Assignment #3

1) What are today's main topics?

-Chapter 1: temperature, states of matter and density

2) Describe the difference between an absolute scale and a relative scale?

-Relative scale would be how fast you are going for say in a car (like 70 mph). But absolute scare is exactly how fast your are going with all the factors included, like how fast the earth is rotating. When talking about temperature the Celsius and Fahrenheit scales are relative. But the Kelvin scale is absolute.

3) What questions do you have?

-I'm not really sure why solids and liquids are both condensed phases.  

4) What things do you wonder about?

-I wonder why we use Fahrenheit as our normal everyday scale when it is relative not absolute. So really if it is not for say the "true" temperature then why are we using it the most? I believe its really interesting that temperature is not actually about the weather, it is really about molecules moving around and how fast or slow they are moving.

Assignment #2

1) What are three topics that we discussed in class today?
-Three topics that we discussed today are the Periodic Table, chemical reactions, and the macroscopic world.

2) What did you find interesting in class today?
-Today in class what I found most interesting is the experiment you did with the balloons. I knew that a balloon filled with air would pop when lit by a match but I did not know it would make such a loud noise when filled with H20 gas.

3) List a few ways that we identify that a chemical reaction has occurred.
-If it changes color
-If it changes from a liquid to a solid of vise-versa
-If it gives off heat
-If there is some sort of smell or sound

4)Write a question or a comment that you have about the material we covered today.
-Why exactly did the balloon not make such a loud noise when filled with only hydrogen or only oxygen?

Importance of Chemistry

When asked why chemistry is important to my major and life in general a lot comes to mind. First and most obvious is that my major is Applied Science with a concentration in Biotechnology. Chemistry is a very important part of my major, probably the most important class I will be taking. I want to do something directly related to Chemistry later in life, maybe work in some sort of research lab. The most important molecule that I believe I will be working with in chemistry is oxygen. Actually I believe that oxygen might just be the most important molecule for anyone not just involved in working for a research lab. Without oxygen most chemical reactions could not occur. An example of this would be starting something on fire or combustion, without oxygen this would not be possible at all!