Gentlemen,
Those interested in the possibility of a Summer internship should click the link below for more information. Those interested in Science should heavily consider some of these opportunities. It is a great way to learn new things, meet new people, work with highly advanced laboratory equipment, and work with prominent figures in their respective field.
If you have any further questions, please see your Chemistry teacher for more information.
https://docs.google.com/a/chaminade-hs.org/document/d/18Abks4RgSfgYTvjZ8MBMVmflxk9XFYcZ6y5orpFpQlA/edit?usp=drive_web
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
Updated Science Fair Dates
Please see the following link for changes to the Science Fair dates:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=1cddc930a9&view=att&th=14b2c3c96e8cd672&attid=0.1&disp=safe&realattid=f_i5fi59ns0&zw
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/?ui=2&ik=1cddc930a9&view=att&th=14b2c3c96e8cd672&attid=0.1&disp=safe&realattid=f_i5fi59ns0&zw
Monday, October 27, 2014
Science Fair 2015
Chemistry Science Project
You are to choose from one of the following topics and develop your own project using the scientific method-
Hypothesis, Materials, Procedure, Results, Conclusion
Be sure to have a large sampling size (5-8) and perform each part 5-8 times (trials), (control vs variable)
Project: worth 100 points (test grade for 2nd trimester)
Must Include: 1) Poster board- most of this should be covered. Results, charts, graphs, and pictures of you doing the work; include pictures showing all the trials and samples.
2) Your experiments (numerous trials)
3) 3-5 page report on background or information related to your topic and a bibliography.
** Be sure to explain the chemistry involved in your project.
Projects to choose from:
1) Sunscreen effectiveness
2) Water testing (not bottled)
3) Soil Testing
4) Corrosion of metals
5) Acid Rain
6) Laundry detergent effectiveness
Begin Testing ASAP
You may work in groups of two as long as both students are taught by the same teacher. * However, the project will be due at the earliest date between the two students.*
You may be excused from a Science Fair Project if you are on Team A, B, or C of Science Olympiad and compete in events.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Avogadro's Number
As you learn in Chapter 3, Avogadro's number tells you how many atoms, or molecules, there are in 1 mole. The name for this number comes from the Italian physicists Amedeo Avogadro. He proposed the theory that 1 mole of a gas at a specific temperature and pressure has the same number of atoms as 1 mole of a different gas at the same temperature and pressure. This theory was proposed in 1811, but Amedeo Avogadro did not have the technology to determine exactly how many atoms made up 1 mole.
It was actually Jean Perrin who discovered the number in 1895. He showed his respects to Avogadro for coming up with the theory that propelled Perrin to make this discovery. Along with this, Perrin continued his work on atoms and received the Nobel Prize in 1926.
It was actually Jean Perrin who discovered the number in 1895. He showed his respects to Avogadro for coming up with the theory that propelled Perrin to make this discovery. Along with this, Perrin continued his work on atoms and received the Nobel Prize in 1926.
Monday, October 6, 2014
A Fly in the Cathedral
A short while ago, we had discussed the discovery of the nucleus along with the proton. Ernest Rutherford had used his famous Gold-Foil Experiment to come up with this massive breakthrough. In class, we discussed how the atom is made up of mostly empty space and the nucleus is very small in comparison to the rest of the atom. We used the analogy of a marble in Ott Field. This eventually led to the discussion of splitting the atom and the atomic bomb.
The book "A Fly In The Cathedral" is a true story about 20 years after Rutherford's Gold Foil experiment. It describes the race between John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton, other American Scientists and German Scientists to become the first group to split the atom and create the atomic bomb.
This is an interesting read for those who are interested in learning more about this time period and the Science behind it. The book can be found on Amazon.com for 1 cent plus shipping (total is around $4.00).
I would highly recommend this book to all students who have talked about Rutherford and his experiment and are interested in learning the aftershock of his experiments.
Here is the cover of the book:
The book "A Fly In The Cathedral" is a true story about 20 years after Rutherford's Gold Foil experiment. It describes the race between John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton, other American Scientists and German Scientists to become the first group to split the atom and create the atomic bomb.
This is an interesting read for those who are interested in learning more about this time period and the Science behind it. The book can be found on Amazon.com for 1 cent plus shipping (total is around $4.00).
I would highly recommend this book to all students who have talked about Rutherford and his experiment and are interested in learning the aftershock of his experiments.
Here is the cover of the book:
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Comprehensive Exam Review
With the Comprehensive Exam only a few days away, here are some questions to help you practice:
Just a reminder, the Chemistry Exam is Tuesday June 17th.
