympics in vancouver

The 2010 olympics was a ton of fun! I left for the olympics on a thursday and came back on monday. But it was really hard leaving my hometown of Vancouver!! I unfortunately was unable to see any events because of the price and limited amount of time. But i was able to see the first medaling ceremony of the games. I saw ladies moguls, men's 500m speedskating, men's long distance, men's biathalon, and men's cross-country. It was quite a site, because i saw Apolo Anton Ono an J.R Celski in speedskating and the canadian moguls star who won the silver. Overall it was an amazing trip and i hope to see the summer olympics in London! And possibly the winter olympics again in Russia. Sochi 2014....... GO CANADA!!!!!

thermochemistry packet

The past week we learned about thermochemistry!!!About joules, calories, and kilajoules. The most common equation is Q=mc(deltaT). This equation is how to find the Joules or calories. There are various equations of the this. Trying to find the specific heat or the mass or even delta T. We also learned about the exothermic and endothermic reactions and their characteristics. Overall it was a tough unit but after a lot of practice i feel that i have somewhat mastered this unit.

sf chinese new year parade

This saturday in sf there will be the anual chinese new year parade. I am super excited because this event has been a big highlight in the years for me. I have done this event since i was really little and it has always been a big tradition for my sister, dad, and my self. This year i am fortunate enough to performing with the lion heads, as well as my sister and my dad is controlling the dragon's breath (with a fire extinguisher). This should be a great year of the tiger!

gung-hay-fat-choy!!!!

happy new year :)

the stoichiometry test

The stoich test was quite challlenging and i felt that i was a tad bit rushed. The problems were not that bad but it was long. And i suprising did very well on the test. I recieved a 94%. This has been one of my better grades in the tests i have done. Hopefully i can keep up this great progress!

last game of the season vs. ssf

This game was the last game of the 09-10 season of winter soccer. It was a tough game and in the end tied 1-1 to ssf. It was 1-0 in the 1st half and soon we put a goal away in the 1st half near the end. We had a ton of shots off, but unfortunately we couldn't get them in. But we had some good combos in the top half of the field. It was a great game as we played our hearts out and it was so much fun!

i can't wait for the next season!!!

stoichiometry packet and test

This week we are wraping up the reactions and stoichoimetry unit. It was a quite intersting unit.
there are 5 rxns types:synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, double replacement, and combustion. In stoichiometry we learned the grams of x to moles of x to moles of y to grams of y. this formula was very important in the packet.

Like Dissolves Like

Dissolving has many steps to this process depending on what is being dissolved. If a solid is being dissolved the surface area is greater making the solvent dissolve faster. To increase the rate of dissolving solvents, high temperature and stirring will make them go faster. There are three main factors that affect dissolving: surface area, temperature, and stirring.


Like dissolve like means whatever is being dissolved it is being dissolved by the same. For example, a polar solution dissolves a polar solvent.There are many more examples and uses for like dissolves like.