Activity 4

Sub-Standard A

When faced with a science-related problem, decide what evidence, models, or explanations previously studied can be used to better understand what is happening now

Using resources to find answers is something that I learned early on in life.  In school, we would be asked a question where we would need to look back at graphs or facts to figure out what the answer is.  This standard is met a lot throughout school in other areas such as math.  For example, when you need to look at a graph to see how much money someone has made at a certain time.  We are also still meeting this standard by learning more about history to see that it is repeating itself, such as how the depression happened and now the economy is becoming worse.

Sub-Standard B

Use encyclopedias, source books, texts, computers, teachers, parents, other adults, journals, popular press, and various other sources, to help answer science-related questions and plan investigations

Again, using these resources has been something that has been taught to me since middle school.  I have grown up in a time where the information that I need can be found on the internet.  This can be a good thing and a bad thing because then I don’t get as much practice using other resources such as the encyclopedia and source books.  Although I have met this standard a long time ago, I am still working on using every different type of resource to its greatest ability.

Sub-Standard C

Use data they have collected to develop explanations and answer questions generated by investigations

In class we met this standard when we did the experiments on males versus females on different tests.  We collected data from the different experiments and then we used them to explain if there was a difference between females and males when it came to certain tasks, such as threading a needle.   We then used this data to answer questions about the experiment and what we thought about our hypothesis and the actual results.

Sub-Standard D

Observe and describe physical events in objects at rest or in motion

Back in middle school, we needed to make a roller coaster (obviously on a smaller scale!) that would have certain ups and downs along with other qualifications.  This was a really fun project!  I made the “track” out of some plastic tubing and the moving object was a beebee.  This was a lot of fun to see the beebee go so fast through the loops and around the turns, especially when I would blow in one end to make it go faster!  This helped me to see what that object could do when it was going through the motions after being so still at the beginning. 

Sub-Standard E

Describe the weather commonly found in Wisconsin in terms of clouds, temperature, humidity, and forms of precipitation, and the changes that occur over time, including seasonal changes

All throughout school and life we talk about the weather.  This is just a common subject that is brought up almost every day.  Although, I can say that I met this standard when I was in grade school when we would talk about what it is like outside.  We would say if it is cloudy, sunny, or rainy.  We would mention the temperature, such as hot or cold, and we would talk about the seasons.  This is something that is learned very early and noticed very easily.

Sub-Standard F

Illustrate* the different ways that organisms grow through life stages and survive to produce new members of their type

In a summer school class in grade school, I remember going on a walk around town to find the leaves that had caterpillar eggs on them.  We kept the leaf in a jar and waited for it to form into a caterpillar, then a cocoon, and then into a butterfly.  It was a fun experience that lasted all summer and I learned a lot about the caterpillar’s life stages.

Sub-Standard G

Discover* what changes in technology have occurred in a career chosen by a parent, grandparent, or an adult friend over a long period of time

I remember when my grandpa would tell me stories about when he was a mail man and he and his coworkers would have to sort all the mail and deliver it on bikes.  This sounds ancient now!  I can’t believe how far this simple task has come.  Now, there are machines that sort the mail and there are cars, trucks, and airplanes that deliver mail.  This seems to have made a very large change because of technology.

Sub-Standard H

Describe* how science and technology have helped, and in some cases hindered, progress in providing better food, more rapid information, quicker and safer transportation, and more effective health care

I think that we have grown up in a time where we learned throughout life that there is food that is made in a “fake” way because of technology and science.  We have also learned through many experiences that we can get our information quicker by using technology.  This includes cell phones and computers.  This is something that we learned in school and in everyday life.  Because we grew up in this time, we don’t know what it is like to not have quick transportation.  We are used to cars, trains, planes, etc.  Finally, we learned a lot about our health care by going to the doctor throughout our childhood.  We also learned a bit in school about doctors and things like that.

Activity 2

Activity 2: Atom and Atomic Structure

For this activity review the Content Slides (Atoms and Atomic Structure) and complete the activities/questions below.

