Explaining Elementary Particles

This website is pretty good at explaining what makes up Protons, Neutrons, and Electrons and what the Bosons do.

Click HERE to learn more about the Elementary Particles.

The Best Explanation of the Higgs Boson and Multiverse Ideas (and Quantum Tunneling)

Alternate Theory of How the Universe Formed

Click HERE to read the article.

States of Matter - Chapter 3 Study Guide

Vocabulary Chapter 3

States of Matter

1. State of Matter
2. Solid
A. Crystalline Solid (Crystal)
B.  Amorphous Solid
     3.  Fluid
     4.  Liquid
          A. Surface Tension
          B.  Viscosity
     5.  Gas
          A.  Relationships of Temperature, Pressure, and Volume in gases
     6.  Change of State
          A.  Melting and Melting Point
          B.  Vaporization
               1) Evaporation
               2) Boiling (Boiling Point)
         C.  Condensation
         D. Sublimation
         E.  Resublimation
         F.  Freezing


Concepts to Know

1. Know how to identify a solid, a liquid, and a gas by looking at pictures of the movement and/or arrangement of particles in a container. (Page 92, 93, and 95 in textbook)
2. Look at the pictures on page 92 of your textbook.  You need to be able to identify the arrangement of molecules in a crystalline solid and an amorphous solid.
3. How do particles/molecules MOVE in a solid, liquid, or gas?
4. What happens to the movement of particles in a substance as heat is added or removed (thermal energy)?  Know that absolute zero is when we remove all thermal energy and motion in particles is completely stopped.
5. Understand two properties of liquids – surface tension and viscosity.  Be able to describe why water has high surface tension.  Be able to describe a liquid with high viscosity and one with low viscosity.
6. What happens to particles/molecules in a substance as thermal energy is added or removed?  Be able to name each state of matter and what we call the change in phase (melting, boiling, condensation, etc…)
7. Melting point of pure water is 0 degrees C.
8. Freezing point of water is the same 0 degrees C.
9. Evaporation is the change to a gas from only the surface.  Boiling occurs when a liquid turns to a gas below the surface as well as at the surface.
10.  The boiling point of water is 100 degrees C at sea level.
11. Higher pressure of a gas in an object like a basketball, means that the gas molecules are hitting the inner surface of the ball a lot.  If a basketball gets a hole in it, the gas will escape until the pressure inside the ball equals the pressure outside (equilibrium).
12. Charles’s Law – As temperature of a gas is increased, it’s volume increases.  As temperature of a gas is decreased, it’s volume decreases.
13. Boyles’ Law – When the volume of a gas is decreased, pressure increase.  When the volume of a gas increases, pressure decreases.
14. If the volume of a gas is held constant (kept the same) like in a 2-liter soda bottle, and you increase the pressure in the bottle, temperature increases.

States of Matter Notes - Chapter 3

Click HERE to view "Chapter 3 - States of Matter" Notes

Fall Night Sky - What you can see in the next few months

Fall Night Sky Guide: Eclipses, Comets, Meteor Showers and More
 By by Joe Rao, SPACE.com Skywatching Columnist


Click HERE to link to the original article.

The fall night sky in the Northern Hemisphere brings a veritable harvest of amazing celestial sights and this year is no different, but you do need to know when to look up to see them.

A lot is happening in the night sky between now and the winter solstice on Dec. 21. Between now and then, northern stargazers will see two eclipses (one lunar, one solar), four meteor showers, the brightest planet in the solar system reaching its pinnacle in brilliance and a potential bright comet.

Of course, clear weather and dark night skies are vital to make the most of any stargazing session. [Amazing skywatching photos of the October night sky]

As the northern fall shifts into full gear, here's a closer look at each of these uspcoming events.

