Week 2

              This week in Chem 2A, we observed the compounds of carbon and oxygen, Avogadro's hypothesis, and the race for Iodine. During the beginning of the week, we watched a detailed video on gases and how they combine. A scientist walked through various reactions of gases with other substances. For example, he taught us that oxygen has low solubility in water, this was demonstrated by the water's lack of ascent as oxygen was applied. The chemist in the video also lit a match into a tube full of oxygen. This showed a noticeable reaction when the match burst into flames. Oxygen supports the growth and creation of fire, and it's discrete qualities make it essential for our survival. The video also demonstrated that Mercury levels can help arbitrate one gas from another. Depending how how high the levels rise, determines the gas. I then questioned, do mercury levels work sort of like alcohol levels in a thermometer? But for different purposes?

              The next day, we reviewed what an improper fraction is. It is a fraction with a numerator greater than the denominator. This will later help us understand how compounds are combined in different ratios. Later, we watched a movie about multiple scientists that discovered pure oxygen. One scientist shared his findings with a table of others, they then took his discovery and continued experimenting on oxygen. oxygen created flames, big flames... it sparked, and allowed mice to survive in a confined space twice as long as usual. My question that came from this video was, what beneficial things did these scientists do with their discovery directly after (being awarded and experimenting enough)? We didn't fully finish the video, so maybe this question was answered later on :)...

              Later in the week, we read a paper called: The Race for Iodine. It was about two scientists, Davy and Gay-Lussac, competing, yet sometimes working together, to make new discoveries about the substance Iodine. Both men published their ideas, but Gay-Lussac beat Davy by one day. I think this worksheet/activity that we did in class closely relates to the video about the discovery of oxygen. Through these two connecting examples, we learned that in the past, present, and future,  scientists of different talents must work together, and compete, to make the biggest and most significant discoveries.

(This is the sheet we read about Iodine).

          

          On Friday, we started learning about compounds of carbon and oxygen. I still don't fully understand the concepts that came from the white boarding session that followed, but we will continue in class Monday. My question is, how do we physically demonstrate each scenario/hypothesis we are given?