Make a model of your three favorite elements on the Periodic Chart.  The models must be 3-dimensional and be made out of common objects around your home.  Place photos of your three models with descriptions on your blog. Your models must include the appropriate number and positioning of protons, neutrons and electrons.

	Protons	Neutrons	Electrons
Lithium	3	4	3
Helium	2	2	2
Beryllium	4	5	4

Protons (yellow Starbursts) and neutrons (green Starbursts) go in the nucleus.  Electrons (Double Bubble gum) orbit the nucleus, although they would really be much further away in real life, of course!

Lithium

Helium

Beryllium

Questions:

1. What is the atomic number for each of your models?

                Lithium :               3

                Helium:                 2

                Beryllium:             6

2. What is the atomic mass number for each of your models?

Lithium :               7

                Helium:               4

                Beryllium:           9

3. In your models, which two subatomic particles are equal in number?

The neutrons in Lithium and the Protons and the Electrons in Beryllium

4. How would you make an isotope for one of your models?  What would change with the model?

For helium, I would change the number of neutrons.  This would make the nucleus uneven because there would be more or less of one of the center parts.

5. Considering the overall volume of your element models, what makes up most of the volume of an atom?

                The nucleus, or the protons and neutrons. 

6. For one of your models, show with another image what happens when energy excites an electron.

                The electron would go crazy and move around a lot and maybe separate.

7. Once the electron is excited, what do we typically observe when the electron returns to the ground-state?  

It would just go back to the original state.

8. Why are some elements different colors when they are excited?

They "emit a photon of energy, which may be observed as light."

9. With the Fourth of July coming up quickly, explain how the colors of fireworks arise.

Going along with my idea about the colors when they are excited, I am thinking that this would be because there are different elements in the firework and when they are set off by the fire, they get excited and create different colors.

10.  Explain the overall organizational structure of the periodic table.

There are families, or groups, which are vertical columns that contain elements with similar chemical properties. Then there are periods, which are the horizontal rows that contain elements in a different range such as metallic to non metallic. The elements are also organized by atomic number and mass.

11. List two example elements for each of these groups or classes: Alkali Metals, Alkaline Earth, Halogens, Noble Gases, Transition Metals, Non-Metals, and Metalloids.

Alkali Metals:  hydrogen and lithium

Alkaline Earth:  beryllium and magnesium

Halogens:  fluorine and chlorine

Noble Gases:  helium and neon

Transition Metals:  sodium and copper

Non-Metals:  sulfur and bromine

Metalloids:  silicon and arsenic

Activity 1

Activity 1

Here are three experimental questions to answer:
1. Does hot water or cold water freeze faster?
                They freeze at the same rate.
2. Does hot water or cold water boil faster?
                They boil at the same rate.
3. Does salt water freeze faster or slower than regular water?
                Slower.

Questions/Items to then include in you blog posting for this activity:
1. Pictures of your experimental materials and setup.

                                                          
2. Your hypothesis to the questions posed.

I predict that cold water would freeze faster because it is already closer to the temperature that it needs to reach in order to freeze.  With that said, I predict that hot water would boil faster because it is closer to the temperature that it needs to reach in order to boil.  I also predict that salt water would freeze slower than regular water because there is salt in there that will throw off the freezing process (I also thought of the ocean and that doesn’t freeze!  Not sure if that is because of the water amount or the type of water though!).

3. Data in the form of a graph or table

	Freezing time	Boiling time
Hot water (1 c. water)	1 hr. 10 min.	2 min. 41 sec.
Cold water (1 c. water)	1 hr. 10 min.	2 min. 40 sec.
Salt water (1 c. room temp. water + 1 tbsp. salt)	1 hr. 50 min.	-

4. Show data of experiment repeated

	Freezing time	Boiling time
Hot water (1 c. water)	1 hr. 7 min.	2 min. 40 sec.
Cold water (1 c. water)	1 hr. 7 min.	2 min 39 sec.
Salt water (1 c. room temp. water + 1 tbsp. salt)	1 hr. 46 min.	-

5. List your controlled variables for your experiment

Same source of water (Menomonie tap).