The Eclipses


Oct. 18 – Penumbral Eclipse of the Moon

The moon slides through the northern part of the Earth's penumbral shadow in a lunar eclipse on Oct. 18. At mid-eclipse, 76 percent of the moon's diameter will be immersed in the penumbra, probably deep enough to cause a faint, yet discernible darkening of the moon's lower limb. The region of visibility includes much of Asia, Europe and Africa. The central and eastern portion of North America will get a view of the slightly darkened Hunters' moon during the early evening hours. [Penumbral lunar eclipse photos of 2012]

Nov. 3 – Annular-Total Eclipse of the sun

This is a rather unusual solar eclipse in that along the eclipse track, which runs for more than 8,300 miles (13,360 kilometers) across the Earth's surface, the eclipse quickly morphs from annular to a total eclipse; known to astronomers as a "hybrid eclipse." Truth be told, along most of the track the eclipse appears as a total, with a very thin annulus/ring of sunlight being seen near the very beginning of the track.

The track of the central line of this eclipse begins over the Atlantic Ocean about 440 miles (700 km) southeast of the Carolinas. So along North America's Atlantic Coast, interested viewers on this first Sunday of November (using proper viewing devices, such as pinhole projection or #14 welders glass) will only see the dark disk of the moon exiting the sun's face at sunrise.

Friday/Saturday, Oct. 18/19, 2:25–4:37 a.m. EDT. The Moon will pass through the edge (penumbra) of t …
The eclipse track will pass south of the Cape Verde Islands, then curve southeastward parallel to the African coastline. Greatest eclipse with 100 seconds of totality and the path width reaching a maximum of just 36 miles (58 km) occurs approximately 250 miles (400 km) off the coast of Liberia. The shadow track will then sweep across central Africa, passing over sections of Gabon, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya, before ending at sunset at the Ethiopia-Somalia border.

The Meteor Showers

Only two days past the full moon, moonlight will flood the sky and will spoil observations of the maximum of this year's Orionid meteor shower, predicted for the night of Oct. 20-21. Under favorable circumstances, this two-day display yields about two-dozen meteors per hour, many with persistent trains. [Amazing Orionid Meteor Shower Photos of 2012]

For about two weeks, conditions will be very favorable for observing the weak, long-lasting Taurid meteor shower, which should peak about Nov. 8, five days after new moon. Observers with clear, dark skies can then expect to see anywhere from about eight to 10 Taurids each hour throughout early and mid-November with perhaps as many as a dozen or so per hour on the peak night. On the date of maximum activity, the radiant (midway between the V-shaped Hyades star cluster and the famous Pleiades) will be highest in the southern sky at around 1 a.m. your local time.

The Taurids are unusual in that as many meteors can be seen in the evening as in the morning, since the shower’s radiant  is fairly high all night. The higher a shower's radiant, the more meteors from it appear everywhere in the sky. This display lasts for at least a couple of Taurids per hour can be seen from Oct. 20 to Nov. 30. Lastly, the Taurids are debris from Periodic Comet Encke. They are the slowest of any major meteor showers, encountering the Earth at only 17 miles/second (28 km/s). As a result, the Taurids are sometimes referred to as "The Halloween Fireballs," because they are noted for the many brightly colored meteors. While yellow is the predominant color, many orange, green, red and blue fireballs have been observed.  


The full moon will severely hamper observations of the famous Leonidmeteor shower, which reaches maximum on Nov. 17; bright moonlight will largely wash out most of the meteors. [Top 10 Leonid Meteor Shower Facts]

The waxing gibbous moon will unfortunately brighten the sky almost all night and will seriously hamper observations of this year's Geminid meteor shower, which reaches maximum on the night of Dec. 13-14. The emanation point of these meteors, near the bright star Castor in Gemini (hence the name "Geminids") rises from the east-northeast as evening twilight ends; it will be well placed in the northwestern sky when the moon sets on the Dec. 14 at roughly 4:30 a.m. local time and on Dec. 15 at roughly 5:30 a.m. Morning twilight will not interfere until about 6 a.m. During those short periods of darkness, observers with clear dark skies may see perhaps as many as one meteor per minute. Slow-moving fireballs are a feature of this display.

