Mace,+Anthony

While reading "An Invisible Fire", I recognized some things that I learned last year in my Honors Chemistry course. Some of the reminders that I caught were mainly lab precautions such as always reading the label on any kind of vial or bottle that you are using. Also, I knew some of the scientific facts and statements in the article. I knew that the stratum corneum was the top layer in the epidermis. Because the stratum corneum contains dead cells, the hydrofluoric acid would not do any harm to this layer. The things that I didn't know but learned were very, very interesting. I did not know but learned that calcium and magnesium play a very important role in the body. Also, I learned that acid can easily pass through membranes because of its neutral charge. The main thing I learned was to stay away from hydrofluoric acid because it can be one of the most dangerous acids.

Anthony, Good advice! Well done. 5 stars. MW

I thought this article about the influences of ancient greek on chemistry was very intriguing. My first two important points were the Greek-derived prefixes and suffixes. Understanding prefixes and suffixes is very important in being able to decipher most words. A few prefixes jumped out at me, mainly the ones that we've seen in chemistry such as 'hyper' or 'hypo', Also, the IUPAC system of naming (mono, di, tri...) was interesting and relateable to me because of when used used it in naming compounds that include two non-metals. Another point was that the word 'chemistry' comes from the Egyptian word 'khem' or the Greek word 'cheo'. My most valuable point was just how important the understanding of the Greek language is in understanding chemistry. If you know the prefixes, suffixes, and overall language of Greek, understanding chem will be much easier!

Anthony, OK. 5 stars. MW

While reading the Einstein article, three major points jumped out at me. Each of these points had a very important role in the world of science that we know today. These points were, Einstein's theory of relativity, the atomic theory, and the photoelectric effect. The theory of relativity discovered that the speed or light is a "universal speed limit", in that nothing can travel faster in than light in our known universe. This theory resulted in many important findings such as black holes and the Big Bang theory of how our universe was created. Einsteins //atomic theory// was the first all-around acceptance of atoms by everyone. This was the first time an atom had been measured. The last important part for me was the photoelectric effect. This effect that the frequency of light cases electrons to leave metal, no the intensity of light which was believed before. If i were to chose and "MVP", I would have to go with the photoelectric effect. I would chose this because it had many astounding effects on the scientific community. It led to a great increase of experimental activity and it helped link the microscopic world of light to the observable world of light. Einstein had many great discoveries during his lifetime and I'm sure all of the scientific community would thank him today!

Anthony, Well done! You have a nice writing style. 5 stars. MW

Polymers in Track anf Field This article was a very intersting one. It discussed how chemistry is used in sports, which most teenagers can relate to. First, it gave some history into the 'chemgrass' and artificial fields and tracks. It was very well written and descriptive, which helped to vizualize the actual process of making these artificials surfaces. I found several things about this article very interesting. The first bit of information that was interesting was the boundary and goal lines for these artificial surfaces. It shocked me to learn that they are actually made with different colored blades of artificial grass. I had always figured that the lines were simply painted on after the installation of the field! Another shocking fact was the heat retention discussion. These artificial surfaces retain heat very easily, making them very hot on warm days, much hotter than the actual temperature. I have experienced this in gym class and it is not pleasant at all! The last thing that was interstiong was to learn what those annoying little black pieces are. They are bits of tires. I found this relatable, as well, by experiencing how annoying these little black bits are when they get stuck in your shoe. Overall, I did actaully enjoy reading this article because it was very relatable and gave a practical face to chemistry in everyday life!

Anthony, Connections to class are a bit cryptic but OK. 5 stars. MW

Salting The Roads While reading this article, many pieces struck my interest and others were new information. The article was on the process of salting the roads and how chemistry comes into play. Some information stuck out to me as more important and interesting. One topic we had discussed in class that was interesting, was how when salt is added to ice it 'melts' the ice. But what actually occurs when this event is put in the terms of chemistry, the salt lowers the freezing point of the ice. Another piece of info that caught my eye was the discussion of MgCl2 vs NaCl. MgCl2 is proven to be more effective at melting the snow because it can just as easily and safely dissociate into 3 ions (Mg, Cl, and Cl,), while NaCl can only dissociate into 2 ions with sodium and chloride. This causes more effective lowering of the temperature because the more ions dissolved in a substance, the more it lowers the freezing point of the particular substance, causing more snow to melt. I would say the most important part of the article, is what the article was actually discussing, freezing point depression. This is when something is used to lower the freezing point of the substance. This theory and process are what help to keep us safe on the roads (and in school =[...)!

Anthony, Funny and well written! Good Job! 5 stars. MW

Pool Questions: 1) Do you ever have to deal with algae in the school's pool? Algae are tiny plants the bloom and grow in swimming pools if they correct growing conditions are present. Maintaining proper water quality and frequent brushing off pool walls will deter algae. They are various ways to rid your pool of algae. For the common green type of algae, superchlorinating the pool and brushing the walls frequently will mostly keep green algae off the radar. The two other algae types (Mustard and Black) are much more difficult to get rid of, but can be exterminated in mostly the same way and with much more diligent brushing.

2) How exactly does chlorine keep the pool clean? Chlorine keeps the pool clean through simple chemical reactions. Chlorine breaks down into hypochlorous acid and the hypochlorite ion. Both of these molecules kill bacteria and microorganisms by attacking the lipids in the cell walls and destroying enzymes inside the cells of these bacteria and microorganisms. This process cause the harmful substances in the pool to be oxidized, rendering them harmless. The only difference between hypchlorous acid and hypchlorite ion is the rate at which they oxidize, the acid being much faster.

3) Could you describe the filtration system in the natatorium? The most common systems used in home and public pools involves passing the pool water through a sand barrier. This effectively removes most impurities in the water. Water is pumped up into a filter and then gravity pulls the water down through the sand. The now clean water is then pumped back into the pool. When the sand becomes too dirty or clog, the system is put into reverse.

Anthony, OK. I see you got most of your answers from the reading. 10! MW.

Flaking Away This article was very interesting and helped me connect our study of Electrochemistry from the classroom to the real world through the cars, metals and the process of rusting. While reading, I ran across some things that I had already known and learned from class. One of the things that I had prior knowledge of was the actual process of reduction, oxidation, and complete redox examples. For example, the half reactions shown in the article of iron and of water, I knew which was reduction (water) and which was oxidation (iron). Another thing I had already known was that paint helps slow and prevent the process of rusting on cars. The paint does not allow the iron to oxidize as readily as a car without paint. The last thing I picked out of the article that I knew was that the more wet the climate is, the more easily rusting happens. This knowledge has come, unfortunately, from me leaving my bike or scooter out in the run, only to pick it up the next day disappointed to see rust scattered along the frame =(. I also learned much from this article. I learned that many tries have been made to prevent rusting of cars, such as making cars out of different types of metal, but have proven to be too impractical and expensive. Another piece of information that struck me as interesting was just how big of a role paint plays in the protection of cars. Paints are now being developed that release rust inhibitors when a seal of paint is breached. That to me is very interesting and I wonder exactly how this process works. The last thing that caught my attention was that rusting can actually be reversed. The article doesn't go into detail about this process, so it leaves me yearning to learn more about it. But it does say this process is extremely costly and mildly impractical.

Anthony, Looks good. Reversing the rusting process is like steel making all over again. Not real practical! 5 stars. MW