Mass, Volume, Scales, Graduated Cylinders, Labs, Reading, Scientific Method, Blogging, breaking a testube..

Yesterday, my group(Valerie, Beverly, Sherry, Nayeon) and I did a Chemistry Lab:Measurement in Chemistry. This was a very simple lab. It involved weighing eleven different objects. Mr.Olson gave us a penny, nickel,marble,black rubber stopper, green rubber stopper, container of water, fishing weight to weigh. We weighed each object in grams. Later, we weighed the small test tube, small glass bottle, paper dixie cup, and plastic cup in milileters, measured in volume.
The object that threw me off the most, by 66% error was the black rubber stopper. It seemed to me like it was what I had predicted, which was 6.2 g, but the actual mass was actually 18.55g!
I had a great day today. I didn't have any quizzes or tests, except for Chinese class which was very easy.. because I studied! However, I will have many quizzes next week.. busy weekend ahead of me! Thank God it's Friday=]
I LOVE BEVERLY KWAN AND VALERIE YERMAKOVA.

Penny Lab

Yesterday, we began our first chemistry experiment. Actually, it was a quick experiment and we were finished with it before class ended! We were a very cooperative group-me, Valerie, Nayeon, Beverly, and Sherry. In the experiment, we first wore SAFETY GOGGLES to protect our eyes, and were very careful with the sodium hydroxide, which burns skin, eyes, and clothing. Firstly, we placed zinc filling in a beaker and added sodium hydroxide to it. Then, we placed this beaker on a hot plate, where the penny was to be placed. Valerie meticulously placed all of our pennies with the tongs. Of course, the penny became hot, and coated with zinc. After, we placed the penny in cold water to rinse the penny. As a result, the penny was set back to room temperature, and then we lighted the Bunsen burner. The tongs then came along, to place the silvered penny into the flame. When the silvered penny finally changed color, it turned a yellowish gold! My favorite color is yellow, but unfortunately this penny was not a pretty yellow...

From this fun experiment, I learned many things. I learned how the penny turned silver, and also how the penny turned gold. The penny turned silver because when the penny was boiled in sodium hydroxide, the color of the penny turned silver. The penny was then held in the flame, turning it golden. This is because the zinc dissolves in sodium hydroxide, making the metallic zinc of the copper reduce. When zinc and copper are heated in a flame, it forms brass.

Goals and Thoughts

I have set many goals in my life, but during chemistry class yesterday, I thought about them more thoroughly. Firstly, I want to make the most of my next three years here at Mills High School. To do so, I must achieve good grades and graduate with them. Hopefully I will receive some sort of an award upon graduating, leaving with memories and feeling educated. Secondly, after graduating I hope to get accepted into a UC school and major in a course which I have not decided yet..
After graduating from a university, I will find a job, live happily with kids, and most importantly, enjoy life. With all my goals achieved, I will die peacefully during my sleep at an old age.