Comet ISON cometh

Comet ISON is ever so slowly brightening as it approaches the sun, but exactly how bright it will get in the days and weeks to come is still very uncertain.

On Thanksgiving Day, Comet ISON arrives at perihelion, passing only three-quarters of a million miles above the sun's surface while moving at an incredible speed of about 425,000 mph (684,000 km/h). As the comet loops around the sun and begins its return journey out of the inner solar system, it "may" be dimly visible in daylight to observers who merely block out the sun with their hands. Soon after sunrise, ISON will be positioned within about 2 degrees to the right of the sun. During the rest of the day, the comet will appear to get closer to the sun, while rapidly moving in a clockwise fashion below and then to the sun’s left. The comet will appear closest to the sun at around 2 p.m. EST (11 a.m. PST) when it will appear less than half the apparent width of the sun from the sun's limb. [8 Weird Facts About Comet ISON]


Wednesday, Oct. 16, after sunset. Look just below Venus for the red giant star Antares. If you look  …
However, SPACE.com would strongly warn readers that only experienced observers should attempt observation of ISON as it whips around the sun. Viewing the comet itself poses no danger, but potential danger lies in staring directly at the sun whose infrared rays can burn the retina of the eye without causing any pain.

If the comet survives its grazing encounter with the sun, it is hoped the comet will put on its best show in the eastern morning sky, between Dec. 6 and Dec. 15.



December’s "Christmas Star"

During December, the dazzling planet Venus will become the showiest it will be for all of 2013 and 2014 in either the evening or the morning sky. It will be so bright that you can spot it in a clear blue sky before sunset — if your eye lands on the right point in the south-southwest. As twilight comes on, Venus appears to grow increasingly large and bright. Venus reaches its highest altitude of the year in early December (for observers at middle northern latitudes) and its greatest brilliancy on Dec. 6.

Nonetheless this is not one of Venus' better apparitions. Bright as it is, the planet is only about 20 degrees above the horizon 45 minutes after sunset during the first half of December; you may have to move around to get a view past local obstructions.

Earth's "sister" world is nearing the end of one of its low apparitions, and by Christmas it is dropping rapidly into the twilight glow, and, gaining speed it will vanish from the evening sky during the first half of January.

Joe Rao serves as an instructor and guest lecturer at New York's Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Natural History magazine, the Farmer's Almanac and other publications, and he is also an on-camera meteorologist for News 12 Westchester, N.Y. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on SPACE.com.

Test Yourself Answers and Quizlet Link

Page 81

1. A
2. C
3. B
4. D
5. B
6.  Anything that has mass and takes up space.
7.  Describe a pure substance's ability to change into different substances.  This includes flammability, ability to react with oxygen to form rust, and ability to react with an acid to corrode.
8.  Cannot be broken down into any other substances by chemical or physical means.
9.  Matter is not created or destroyed in any chemical or physical change.

Page 83

1. B
2. C
3. A
4. A
5. D
6. A
7. C

8.  In a physical change, such as melting or freezing, water remains the same substance: the compound H2O.  In a chemical change, such as using electricity to split H2O in H2 and O2 gases, a reaction produces products with different properties than the compound H2O - gases that are acidic and basic.




ALSO - Check out these flash cards at Quizlet:

Click HERE to go to the flashcards.  My only correction - a compound is NOT a mixture.

Homework 10/7

Sorry but Blogger will not let me add anything under the "Homework" heading.

Homework for 10/7 :  Finish Chapter 2 Notes
                                    Test this Thursday 10/10  Study Session at 8:15 AM

       Chapter 2 Test Study Guide

Properties of Matter

To study for this test please use your notes on the Properties of Matter and Exothermic/Endothermic Reactions vs. Changes.  Also use labs on Physical Properties, Chemical Properties, Chemical Changes, Endothermic and Exothermic reactions, and the Electrolysis lab.  Use homework assignments and the graphic organizer on physical and chemical changes and your textbook pages 58 – 77 as well.

