Photo Credit: Isaak D. Edmonds

What you need:
.ice
.zip lock bags
.salt
.ice cream toppings
.syrup (optional)
.vanilla extract
The Science:
"Ice has to absorb energy in order to melt, changing the phase of water from a solid to a liquid. When you use ice to cool the ingredients for ice cream, the energy is absorbed from the ingredients and from the outside environment (like your hands, if you are holding the baggie of ice!). When you add salt to the ice, it lowers the freezing point of the ice, so even more energy has to be absorbed from the environment in order for the ice to melt. This makes the ice colder than it was before, which is how your ice cream freezes"


http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/a/aa020404a.htm

Min-Project #2: Magnetic Screw Driver!

Photo Credit: Isaak Delgadillo-Edmonds

What you need:
.any magnet
.magnetizable metal (in this case a screwdriver instead of a paperclip)

The Science:
When you rub the magnets against magnetizable metal it causes the normally not magnetic metal to become magnetic.

Chem 8d Stnd

Chem Stnds 8d: Students know the atoms and molecules in liquids move in a random pattern relative to one another because the intermolecular forces are too weak to hold the atoms or molecules in a solid form.

Forces that attract molecules to other molecules, these include:
.hydrogen bonding
.dipole-dipole attraction
.London dispersion forces

The types of bonding forces vary in their strength as measured by average bond energy.
(STRONGEST)
Covalent Bonds (400kcal)
Hydrogen Bonding(12-16kcal)
DipoledipoleRXNS(2-0.5kcal)
Lndon Forces(less than 1kcal)
(WEAKEST)

Hydrogen Bonding

Bonding b/t hydrogen and more electronegative neighboring atoms such as oxygen and nitrogen.

Polarity

A molecule, such as HF, that has a center of positive charge and a center of negative charge is said to be polar, or to have a dipole moment.

Dipole-dipole Attraction

Attraction between oppositely charged regions of neighboring molecules.

London-dispersion forces

The weakest of intermolecular forces, these forces are proportional to the mass of the molecule. These are the only forces of attraction between completely nonpolar molecules.

Links:
http://www.sciencegeek.net/Chemistry/Presentations/IntermolecularForces/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid

Mister Olson's Happy Trail!

View MISTER OLSON'S HAPPY TRAIL in a larger map">

Mini- Project: Glow in the dark Water!

http://video.about.com/chemistry/How-to-Make-Glowing-Water.htm

Photo Credit: Gregory Alan Warden

What you need:
.Any amount of water
.Yellow highlighter ink
.Blacklight

The Science:
The transparent brightly colored ink is able to glow under a black light to produce either a greenish yellow glow because the phosphorus in the ink produces that color.

IPropose We Burn Money

Video:
http://video.about.com/chemistry/Burning-Money-Magic-Trick.htm

Materials:

• dollar bill (higher denomination if you're brave)
• tongs
• matches or a lighter
• salt
• solution of 50% alcohol and 50% water

All you need is a bill, a mixture of water and alcohol, and a lighter. 70% rubbing alcohol works well. Alcohol burns blue and is a little hard to see, so if you want a bright yellow flame, you can mix a little salt into the alcohol solution.


1.Dip your money into the liquid and make sure it is completely wet.
2. Remove the bill, shake off the excess liquid, and ignite your money.
3.If the flame burns your hand, simply shake it out. You will need to soak the bill again in order to repeat the trick.

Precautions:
. Wear gloves and goggles

Scientific Principle
A combustion reaction occurs between alcohol and oxygen, producing heat and light (energy) and carbon dioxide and water.

Related Links:
http://chemistry.about.com/od/demonstrationsexperiments/ss/burnmoney_3.htm
http://chemistry.about.com/od/demonstrationsexperiments/ss/burnmoney.htm

I Propose That We Make Fireballs You Can Hold in Your Hand

http://www.wonderhowto.com/how-to-fireballs-can-hold-hand-110568/





The only materials needed are 100% cotton cloth, scissors, lighter fuel, cotton string, and a needle.

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1. Thread the needle with cotton thread.

• 2. Tightly roll the cotton strip into a ball.

• 3. Pierce the ball with the needle and wrap the ball with the thread. End by running the needle through the ball one more time and break off the thread.

• 4. Soak the ball with lighter fluid. Don't soak your hands.

• 5. Don't ignite the the fireball while you are holding it. Set the ball on a fire-proof surface. I used a frying pan from the kitchen.

• 6. If you want to hold the fireball, my recommendation is to pick it up with tongs and carefully/slowly set it on your hand. That way you'll be able to tell if you can take the heat or not. Once you gain some confidence, you can pick the fireball up using your fingers.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
. GOGGLES!

. GLOVES!

. It's best to use 100% cotton fabric and thread. If the fiber is synthetic (like nylon or polyester) it might burn or melt, with unpleasant consequences.

.The fireballs are reusable. Put them out when they run out of fuel or else the cotton will burn (you can tell this is happening when the ball starts to blacken and produce sooty smoke). If you get to the point where the cotton itself is burning, the fireball will be too hot to hold. Ideally you want to extinguish the fireball before it consumes all of its fuel. Simply soak it in more lighter fluid and relight it to reuse it.

