Chemt3am Final Reflections

My experience in Mr. Abud's Honors Chemistry Class was probably predicted if someone surveyed my my years in some other classes. I start off with high expectation for myself saying, "This is a new start and a new beginning!" and MR. Abud saying the first day of class, that we know nothing about Chemistry and if we knew something "why do we know that?!" Although as always started to recede after a few weeks. And just barely got along as passing with "C's" as my average grade. Which is strange for me because i have so much potential and when i really put my mind to something the outcomes are unbelievable!

 I've never had a teacher or teaching style like Mr. Abud's, so obviously it was hard for me to adjust. I receded and was doing about average, I thought that I would go to community college which has always been a fear of mine... I didn't want to be the one person in my family who went to community college. I was rejected from Michigan State University, Western etc. So thought I was going to community college and I basically gave up in my effort to try and go to a great named college.

 I've always been well known and supported  in the fine arts. I was good at acting and I'm a great singer; naturally I stuck with the strong parts of life and focused on them more than my grades. Until one day I was at the MSVMA State Honors Choir. I sent a note to one of my good friend at Albion College because at State Honors Choir there were a bunch of representatives for colleges. The representative for Albion was the Band Director and he gave my note to the Choir Director, "Dr, Parr" who gave it to my friend. He was "Amazed" I knew her! He reaction who is this guy what can we do to get him here. Once I heard this I knew I had a chance to go to a great named college. They told me I had to get my grades up in a few classes (chemistry) and that I had to "Do the work!"

 So I did I started working harder, paid more attention in class and asked questions to Mr. Abud saying "what can I do to get an "A in chem?" He replied saying I just have to study the material and catch back up with the class and then reassess my assessments I took. I got an "A-" in the classes and was "accepted under condition" at Albion. After that experience I realized,I have to put my potential and make it my actions everyday in class. I have to take notes during the labs and from the Smart-board notes and not just try and remember everything. I had to learn to write down what I had trouble with and study it. Mr. Abud is the type of man to teach in a way where you do the experiment in front of you first and figure exactly how it happened second. That way of working opened my eyes and taught me how to take notes and remember everything I had seen and learned before. "How to make and balance a chemical equation is probably the most helpful thing I learned because it applies to everything that follows.

 Even though from the start Mr. Abud told us we know nothing about Chemistry. I had to learn and do it all myself and practice outside the class room. Which is exactly what college will be like. I'll be on my own. I have to Thank Mr. Abud for teaching me his new way of everything! How to look at things differently and I also had to learn how to do things myself with no help.

 My experience in Honors Chemistry has been on the hardest, stressful, and frustrating class I've taken. Of course that was my on ignorance and laziness in they. I've that I still need to keep my mind open to new ideas and keep it focus all the time on what I need to do and what's important. I"ll remember this lesson and class very well for the rest of my life, how Mr. Abud's Honors Chemistry class taught me to be focused and responsible with my time and to "Do the work!"

I believe should get somewhere receive the grade of a B or B+ in my overall grade because I didn't put forth all the focus and potential I have in the beginning, but I learned that if I want to succeed I cant give up on work I have trouble with or what I don't understand. I hahve to put forth effort, which I believe I've done for the Second semester. Although I've learned a great deal and I've retained it and can apply it whenever I need to I still need to keep at it and will.

UNIT 4 Standards

4.01 I can distinguish between a pure substance and a mixture
Knowing how to tell a pure substance from a mixture is important. A pure substance is basically an element it's all the same type of molecules or molecules that are the same whether they are combined or not. While a mixture is a composition of two or more substances that aren't chemically combined with each other and are capable of being separated.

4.06 I can identify the names or symbols of the common elements and compounds
Identifying the elements and compounds is something every chemist has to learn. Knowing that H is hydrogen and O is Oxygen. And also the charges that help balance the equation. So if I had H2O I have 2 hydrogen molecules with a +1 charge and one Oxygen has a 2- charge, which balance it out.

