October 5-9, 2015- Isabel Nowak

Week October 5-9, 2015

This week in Chemistry we focused on the concept of Mole. A mole is simply just another way of measurement. We came to an understanding of the mole by doing multiple worksheets and working with the mole as if we were working with any other unit of measurement. In our unit 5 worksheet 2 we asked how many moles were in a specific kind of atom. We also conducted an experiment this week called the Empirical Formula Lab. In this experiment we added zinc pieces into a beaker and added 50mL of 3M HCL to the breaker. The results of adding the liquid substance was a bubbling of the substance that was in the beaker. The zinc dissolved and the beaker became opaque at the top of the surface. On the second day of this lab after  the zinc beaker was sitting under a hot plate for a day we used a bunsen burner and heated up the zinc substance and tried to see if the mass would change and what the ratio of Cl and Zn would be. Based on our findings in this lab we learned that the empirical formula for zinc chloride is ZnCl2. We came to an understanding of this experiment by weighing the substance before we heated it and after we heated it. The ratio was 2 to 1 which wasn’t too surprising but it was definitely a fun lab and interesting to have the interaction in the chemical process. Throughout the week we also worked with elements and the periodic table a little more. The class was taught molar mass and how to calculate it. We also learned about Avogradro’s Hypothesis, and we were introduced to Guy-Lussac. This week I’ve learned a little about the mole considering that I’ve had summer work, and class in AP Chemistry this year. However, learning about the empirical formula also wasn’t too surprising but the observations of the burning the element, Zinc was quite interesting. I didn’t know that it would bubble at the surface if we added HCL. My ideas of the mole has become a little more clear however, doing the practice worksheets have helped my understanding. I would rate my understanding of this week’s work at a 9/10. I would feel pretty prepared for a test but might have to review over a few concepts beforehand. My participation throughout the class was pretty well I’d say. I participated throughout the labs, and my table (table 6) had great participation throughout the worksheets. We discussed and worked together on almost every week sheet and conflict we had with each other. Some new questions that somewhat linger throughout my mind would be other ways that we can incorporate the Mole into our everyday lives, or use it in other ways other than relation to atoms. Another question is if our scientific research is different or every table group for the Empirical Formula Lab different due to the amount of Zinc we all started with, the amount of heat we put on our beakers on the experiment during day 2 using the bunsen burners, or if the data is different due to not melting the element properly.