Geekout!

The song of the day is Hello, I love you by The Doors. I've been reading a lot of comic books recently...I haven't been feeling like reading novels- which is kind of lame because I have a pile of books I really want to finish before I have to return them- oh well.... Comic books are just so good for some fun escapism...Superheroes are the modern equivalent of Ancient Greek Heroes, I find their stories so fascinating. Spider-man is the one I'm drawn to the most though...it's just so easy to relate to Peter Parker and his problems. I guess I'm so interested in Superheroes because I'm holding out for a hero myself...I've also been watching a lot of 90's television...namely Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena (Lucy Lawless is bad-a**!)

Allergies, we meet again.

I hate allergies! Claritin does not work and Benedryll makes you fall asleep! There is no relief! I have sniffles and when I don't sniffle my head hurts from not being able to blow my nose! Oh pollen! You are my archenemy! I love spring...but summer is better because it does not cause me grief in my head!

Adam Sandler, you devil

Little Nicky is in my humble opinion, Adam Sander's best movie. Probably because it's my cup of tea- even though I'm not religious I like stories that are re-imaginings of christian mythology- add some comedy and you have an entertaining movie! I liked Dogma too (you know that Jay and Silent Bob Movie...you probably don't if you're from my chem class) which probably explains why I liked this movie.

David Webb is not Bill Nye

I don't know why but I somehow got it into my head that Bill Nye the science guy would be appearing Wednesday as our speaker, rumors spread like a disease...oh well. Anyways, Mr. Webb taught us about vacuums and pressure. I didn't really understand most of the things he said. Some things were neat I guess...not amazing but alrighty... like that pressure/vacuum chamber that could make a balloon expand and cause water to freeze or boil.

Cloning a Better Tomorrow!

You know what would be neat? Life insurance using clones. That would REALLY insure your life! The way it could work is you do a weekly scan to upload your personality and memories which would be graphed to the clones as they incubate in their pods. Then if you do end up kicking the bucket you would be back and up to date within a day. You'd never have to worry about anything anymore! You could just live your life and do things you were afraid to do before- sky diving, swimming with sharks, eating blow fish,etc.

Runoff imagination

Assorted poems written by me while I was bored in English, as read by David Bowie:

A Golden Idol
Sits high above
Looks down below
Unto a world that grows
And grows and grows
With doom so slow

Poor Little Shadow
Runs through gray
Remains faceless everyday
Do not speak his name
Lest you cause him pain

Shadow Shadow!
Run away!
Here comes sun!
How it burns!
Hide Away!

A Tik Tok Man
Cold and tin
Clockwork heart
Rusted chin
Has a soul?
I don't know
Where can he go?

Semana de Amor

I'm so ecstatic to spend the whole three day weekend with my Love! We have a good amount of things planned. Friday (today) we're going to see The Wolf man in theaters. Saturday I am taking him out to dinner at Zen Bistro for hotpot. And Sunday he has a surprise for me that I won't find out about until Valentines. Oh yeah...and in class we're learning about Stoichometry and yesterday we did a lab about the oxidation of magnesium.

This is Friday. This is Freedom (for three days...)

So we had a rally today which I thought was alright. It consisted of one of the most half-hearted renditions of the song "Mamma Mia", Teachers dancing to MJ's "Beat it" which was entertaining, a short dance routine by Team Rocket and Encore, Introduction to the school's team captains...which I really didn't pay attention to, a really talented dance group called Academy of Villains ( I want one of their T-shirts), and we left the auditorium to the school band playing "Iron Man" (I have no idea what that had to do with anything...). And next week we have a test on Stoichemetry and Reactions which I guess I have to study for...

Back to those Rxns...

We learned how to convert grams to moles and vice versa by using molar mass. We learned about reactants ---> Products and about different types of reactions such as synthesis, decomposition, single replacement, double replacement, and combustion.

Acidic and Basic

We learned to read the Ph Scale to see if a chemical is acidic or basic. We learned about weak and strong acids and bases and the reactions formed by acidic and basic chemicals.

Because I don't like Blogging...

I really don't like blogging...so I haven't been keeping up with the weekly Chemistry blog...so as filler for each week I'lll tell you what we've been doing. Like Reactions...which Olson writes as "Rxns". We were learning about chemical reactions and molar mass.

Like Dissolves Like...AND A TRULY HAPPY NEW YEAR!

First off all: What a great way to start a New Year and Decade- coming out to my mom (and getting a good reaction), getting an awesome boyfriend, and today I officially became the President of Spectrum ( Mill's GSA). Now back to chemistry...

Dissolving is defined as: to make a solution of, as by mixing with a liquid; pass into solution. Eg. to dissolve salt in water (right)




"Like Dissolves Like" means that substances are more likely to dissolve in other substances with similar chemical properties. So substances like oil do not dissolve in water (bottom). It is often used when talking about polar and non-polar solvents.