Same area used in the same freezer.

Same burner used on same stove.  The burner will continuously stay at the same temperature.

Same pot used to boil the water.  The pot will be at about the same temperature when I start.

Same container used to freeze water.

On all experiments, I will consider the water freezing when the top layer of the water is solid.

On all experiments, I will consider the water boiling when I see many bubbles rapidly coming to the surface with steam. 

6. Formulate a theory that answers the questions posed.

When boiling regular water, it doesn’t matter what temperature the water is at the start because the water will boil at the same time in the end.

The temperature of the water doesn’t affect the length of freezing time.  At first, the water will freeze on the top and then throughout the container. The water will eventually freeze to a solid.

At the beginning, salt water will freeze slower than regular water, but it will be frozen more throughout, like slush.

7. Image of the atoms that make up water molecules.

8. Video or animation that shows how water molecules are arranged in the three states of matter for water.

9. Describe the scientific method/process and how each step correlates to your own experiments.
                Observation/ Ask a Question
                             (This is where you are to state your observation and the question that you have.)

Is there a change in boiling and freezing time if you use cold water, hot water, or salt water?

                Hypothesis
                             (This is where you state what you think will happen before you do your experiment.)

The hotter the water, the faster it will boil.  The colder the water, the faster it will freeze. 

Room temperature salt water will freeze slower than room temperature regular water.

                Experiment
                             (This is where you actually do the experiment to test your hypothesis.)

Rules:

When boiling water, I will make sure that the burner is fully hot before I set the pot of water on the burner.  I will then set the pot filled with the water on the burner.  I will start my stopwatch when I set the water on the fully hot burner.  I will consider the water boiling when I see many bubbles rapidly coming to the surface with steam.  I will then stop my stopwatch and record the time.  I will then start the next boiling session on the same burner with a cooled pot to make sure that the pot is the same temperature when starting each time.

When freezing water, I will fill each container up with the water and then I will set them in the freezer without a cover.  I will then start my timer.  I will consider the water frozen when I see that the top layer of water is frozen.  I will then look at the time on the stopwatch and record that time.  I will let the stopwatch run until all types of water have frozen.

                                Outcome:

When boiling water, I saw that it didn’t matter what temperature the water was in the beginning because they would both start to boil at approximately the same time. 

When freezing water, I saw that the temperature didn’t matter either.  Both the warm and cold water froze at the same time.  The salt water took longer to get to the same state that the regular water was at.

                Hypothesis rejected/accepted
                             (This is where you state if your hypothesis was right or not.)

When boiling water, I saw that my original hypothesis was wrong because I thought that the warm water would boil faster than the cold water, but they actually boiled at the same time.

When freezing water, I saw that my original hypothesis was correct.

                New hypothesis offered (if needed)

(This is where you would change your hypothesis from what it was before to what you think it will be now.)

No matter what temperature you start with, water will always boil at the same rate.

The room temperature salt water will take longer to freeze than the non salt water.

                New experiments offered (if needed)
                             (This is where you would redo the experiments to test your new hypothesis.)

When doing the experiments again, I saw that I got the same times on the warm and cold water, which was odd because usually they are off a bit.  When you think about it though, water is water and it will reach its boiling point at the same time as before if you have the same variables.

Again, the salt water did take longer to freeze.

                Experiments support new hypothesis

(This is where you would state that your new hypothesis was correct and it is supported by your data.)

The second time doing these experiments, I found pretty much the same results except for the fact that the times were a bit less on everything.

                Theory formulated
                             (This is where you would state your theory about your experiment and its data.)

Regular water will boil at the same rate no matter what the temperature is.  Regular water will freeze at the same time no matter what the temperature.  Salt water takes longer to freeze than regular water.