Floral litmus solutions

The week of chemistry began with a crash course in the periodic table, elements, atomic number, and atomic mass. 


I began with hydrogen and an explanation of why the atomic mass is not exactly one - a path that leads to tritium and "hydrogen bombs" that destroyed Bikini atoll. 

This term I reached hydrogen to hydrogen bonding at the 40 minute mark - there was a lot to explain as no student had chemistry before. This may be in part a legacy of the pandemic and the effect of schools closing or going online during the pandemic. With students being unaware of protons, electrons, and neutrons, I realized I had a lot of explaining to do. By 40 minutes I could tell I was losing them - saturation was occurring. 


Wednesday I picked up from H-H electron sharing and moved on into the compounds. 


I wrapped up at water.


This would be the first term that I would intentionally not print the table top guide sheets that I usually produce. This year I remembered the lime fruit, the Spathoglottis plicata flowers, and a supply of semi-fresh baking soda from the house. The doughnuts were out, so I went with bread and condensed milk. No one attempted to open the condensed milk and no one asked how to open that.


At table one a hot plate provided hot water. Additional 600 ml beakers were brought out this term.


At table two the arrangement was as in the past, but no print outs. This meant doing a better job at the board explaining. 


The Chlorox was a clear ammonia based cleaner acquired at Ace Hardware.


I have finally come to the understanding that Hibiscus rosa-sinensis simply does not interact with baking soda, no matter how fresh the baking soda. Oddly enough, Hibiscus tiliaceus, at least after 11:00, does react with baking soda. And Spathoglottis plicata always reacts well with baking soda. Thus the Chlorox as a useful back-up base for showing the color change of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis in the presence of a strong base.


The unknown substances would now have to be identified by their labels. 


The gloves were in part to handle the calcium, lime, and rust remover which was reputedly highly acidic. 


If anything, the collection of unknowns has expanded nicely.


Additional substances. 


I came in early to start setting up the white boards - I knew I was going to have to cope with the lack of paper guides on the tables. I also opted to put the hue angle wheel on the board ahead of the lab including the directionality of acids and bases for Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and Spathoglottis plicata.


The board was fairly tightly packed. 

Sanjay identifying unknowns

Myena with a base

Jasmine opts to record data to the board

An overview of the lab layout

Myena trying to get a sense of what the dishwashing fluid is

Jasmine

Myena tests an unknown

The 11:00 section works on determining whether their flower will function

Rosie-Rita and Fredson, Jocela watching

Joe Scott, Alexander, and Tommy

Ann Loverina

Reagan listens to Fredson

Kiora bedecked in flowers examines a series of acidic compounds

Joe Scott and Tommy

That's Ace of Base, not Acids and Bases, on the Sansui

Ann Loverina shows off her acid base test results


At 11:00 I added the Hibiscus tiliaceus color changes which were from a golden brown to pink (acid) and golden brown to green (base). Brown being up around thirty degrees meant that the directionality was clock reversed from H. rosa-sinensis and S. plicata. An equipment list was also squeezed in. 


The board was busy.



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