Just a reminder, the Chemistry Exam is Tuesday June 17th.
2. A cube has a volume of 3.56 cubic centimeters and a mass
of 15.6 grams. The density of the cube is
best expressed as: (Hint: Answer must have correct number of significant
figures.)
a) 0.228 g/mL b)
4.38 g/mL
c) 0.23 g/mL d)
4.382 g/mL
3. Please indicate the number of significant figures for the
following questions:
4000. g
4000 L
33.0 mL
4.00000000000 m
0.00000000000004 mg
48,067 mg
4. Write the electron configuration for potassium.
5. Who was the father of the Periodic Table?
a)
Gregor Mendel c)
John Dalton
b)
Dmitri Mendeleev d)
Ernest Rutherford
6. List the scientists who discovered the subatomic
particles and their tools.
7. Find the percentage composition of Cu2S.
8. Find the empirical formula of a compound made up of
32.38% sodium, 22.65% sulfur, and 44.99% oxygen.
9. Write the Lewis and structural
formula, the type of bond, and the shape of CCl4.
10. How many grams are there in
8.76 x 1017 molecules of ammonium chlorate?
11. Balance the following
equation: C9H20 +O2 Ã CO2 + H2O
12. How many moles of AlBr3 are produced if I
have 700. grams of Br2, according to the following equation?
Al
+ Br2 Ã
AlBr3 (unbalanced)
13. If the pressure of a gas is 4364.333 kPa, what is the
gas in atm?
a)
4364.333 atm c)
3.316893 x 106 atm
b)
5.742543 atm d)
43.07262 atm
14. A sample of hydrogen gas occupies a volume of 562 mL at
17oC. What would the volume be if the temperature was increased to
31oC?
15. What is the mass, in kilograms, of 17.8 L of Chlorine
gas at STP?
16. Which principle describes the process of a system to
counter a stress made upon it so that the system can return to equilibrium?
a)
Heisenberg’s Principle c)
Le Chatelier’s Principle
b)
Einstein Principle d)
Equilibrium Principle
17. A solution was prepared using 42.3 g of sugar, C12H22O11,
mixed with 444 g of water. Find the molal concentration of the solution.
18. ***Three part question*** 9.12 L of H2 reacts
with CuO at STP according to the following equation:
CuO
+ H2 Ã
Cu + H2O
How many moles of H2 react? How many moles of Cu
are produced? How many grams of Cu are produced?
19. C6H12O6 + 6O2
⇌ 6CO2 + 6H2O
+ heat
If
heat was removed to the system above, how would the system react?
a) Shift to the Right c) Stay
the Same
b) Shift to the Left
20.
Why can’t water dissolve oil? What quote did we mention to help
determine when a substance will dissolve another substance?
21. For the following equations, please complete the
following. A) Determine the products. B) List each element as soluble or
insoluble (you can simply put aq or s next to each compound). C) Write the
total ionic equation. D) List the spectator ions. E) Write the net ionic
equation.
sodium carbonate + calcium chloride
22. List the definition of an Arrhenius acid and base,
Bronsted-Lowry acid and bas, and Lewis acid and base. I would prefer a chart.
23. What is
the pH of a solution whose hydronium ion concentration is 3.30
x 10-12?
a) 12.0 b) 11.5
c) 12.5 d) 2.5
24. A 6.7 g
sample of a plastic was heated from 256 K to 279 K and absorbed 49 J of energy
as heat. What is the specific heat of the plastic?
25. For the
reaction: C (s) + O2 (g) Ã CO2 (g) + 401.24 kJ at 301 K, ∆S= 0.544 kJ/(mol x K).
Will this reaction occur?
26. For
the following equation, please list the oxidation numbers of each element, then
break up into the proper oxidation/reduction reaction with the proper number of
electron either gained or lost. Write neatly or else points will be taken off
for things I cannot read!
3
Cu + 2 HNO3 + 6 H+ → 3 Cu2+ + 2 NO + 4 H2O
27. For this question, please list given, the K formula (without
numbers), show all work (with numbers) and the answer.
For the
following equilibrium equation: 4HCl + O2 ⇌ 2Cl2 + 2H2O
at 650oC, K= 83.4, [HCl]= 5.1 x 10-2 mol/L; [O2]=
3.0 x 10-2 mol/L; and [H2O]= 9.1 x 10-3 mol/L.
What is the concentration of Cl2?
28.
Draw the following compound: 3-ethylheptane
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Future Chemist
I hope everyone enjoyed the Easter break!
