Balancing Act

Today (and tomorrow) we begin to look at chemical reactions and how they actually happen.  Rarely are they as simple as adding together compounds to create new compounds.

Review the notes -paying special attention to the final page (tips for balancing equations) and remember to write down your questions to bring to class!
You can find the chapter notes (4.3 notes) and Practice Problems on the drive (you MUST login with your WPGA account to see them.

We will also play a PhEt game and you will be able to fill out the worksheet handed out in class using the simulation.

The Law of Conservation of Mass

In chemical reactions chemical changes occur -which is the rearrangement of the ions and atoms in compounds.  Though compounds may break down and arrange themselves differently, nothing is lost or gained through the reaction.  

Just like when you make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you start with  peanut butter + Jelly + bread and you end with all three ingredients arranged differently.  You don't end up with a straight up peanut butter sandwich nor do you end up with just a mess of PB and Jam... you start with three individual ingredients and those ingredients are present on the other side -even if they are arranged differently.

This is called the Law of Conservation of Mass -atoms are neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction regardless of the states of matter the compounds are in.  The atoms that go into a reaction are the exact same atoms that come out of a reaction -the only difference is that they have rearranged themselves differently -they have formed different compounds!

Please visit the Notes page and open the "Law of Conservation of Mass LAB" and with the data collected in class, complete the lab as a report to hand in (Block B on Tuesday, Block 3 on Monday)

Guidelines for writing a report:

1. identify the question or the focus of your investigation

2. Predict what you think will happen 

3. list materials

4. list (in detail) the procedure

5. record your data and observation 

6. answer the questions in the analysis 

Chemistry Chemistry Chemistry

We've jumped into the Chemistry unit running already and are moving along quickly.  The first few lessons will seem familiar as there is a great deal of review from your grade 9 chemistry unit, but stay on your toes, we'll keep moving quickly!

You can find the notes from the first few classes on the class notes page. Please visit these to ensure the information you have from class matches what we are doing.  And remember, the workbook offers an excellent way to review and practice the concepts we are learning if you are in need of a few more practice problems!

Block 3 you will have a forming and naming quiz on Monday November 24, and Block B you will have a forming and naming quiz on Tuesday November 25th.  These quizzes will only take the first 10 minutes in class, and you will have a periodic table and list of common polyatomic ions available to you.

Do you have questions or need a little out of class help reviewing concepts?  Send me an email, and we'll set up a time!

More Ozone Depletion!

We talked, last month about the layers of the atmosphere and the different composition of each layer and how each level works to protect us here on earth.  The Ozone layer (found in the Stratosphere) is a hard worker, blocking much of the sun's harmful UV radiation.  Without the Ozone layer we would see a lot more damaged skin and even more cases of skin cancer!

Check out this article "Ozone Destroying Chemical Making Comeback" from the Globe and Mail!  What are the consequences of a thinning Ozone layer?  How will this affect us in Vancouver or elsewhere in Canada?

Feel free to comment below!