Journal Topics

All of the Journal Writings will be due the first week of June. This list will be updated every week with the previous week’s topics. Make sure you are keeping up with your journal so that when it comes time to turn it in you will be prepared to do so. This Scientific Journal will be worth 25% of your grade for 4^th quarter. You will also find your writings to be helpful on the final project for the year.

Q3 Wk 9

Journal Prompt #1: What colloids do you have in your house? What colloids do you interact with on a daily basis? What colloids do you see outside?

Journal Prompt #2: What solutions do you have in your home and outside of your home? What solutions do you make?

Q4 Wk 1

Journal Prompt #3: What is your favorite soft drink? Describe how you can keep it fresh longer. Also discuss what would be the worst scenario for keeping your drink fresh.

Journal Prompt #4: Consider the concept of concentrations of solutions - what are some real-life examples of where appropriate concentrations are important. Discuss circumstances where incorrect concentrations would be bad.

Q4 Wk 2

Journal Prompt #5: How does the relationship between solubility and temperatures affect solutions that people make in their everyday life?

Journal Prompt #6: What is your favorite electrolyte? What electrolytes do you have in your home? Can you make your own electrolyte solution?

Q4 Wk 3

Journal Prompt #7: How are "acids" portrayed in movies / tv? How does this version of acids compare to common acids used both in industry and in your everyday life?

Q4 Wk 4

Journal Prompt #8: Swimming pools and hot tubs are managed based on several indicators including pH. If your swimming pool had a very low pH, what would this mean and how could you fix it?

Journal Prompt #9: Since boiling is related to both temperature and pressure, how can you relate this to cooking?

Hint: think about making pasta or using a pressure cooker

Q4 Wk 5

Journal Prompt #10: Different materials absorb and release heat at different rates. Insulators tend to maintain their temperature, what are some examples of insulators that are used in everyday life?

Journal Prompt #11: Calories in foods are a measurement of the energy stored within the molecules of the food. Heat from fire can be a lifesaving tool. What foods would make a good fuel source for a fire?

Q4 Wk 6

Journal Prompt #12: There are lots of science and science related professions. Write about a science profession or a profession that uses science.

Journal Prompt #13: Explain the concept of using heat's of formation to determine the heat of a reaction (comparing reactants to products) as if it was money (hint, listen to the video).

Q4 Wk 7

Journal Prompt #14: Where have you heard the terms "radiation" and "decay" outside of chemistry?

Journal Prompt #15: Nuclear accidents can be a very bad thing. Do you consider the risk of a nuclear meltdown to be worth the clean energy that nuclear power provides as compared to burning fossil fuels?

Q4 Wk 8

Journal Prompt #16: Final Journal Topic: What topic did you find the most interesting this school year in chemistry? Why?