Here is a video of a 6 year old on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.
This video will be sure to give you some laughs and amaze you!
Here is a video of a 6 year old on the Jimmy Kimmel Show.
This video will be sure to give you some laughs and amaze you!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Titration and its common uses.
This week in the lab, you will complete a Titration.
The point of a Titration is to discover the concentration, or Molarity, of an unknown substance. The only part of the lab that is initially revealed to you before the lab begins is the concentration of the titrant, or substance performing the Titration. The titrant in this case would be the 0.500 M of HCl. Your goal in the lab is to reach the endpoint, or the point where the HCl concentration and the NaOH concentration are equal. At this point, you can determine the Molarity of the NaOH, the "unknown substance", using the following formula:
M1V1=M2V2
After recording the volume of HCl used and the volume of NaOH used, you can determine the concentration of the sodium hydroxide since the concentration of HCl is already known. .
What are some common uses of Titration?
The medical field has very real-life applications of Titration. Pharmacists use Titration in their field. Doctors also use Titration to ensure they give patients the proper concentration of anesthetics before performing major surgeries. Titration is also used to measure glucose levels in the blood for those with diabetes.
The medical field is not the only area where Titration is commonly used. The food industry uses Titration to determine saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids. Specific techniques can also be used to determine the chain length of those fatty acids. Also, Titration helps to determine the concentration of salt, sugar, and various vitamins in the foods and drinks we consume. Titration can also be used to determine if wines or cheeses are ready for consumption.
The automotive industry is always trying to find more ways to become more productive. The production of biodiesel fuel is another area where Titration is very commonly used. By measuring the pH of the biodiesel, you can easily determine how much base is needed to bring the solution to the correct pH. Since the concentration of the base, the concentration of the fuel, and the volume of fuel is known, you can use the above formula to determine the volume of base needed to create the optimal fuel.
Another common use of Titration is testing aquarium water. Fresh water fish can only survive under the right conditions. If the pH of the water or the concentration of ammonium, nitrates or nitrites is thrown off, the fish will die. By using Titration, you can determine if the concentrations of these compounds is correct or change them if necessary.
The point of a Titration is to discover the concentration, or Molarity, of an unknown substance. The only part of the lab that is initially revealed to you before the lab begins is the concentration of the titrant, or substance performing the Titration. The titrant in this case would be the 0.500 M of HCl. Your goal in the lab is to reach the endpoint, or the point where the HCl concentration and the NaOH concentration are equal. At this point, you can determine the Molarity of the NaOH, the "unknown substance", using the following formula:
M1V1=M2V2
After recording the volume of HCl used and the volume of NaOH used, you can determine the concentration of the sodium hydroxide since the concentration of HCl is already known. .
What are some common uses of Titration?
The medical field has very real-life applications of Titration. Pharmacists use Titration in their field. Doctors also use Titration to ensure they give patients the proper concentration of anesthetics before performing major surgeries. Titration is also used to measure glucose levels in the blood for those with diabetes.
The medical field is not the only area where Titration is commonly used. The food industry uses Titration to determine saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids. Specific techniques can also be used to determine the chain length of those fatty acids. Also, Titration helps to determine the concentration of salt, sugar, and various vitamins in the foods and drinks we consume. Titration can also be used to determine if wines or cheeses are ready for consumption.
The automotive industry is always trying to find more ways to become more productive. The production of biodiesel fuel is another area where Titration is very commonly used. By measuring the pH of the biodiesel, you can easily determine how much base is needed to bring the solution to the correct pH. Since the concentration of the base, the concentration of the fuel, and the volume of fuel is known, you can use the above formula to determine the volume of base needed to create the optimal fuel.
Another common use of Titration is testing aquarium water. Fresh water fish can only survive under the right conditions. If the pH of the water or the concentration of ammonium, nitrates or nitrites is thrown off, the fish will die. By using Titration, you can determine if the concentrations of these compounds is correct or change them if necessary.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Summer Science Opportunities
Gentlemen,
Bro. Ben has recently sent out a letter listing opportunities to advance your knowledge in Science. Links are provided for you if you are interested in one or more of these opportunities!
Here is the letter from Bro. Ben:
St. Albert the Great, Patron of Natural
Scientists…Pray for us!
Bro. Ben has recently sent out a letter listing opportunities to advance your knowledge in Science. Links are provided for you if you are interested in one or more of these opportunities!
Here is the letter from Bro. Ben:
+
J.M.J.
