Accel Chem Reflection Blog #1

     This week in Accelerated Chemistry we started learning about
how to work well in groups. To practice this idea, we started using cool science tools like beakers, eyedroppers, PYREX watch glasses, etc. to determine the differences between physical changes and chemical changes. My favorite experiments were using a bunsen burner, which helps provide immediate heat to an experiment. I know the members of my group would most definitely agree with me in saying that we should do many more awesome Bunsen burner experiments like these. Another thing I want to work more with in Accel Chem this year is any acid that will allow us to do an experiment in which the acid eats away at an object, that's always cool.

     Another thing we learned about is the Law of Conservation of Mass and how though something may grow or shrink in size that doesn't mean there was a change in mass. A simple example of this is an ice cube melting or the reverse; water freezing. Though the ice cube may take up less space or more space in a different state, there were still the same amount of particles. We also saw this when pulling apart steel wool. It grew to double the size but there was no change in mass, was merely air separating the wool, not the particles being destroyed. Then, on Friday, we did another group activity where we found the volume of objects. An idea here was that our math was the most correct way of figuring an answer because we can only read a measurement so well. Also it was an exercise to help our always-improving collaboration skill. All in all it was a good week.