Friday, April 27, 2012

Foods and Chemistry Together!

Lea deBoer and McKinley Sheehy taste results....
Last week Mrs. Block’s Advanced Chemistry/Chemistry Club students joined Mrs. Pittenger’s Nutrition and Culinary Arts I Classes for a tasty chemical reaction treat. 

Kevin Nguyen and Kalen Pennington use duct tape to seal their baggies.Duct tape has many uses.
This crossover lab related the unit of thermochemistry to the making of homemade ice cream using ice and rock salt to freeze the ice cream ingredients. A chemistry student was paired with a foods student to complete the lab experience.
Cameron Gray  (who lost his nose) and Madison Gates measure the sugar and vanilla for their ice cream.

Ice has to absorb energy (an endothermic reaction) in order to melt, changing the phase of water from a solid to a liquid.
Steven Baty and Bryar Rardin make learning fun!

When you use ice to cool the ingredients for ice cream, the energy is absorbed from the ingredients and from the outside environment.

John Marrs and Aubrie Lamb make ice cream.

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.

Francesca Rios and Adrienne Haupt feel the heat energy moving out of the ingredients.

Students learned about the many health benefits of ice cream in the diet. For example, it contains the bone strengthening mineral calcium. 

McKinley Sheehy, Alicia Robertson, Haley Johnson, and Karissa Gobin measure out the ingredients.

It also provides vitamin D, vitamin A, and protein.  So remember, ice cream can be part of a healthful diet as long as it is eaten in moderation. 


Lea deBoer and Brie Tyler get ice for the reaction.


Mrs. Block and Mrs. Pittenger.....


Thursday, March 22, 2012

MAYO VISITS PCHS CHEM LAB!!!

Karsyn and Mrs. Block light methane bubbles!

Karsyn, Kacie, and Lydia are assisted by Chem Club member Leslie Rush.

Mr. Mike Brouwer’s 7th grade Science class from Mayo Junior High recently visited Mrs. Brett Block’s PCHS Chemistry Lab for a lesson in energy and how it affects electrons in an atom.  The PCHS Chemistry Club were on hand to assist in a Flame Test Lab where wood splints soaked in various chemical solutions were burned to identify them based on their signature colors – blues, reds, oranges, and pinks.  They also viewed light energy given off by different gases trapped in a tube as electricity was sent through to excite the electrons.  Finally, Mrs. Block gave a lesson on the methane gas used in the lab burners by creating methane gas bubbles which she ignited while the students held them in their hand.  Chemistry Club is a PCHS organization designed to be champions of science.  They are available to visit local schools or arrange a visit at the PCHS Chemistry Lab. 

Jenna, Chris, and Robert work with Chem Club students Geoffrey Swinford and Matt Wells...
Chem Clubbers Austin Gahimer and Damon Daugherty discuss important scientific experiments performed on wasps while Daniel lights a wood splint....
Geoffrey Swinford helps Jenna....
Triston and Mrs. Block....
Faith is not afraid....
Salem complained after this one - said his knuckle hairs got singed!  (that means superficially burned)
electricity through the spectrum tubes show a signature color for that gas...


Mayo students view white light through the spectroscopes to see the wavelengths...








Thursday, March 15, 2012

BUDDY LEE VISITS THE DUGOUT!!


Varsity Boys Baseball trounced Arcola as the Spirit Club and Buddy Lee cheer them on....
Hunter, Shane, and Robert are tough enough....

Leslie, Meredith, Mary-Hunter, and JC enjoy sunflower seeds with Buddy Lee...

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Chem Club Crosses Over Curricula

Observations of how fabric absorbs dye....

Angie Propst and Brett Block presented their students with a team-taught lesson crossing over their subject areas of Clothing and Chemistry to identify the fiber content of various types of fabric.  Mrs. Propst, the creator of the lesson, wanted to further her Clothing class’s existing investigation of fiber characteristics by adding a science inquiry component.  Some of the fibers used were natural and others synthetic.  Students used the observable absorbency rate in dye and burn characteristics, together with an elimination chart, to determine each fabric’s fiber content.  Students also observed how the burning is affected by treatment with a flame retardant made by Chemistry Club students in lab using boric acid and borax detergent.  Mixing this solution had to be done carefully due to the solubility of the boric acid.  Aspects of solubility and supersaturated solutions were investigated by the Chemistry Club students. This lesson promoted student to student learning as Chemistry and Clothing students were paired together.  The importance of lab safety and the use of a controlled experiment were modeled by the Chemistry students. Clothing students shared the base knowledge used for deductive reasoning with the characteristics of synthetic fibers verses natural fibers and characteristics of weaves verses knits.  Due to the success of this lab, it will be incorporated into both the Advanced Chemistry and Clothing curricula.
Mrs. Block and Mrs. Propst represent in their lab coats....
Chandler and Logan dye their fabric and check for weaving patterns....
Katie and Niam are investigators of the weave....

Erin and Becca observe the different fabrics...

Mrs. Propst explains the beading of burnt fabrics to Francesca and Darcie....

Nicole observes how differerent fabrics burn....
Burn Baby Burn!
Rachel and Kalen - where are your goggles?
Getting ready for the lab.......
Fabric retrieval from the dye....
Data collection is crucial.....
































Thursday, February 23, 2012

MARSHMALLOW MAN CHALLENGE!!!

Chemistry I students competed for a smarty pants point this week, building a marshmallow man that would expand when put in the vacuum chamber to demonstrate Boyle's Law.  The winner, representing 5th hour, was Jon Underwood with his "Incredible Hulk" marshmallow man.  Runners up included 5th hour's Bryce Markins and 1st hour's Sarah Powers.  Sarah's Marshmallow Man's eyes popped off and that was way cool!
Jon Underwood with his winning Hulk Marshmallow Man...


Bryce and his "Chem Rules" Marshmallow Man....

 




Sarah Powers Marshmallow Man before and after........
imagination buddies

Chemistry Club in the Community

CHEMISTRY CLUB ON THE PROWL!!!

Paris High School Chemistry Club judged the Crestwood Science Fair Wednesday afternoon.  Club members included:

Back row:  Damon Daugherty, Chi Chi Whitacre, SteveO Middleton, Sarah Kenderdine, Tyler Bouslog Alexis Fiscus,  Jed Powers, Mary Hunter-Smittkamp, Geoffrey Swinford

Front row:   Ashlee Sinclair, Francesca Rios, Alicia Robertson

Friday, February 10, 2012

CARTESIAN DIVER LAB!!!

Chemistry I classes created Cartesian Divers that would sink and float to the top of a water-filled pop bottle when you squeeze the bottle.  The concept demonstrate Boyles Gas Law where increasing the pressure on a gas lowers its volume.  It also shows how bouyancy and density can affect the diver.  Amazingly, you can use a Heinz ketchup packet as a diver as well!  Here are the winners of the diver races and some pics of students making them in lab.
megan raced for 1st hour!
hunter, christine, and chloe represented 2nd - chloe's won!

elliott did not win - mickaela did for 5th hour!
garrett wins with the fastest diver - 6th hour earns a smarty pants!!!  ty ty tests his diver........



bryce and x race!!!