February 25, 2014
Dear
Parents and Students,
A
few weeks ago Chaminade held its 44th Annual Science Fair. What a great day! It was wonderful for me as
a teacher and as the Science Department Chair to see such enthusiasm for
science on all levels from freshmen through seniors. Also a few weeks ago, Chaminade’s three
Science Olympiad teams competed at the local Regional Competition. Held at Kellenberg, Chaminade’s teams were
pitted against some very tough competition.
Our best team, ‘Team A,’ placed 3rd out of 35 teams and thus
qualified for the next level of competition, the New York State Science
Olympiad Tournament, in mid-March. A bit
later on this year in late April Chaminade students will compete at the Long
Island Regional Envirothon hoping to qualify for the New York State Envirothon
in May. Chaminade has had a number of
students involved in research at North Shore-LIJ’s Feinstein Institute, Cold
Spring Harbor Lab, Brookhaven National Lab, to name a few. Many students participate in the Hospital
Volunteers Program to get a taste of what the health care system is like.
Why
do I mention all of this ‘science stuff?’ Simply put science and technology has
been, continues to be, and will become an increasingly important part of the
United States’ and the global economy. I
firmly believe that Chaminade students involved in all of the above-named
activities will play an integral role in preserving our country’s place in the
world as well as play a vital role in keeping the New York metro area the
thriving hub it is.
Summer
need not be a time when you forget about science until the next school
year. There are many interesting and
exciting summer science programs available, some local and some quite
distant. I have listed a number of
programs below. It is not an exhaustive
list. However, as I receive information and
discover additional programs I will update and revise this list.
To
Chaminade students…if you have a strong interest in science and/or mathematics,
I encourage you to pursue some sort of organized summer science program. To Chaminade parents…if your son has a strong
interest in these areas, I hope you will support him in his interest as best
you can.
While
a number of these programs are restricted to juniors or seniors, most of them
are open to high school students of all ages.
It’s not too early to think about science in the summer! Some
application deadlines are closer than others.
If
you or your sons have any questions, please never hesitate to ask.
Regards,
Bro.
Benjamin F. Knapp, SM
Summer
Science Programs
(in no particular order)
1.
North Shore-LIJ Hospital System – Feinstein Institute for Medical Research –
Student Intern Programs (Long Island)
2.
Columbia University – Summer Programs for High School Students (New
York City)
3.
The Whaling Museum of Cold Spring Harbor – research opportunities
A ‘relationship’
with Chaminade is in the exploratory phase.
TBD
4.
U. Penn Summer High School Programs (Philadelphia area)
5.
U. Penn Sumer Academy in Applied Science and Technology (Philadelphia
area)
6.
DNA Learning Center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (Long
Island)
7.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Lab – Partners for the Future (Long
Island)
- Nominations
through Chaminade only. You may pick up
application/nomination materials from Bro. Benjamin.
8.
Brookhaven National Lab – High School Research Program (Long
Island)
9.
Brookhaven National Lab – Summer Science Explorations (Long
Island)
10.
SUNY Stony Brook (Long Island)
Stony Brook has so many offerings there are too
many to list separately here. The link
below is the ‘home base’ for their high school summer science opportunities in
addition to the high school research program.
The opportunities include laser research, biotechnology, physics, and
research. (Long Island)
11.
Alfred University (upstate New York, sort of close to Corning)
12.
The Cooper Union – Summer STEM Program
(New York City)
11.
Stevens Institute of Technology – The Stevens Summer. (Hoboken,
NJ)
Stevens has so many offerings there
are too many to list separately here.
The link below is the ‘home base’ for their high school summer science
opportunities.
13. Fordham University – Pre-College Program (New
York City)
Fordham has so many offerings there
are too many to list separately here.
The link below is the ‘home base’ for their high school summer science
opportunities.
Continued on next page.
14.
Shoals Marine Lab (cooperative venture between Cornell University and
University of New Hampshire)
The lab has a summer course open to
juniors and seniors – Marine Environmental Science
15.
Cornell University – Summer College
Summer College at Cornell has a
large number of program offerings. The
link below is the homepage for Summer College.
16.
College of the Atlantic – Summer Field Experience for High School Students (Bar
Harbor, Maine)
COA has three offerings at the link
below.
17.
Whale Camp (Grand Manaan Island, Newfoundland)
18.
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach, Florida)
Embry-Riddle has quite a few summer
opportunities. Use the link below.
19.
Hofstra University – Pre-Collegiate Career Discovery: STEM (Long
Island)
20.
Hofstra University Summer Camps – Learning Institute (Long
Island)
21.