Week 25 Reflection

This in our 25th week of chemistry Mr. Abud had ask all the question we had to so the class would be able to move forward and advance. I presume it just to make sure everyone understood the material, so we all could and be ready to go onto some new information for the 4th and final quarter at least for me. Some of the question that were asked were about ions, what are they made of and how do they bond, myself I already knew that. But a couple others were confused on how the opposite charges made a bond? Because if the charges are trying to neutralize each other and there can be an unequal amount of charges in one element how can they be made equal? Mr. Abud explained the amount of positive or negative charges must equal the other, if one element has more charges in a single atom then the other element with a smaller needs more of it to counter balance the equation. What I don’t understand what the difference between ionic and molecular bonds other than Ionic bond are made from a non-metal and a metal and a molecular bond is made form a metal and a metal. Other than that I don’t really know much about what the difference is. First he told that ions were formed from an overload of negative charges or a scarcity of positive charges. Then I learned that an ionic (or electrovalent) bond is formed between two ions of opposite charges. During the formation of an ionic bond, one of the reacting elements should form a positively charged ion (cation), and the other should give a negatively charged ion (anion). And that a molecular bond is formed well to tell the truth kind of forgot and didn’t write it down but ill ask him next! Anyway we got onto the top of conductivity and well that simple enough metals are very good conductors of electricity. And things that don’t conduct electricity are called insulators, which have low conductivity. Some examples of Isolators are wood, plastic, and rubber, which is why there are rubber layers over wires so we don’t get shocked because we as humans are conductors because of the electrons and water in our bodies, which is very conductive to electricity. Another interesting piece of information we learn and went over is that balloons when charged it will attract to insulators and nor conductors, I especially found this weird because if a balloon is charged with negative charges wouldn’t it want to attract positive charges like in a wall. The whole thing had me kind of confused… so I don’t remember, but again I will find out! I always do. Later in the week we did an electrolysis experiment with copper chloride. We were trying to see using electricity if we could separate the copper from the chlorine. We mixed the water and some substance in the container with metal rod, and would allow the electricity to flow. After making electricity run through the water, the copper would attract to the negatively charged rod, because copper has a plus 2 (2+) charge and that “opposites attract!” which we all were told in grade school. After we finished the experiment we dumped out the solution, we saw that we were right the copper stuck to the negatively charged rod. And chlorine attracted to the positively charged rod. The electricity split the two elements and the ionic compound with it. I find it funny how just a little electricity caused by friction by between gears and change something so small, but in turn it’s very fascinating! I can’t wait tot see what we do next! Till next time.

Week 24 Reflection

This week in chemistry class, Mr. Abud had us further our research on charges of atoms. In the beginning of the week he mentioned something about covalent bonds? I don’t remember much about them except that they are between elements and share the same electrons. Also that a covalent bond has a lattice structure, which means all the atoms are sharing electrons with another element. We also learned about ionic compounds, which are also held together by a lattice structure and is made up of a non-metal and a metal. What we going over in class was, we were trying top figure the charges in each compound. The idea was that there are a certain amount of atoms to each element to create a compound. Take water for example, or H2O: Hydrogen has a charge of plus one (1+) and oxygen has a charge minus one (1-) and the point is to balance them and get the charges equal to zero and to make a compound. But since oxygen has a plus 2 charge, for they’re to be a balance between charges, there must be two hydrogen atoms to stabilize the equation and make an ionic compound! The next day we got more into ions. See ions are atoms that have an unequal amount of a positive or negative charge. Mr. Abud says we talked about them at least a little in biology, but I don’t remember them at all… Of course with them the help of Mr. Abud everything is much clearer and I fully understand the process. It really does surprise me that chemists have discovered and created so many elements through this process of know charges. I am curious if the amount of charges has anything to do with the creation of an element? Would the molecular and empirical formulas have any factor in this? I’ll have to remember to ask Mr. Abud about it the next time were on the topic or when he isn’t to busy. Although, if the empirical formula does have something to do with the creation of elements… Then there wouldn’t be as many elements as there are now. Wouldn’t there? Another good question ill have to ask. There is one question I asked Mr. Abud, I asked him what was the purpose of alchemist? “Didn’t they try and change substances into something different or distort its original form?” He replied by saying just one sentence, “Alchemist only tried turning everything into gold.” And I could see why they’d want to, if they pulled that off America wouldn’t owe any money to China for the war. Making elements and compound just by trial and error has made the world we live ion today. It’s truly amazing why chemists do. So be good. Until next time!

Week 23 Reflection

This week in chemistry we started talking about conductivity and the charges that deal with it. We first did an experiment with three regular lengths of scotch tape. We put a first piece of tape on the lab table with a little part hanging off and folded it over, so it would be easy to take pull off. Same with the second and third pieces of tape, which were placed on top of each other also with tabs folded over. We pulled the 2nd and 3rd apart and when we brought them back close to each other they attracted one another. “So obviously there is some kind of force! That is reacting upon them.” We tested the pieces of tape on other materials like tine foil and copper. Strangely when one piece of tape would attract the other would repel away. Next Mr. Abud took a glass rod and rubbed up against his tie and clearly making friction. But we charged the glass rod with wool and moved it toward the pieces of tape and again they were opposite (one attracted one repelled). This evidence was far along for Mr. Abud to tell us that there are things called charges. And these charges are very small things even smaller than an atom. I personally never thought there was something smaller than an atom; that shocked me completely! You see a charge is created by friction, which we demonstrated like before with the tie, glass rod and tape and there different charges. So now we have the identity of what is happening with charges, “We know that they are there” all around us on any surface, so stronger than other. But we still don’t have a completely understanding of how a charge even works. Mr. Abud asked to pull up a scientist called J.J. Thompson, we found out he was the man who worked on atoms and studied them profusely. His model is like saying atoms are suspended in a type of “plum pudding” with positive charges being the pudding goop and the negative charges being the fruit or nuts-I personally like to think of it as (yogurt) I’m not sure why, I just it’s an easier why of picturing it. After another day we weren't quite finished yet because if there is a positive and a negative that doesn't explain why there isn't an attraction between two objects such as: a pen and a piece of paper. When you rubbed paper or a pencil enough friction you only get fire! So why did the tape attract and then not attract to the glass rod before we ripped them apart? There must be neutral charges because if there weren't we all might be stuck to a wall. So when the tapes didn't attract before we ripped them, ripping them must caused friction between the two and caused the electrons to transfer over to one of them making the other wanting to attract or to stabilize the solution. I’m still learning about this so I apologize I’m ending it short, but till next time. Have a good read!

