Floral litmus solutions


This term the need for limes and flowers only landed after the Ohm's law laboratory. Students were never told to bring flowers. The collapse in attendance at the end of Ohm's law left no opportunity to prep students. Limes were located and the ground orchids had come in heavy this season.

Early morning load up was done because the intervening laboratory is in use at 11:30. Preloading water is also necessary.

The layout was altered to reflect the loss of part one and the practical elimination of part two. There was only Spathoglottis plicata. 

Soap and Zonrox replacement bleach were obtained at A1 during the morning set up.

Daniel was out on the sidewalk

Electrons were were in place for the morning lecture. This is day with many moving parts.

Hydrogen introduction was already erased at this point.

A one hour high speed crash and dash to hydrogen ions and hydroxide ions. At one hour the students were mentally checked out.  

The kettle was set to level three at around 8:00. By 11:30 a minimal boil had been achieved.

The Spathoglottis plicata was sufficient for five beakers. Beaker number six was an alternate orchid that failed yo produce pigment.



pH for the known base. I think showing the students the pH is actually confusing for the students. The existence of the meter obscures the reason for using flowers to obtain the pH. Better to omit this piece of technology. As one student asked, "Why not use the meter to determine the pH [of the unknown substances]?"


The abbreviated summer form of the laboratory.

Franson and Camridge

The students were unaware that line fruit is acidic. They drew a blank on citric acid. This generation is truly a "know nothing" generation. A childhood of doomscrolling has left them bereft of knowledge.

Sapwkini and Elain working on unknown, Elain holding test tubes


Maylanica with an acidic test result

Maylanica testing a household cleaner


The board at the end of class.


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