Adelphi University – Summer Pre-College Programs for High School Students (Long
Island)
Adelphi has a number of
offerings. The two math and science
offerings are for ‘Game Programming’ and for ‘Exploring the Health
Sciences.’ Use the link below for the
homepage.
22.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
(Cambridge, Massachusetts)
MIT has a few non-traditional
programs for high school students. The
linked homepage below also lists quite a few non-MIT programs.
23.
Joint Science Education Project (JSEP) – Arctic Consortium Research (Greenland)
(Unfortunately
registration is already closed for this free research opportunity; think about
it for 2015)
24.
Rensselaer Polytechnic University (RPI) - PREFACE Summer Program (Troy,
NY)
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Steel; The alloy that changed it all.
Iron was one of the most commonly used metals of ancient
times. However, iron was very soft and brittle for many uses. Many people
looked for a stronger metal that could eventually be used for bridges, trains,
factories, and even jewelry!
The answer came in the form of an alloy. Let’s backtrack for
a second: a mixture is a combination of an elements and compounds, two or more
compounds, or two or more elements. An alloy, specifically, is a mixture of a
metal and other elements.
So which alloy would be the answer to a stronger, more
efficient metal?
Steel, of course!
So what is steel exactly? The primary part of steel is iron,
the weak brittle metal that was used for thousands of years.
And how do we turn a very soft, brittle metal into a strong,
sturdy metal? The element that is mixed with iron to give it strength is none
other than carbon! However, the amount of carbon that is found in steel is less
than 2%! Just that small amount of carbon turns brittle iron into sturdy steel.
There is a few problems with the addition of carbon. If you add too little
carbon, it will still behave as pure iron. If you add too much carbon, you
create what’s called pig iron. Pig iron is very soft and brittle just like pure
iron. So you need the correct amount of carbon, not too much and not too
little, to get the perfect mixture and create an incredibly strong alloy. Also
found in steel are manganese, phosphorous, sulfur, silicon and traces of
oxygen, nitrogen, and aluminum.
There was a huge problem with the production of steel: the
cost! It was an extremely expensive process to turn iron into steel and be cost
efficient at the same time. In 1855, Henry Bessemer came up with a way to
create steel at an industrial level and, of course, cheaply. He started with
pig iron, mentioned earlier, and burned off all the impurities. After burning
off the impurities, he was left with steel. This process was extremely useful
and came at a most opportune time.
Henry Bessemer
The production of steel came up huge in 1914, the start of
World War I in Europe. Steel was used to build up American infrastructure, bridges,
trains and ammunition/weapons. Steel allows us to move or hold massive amounts
of weight which was very handy in transportation, storage and building. With
the production of steel came new tools to allow us to shape steel for a
specific purpose.
This use of chemistry allowed the world to move in a whole
new direction. With the addition of a few elements, iron turned into something
completely new! This new alloy still has many uses today and can be found in
our everyday life!
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Chemistry Science Project
Chemistry
Science Project
You are to choose from one of the following topics and
develop your own project using the scientific method-
Hypothesis,
Materials, Procedure, Results, Conclusion
Be sure
to have a large sampling size (5-8) and perform each part 5-8 times (trials),
(control vs variable)
Project: worth 100 points (test grade for 2nd
trimester)
Must
Include: 1) Poster board- most of this
should be covered. Results, charts, graphs, and pictures of you doing the work;
include pictures showing all the trials and samples.
2)
Your experiments (numerous trials)
3)
3-5 page report on background or information related to your topic and a
bibliography.
** Be sure to explain the chemistry involved in your
project.
Projects to choose from:
1)
Sunscreen effectiveness
2) Water
testing (not bottled)
3) Soil
Testing
4)
Corrosion of metals
5) Acid
Rain
6)
Laundry detergent effectiveness
Begin Testing ASAP
You may work in groups of two as long as both students are
taught by the same teacher. * However, the project will be due at the earliest
date between the two students.*
You may be excused from a Science Fair Project if you are on
Team A, B, or C of Science Olympiad and compete in events.
Due Dates:
Mr. Amorizzo:
Period
1- January 7, 2014
Period
3- January 13, 2014
Period
6- January 15, 2014
Period
8- January 24, 2014
Mr. Duban
Period
8- January 14, 2014
Mr. Giordano
Period
2- January 8, 2014
Mrs. Levane
Period
1- January 27, 2014
Period
3- January 22, 2014
Period
6- January 30, 2014
Period
8- January 16, 2014
Mr. Paul
Period
7- January 17, 2014
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