About "The Elements"

What I liked about "The Elements" movie was that it was visual rather than just reading from a book.

What I did not like about the movie was the guy who talked in the point of view of the elements. It kind of freaked me out.

My three favorite elements were Au, Hg, S because it was interesting to learn about Gold and Mercury & Sulfur were used to create inventions that made scientists wealthy.

My least favorite elements were Cu. Fool's Gold is made up of mainly Copper, so basically Copper is fake Gold. I don't really dislike any other elements because they're all useful in different ways; so is Copper.

What is F=S=A?

F=S=A means Formula, Substitute, and Answer.

Example: % Error = lDifferencel / lTruel * 100%
% Error = l50g-20gl / 20g * 100% = 101.5%

 I think F=S=A is really helpful and great for remembering to substitute the given into the formula and finding the answer.

The 5 postulates of Dalton's Atomic Theory

• Elements are made of tiny particles called atoms.

I think this is true because everything is made of atoms are there are very many that combine together. 

• All atoms of a given element are identical.

I think this is false because there are different types of atoms.

• Atoms cannot be split, created, or destroyed.

I think this is false because I think atoms can be destroyed. 

• Atoms of different elements combine in simple whole-number ratios to form compounds.

I think this is true because atoms combine together to form compounds.

• A chemical reaction is a rearrangement of atoms.

I think this is true because a chemical reaction does involve a rearrangement of atoms to make the products.

References

1. "John Dalton": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dalton
2. "Dalton's Atomic Theory": http://www.iun.edu/~cpanhd/C101webnotes/composition/dalton.html

introduction & clownfish.

Hi, I'm Stephanie. I'm fifteen years old and a sophomore in high school. I think science is pretty interesting, but it really depends on what we're doing. I love labs and experiments, rather than learning from a book. 


Yesterday, our class did a lab about chemical reactions and what was interesting was that the liquid changed color or the temperature changed when you added a certain item. It was exciting watching the substances change as they mix together.


Today, we are at the library, finding something interesting in a magazine. I read about clown fish and how the scientists believe that fish are becoming deaf and in danger because of the gas in seawater which created carbonic acid, changing the pH levels. Since clown fish are only a few centimeters long, many other fish in the ocean are their predators and if they are deaf, they would not be able to hear their predator coming. It takes away one of their senses. Researchers, though, don't think the acid affects the fish at all. Hopefully, if it is true that they're becoming deaf, it won't danger the clown fish in any way...


Reference: Science News, July 2, 2011, Volume 180, No. 1, p. 12, "Be more afraid, young clownfish"