Week 22 Reflection

This week in chemistry class the juniors where taking the ACT so the entire class was gone besides a few seniors and a couple sophomores. Of course it was also the week of the musical. So the main things on my mind were the musical and getting ready and making sure everything was perfect for the performances. I didn’t really attend school other than Monday and Friday. Which was kind of nice, but at the same time being out of school made myself miss a few things in some of my classes. So I understood most the work that we were doing in the projects, because it was from the previous week, although I was a bit lost in some of the stuff, so I asked someone and they explained it to me and it made much more sense. I regret to say I don’t remember much of the stuff we did this week because I was too busy with the musical and being so exhausted from it. Of course that’s no excuse for not doing your work. Because your education comes first” I knew that for the longest time but never really applied it to my school life. If I had I probably would’ve had better grades in freshman and sophomore years. Which has affected me in college plans. I’m trying hardest and when the results come, despite good or bad, but hen it comes own to that there’s nothing left for you to do. What will be… Will be.

Week 21

This week in chemistry we discussed how to solve equations or problem with mols. We use the equation called “Avogadro’s number” which is 6.23 X 10 raised to 23rd power with is a very large number, but somehow turns out to be very small. Avogadro’s number allows us to change the atomic mass to into another number that make it possible for us to find the molar mass of a chemical we are looking for. I talked to the Great Mr. Abud about these blogs and he reminded me that it should be about what we learn and what was hard for and what you still don’t understand. You see what I still don’t understand is the exact way to put all the numbers in the correct place. It’s like math there I have to be shown steps so I can follow them and make sure I’m doing them correctly, otherwise the equation just gets jumbled in my head. I also talked about with Mr. Abud saying what I can do to get my grade up from what it is now because I have to get at least a B- or maybe a C+ or C at the worst because I have a good chance to be accepted to Albion College. My application there is on hold there and I must send in my third quarter grades to Madeleine Ryhneer so I can show her that I can do the work, she is a “show me” type of person, as opposed to a “tell me” type of person. So that why after class today I’m going to talk with Mr. Abud and tell him that I have the chance to go to Albion College. And ask him exactly what I have to do to raise my grade. I already know I have to reassess our last Assessment that we took, which was over our phone. I have to say that was the worst quiz I’ve ever taken because we couldn’t write anything down on paper, I was unable to go through the steps which threw me off, so now I have to sign up for a reassessment. What actually bugs me is that I didn’t have time to go over this with Mr. Abud because like myself and many other students, I was working on the final steps of the musicals. Musicals are very exhausting and Mr. Abud knows this very well, but he and I both know that can’t effect my education, because when I go off to college, where ever that may be my education must come first always. That’s why I’m trying very hard to get my grade up in this class while maintaining all my other ones. On a final note I hope my next blog will have more facts about the week of science so until next time everybody.

Week Ten Reflection.

Week ten’s reflection well everyone the cast listed was posted on Thursday November 15th, my birthday, after postponing it twice and killing everyone inside who have been eagerly waiting for the listings. I also found out, as I writing this that my birthday was The Islamic New Year, just so everyone knew. Anyway turn out I didn't get the "Tommy or Jeff" I got a lesser role of "Angus McGuffey", he a well seen character and I get to work with my girlfriend in the play because my character and her character "Meg" are best friends and work together in the actual story of the musical, MY girlfriends character, the second female lead, which was exactly the part she wanted so I’m happy and proud for her its time she got some recognition because she a great actor and I knew all along that she'd get that part. She read so well for it and because she’s great at acting. I decided to start this Weekly Reflection like because I always get off topic when writing and so here I am writing about my personal life and at the beginning of the entire blog about chemistry and I’m kind of glad I am because it allows me to express and to let out what I’m thinking about all through the week. And for that I thank the great and amazing Mr. Abud for making his students start a blog because it really is for their own good it helps them type and allows them to tell their stories and we all need our stories to be told, because we’re all important and if were important and no one knows who were are then history will have no way of knowing what we’ve done or what our life was like. So everyone who has a way of getting their thoughts out, please don’t stop just left your thoughts go free, but make sure there yours. Ok now onto chemistry, in the beginning of each day of class… umm… You know? I can barely remember what we did ion class because of the musical, other than that we have a project due next Monday on the and we had to build a thermos and design a presentation for the project on like how we made it and what materials we used to make it. My partner was Richard and that’s what we did we built from a plastic bottle Styrofoam and aluminum foil and just covered the entire thing and right now it’s in a Styrofoam box so let’s see how it works. O0ther than that, I’m going to have to cut the reflection short sorry everyone and MR. Abud. Everyone have a great week.