Vocabulary to Know:

Energy   Matter    Properties of Matter     Physical Properties

Chemical Properties    Element     Atom      Molecule    Compound   

Mixture      Homogeneous Mixture     Heterogeneous Mixture

Solution      Physical Change        Chemical Change     

Law Of Conservation of Matter        Thermal Energy 

Temperature       Endothermic Reaction      Exothermic Reaction

Chemical Energy           

Indicators of a Chemical Change         Precipitate

Concepts to Know:

1. Everything is either energy or matter.

2. Properties of matter are characteristics of a substance that help to identify that substance.  Physical properties are characteristics that can be observed and measured without breaking bonds or changing the substance chemically.   

Examples:  Color, shape, density, boiling point

Chemical properties can only be observed when a substance is changes chemically.

Examples: Reactivity with other chemicals, flammability

3. An element is a pure substance that cannot be broken down into any other substance.  There are 92 naturally occurring elements in the universe.  Elements are organized on the Periodic Table of the Elements.  

4. Atoms are the smallest particle of an element.

5. Molecule – Two or more atoms chemically bonded.  Examples:  NaCl, CaCl2, O2, H2O, H2

6. Compound – Two or more DIFFERENT types of atoms chemically bonded.  Example:  All of the examples for molecules BUT H2.  H2 is only made of one thing, Hydrogen.

7. A mixture is two or more things combined together that have not been chemically bonded.  Solutions are a type of mixture where one thing dissolves into another. Examples: trail mix, salt water

8. Heterogeneous Mixture – You can see the parts of the mixture

9. Homogeneous Mixture – You can’t see the parts of the mixture.

10. A physical change is a change in a substance that does not alter a substance chemically.  It’s still the same substance.

11. A chemical change is a change where bonds are broken and new substances are formed.  Example: Burning wood, reacting Sulfuric Acid and Sugar.

12. Law of Conservation of Matter says that whatever matter goes into a chemical reaction has to come out.

13. Thermal Energy is the measure of the amount of movement of molecules in a substance.  The more movement, the more thermal energy, the higher the temperature.  Temperature is a measure of the thermal energy of an object.  We measure thermal energy (temperature) with a thermometer.

14. Chemical Energy is energy stored in chemical bonds.

15. Know the indicators of a chemical change and that a precipitate is a solid formed from a chemical reaction between two or more substances.

Study Guide Chapter 1 Test - Scientific Inquiry, Density, Buoyancy, Measurement

I.               Scientific Inquiry and Data

A.    Hypothesis – what is it?

B.     What are variables in an experiment?

C.    What is a manipulated/independent variable?

D.    What is a controlled experiment?

E.     Why is it important that an experiment be controlled?

F.     What is the responding variable in an experiment?

G.   What are Qualitative and Quantitative Data?

H.    Why is data important when writing conclusions?

II.              Measurement

A.    Metric Unit of Length is a meter

B.     Weight is a measure of force (your weight is a force on the Earth).  The units are pounds and Newtons.

C.    Weight is determined by mass and gravity.

D.    Mass is the amount of matter in an object.  Mass is measured in grams on a balance.

E.     Volume is the amount of space something takes up.

F.     Volume of a regular object (length x width x height) cm³

G.   Volume of an irregular object (water displacement) milliliters

H.    Read a graduated cylinder at the bottom of the meniscus (curvature)

III.            Density and Buoyancy

A.    Density is the amount of mass in a given space.

B.     Density = mass ÷ volume

C.    Units are g/ml  or  g/cm³

D.    Lots of stuff in a space means high density

E.     Density is a physical property.  It doesn’t matter how much of a substance you have, density stays the same.

F.     When you layer liquids and objects.  The denser objects go to the bottom.

G.   The density of water is 1.0 g/ml.  Anything denser than 1 g/ml will sink.  Anything less dense will float.

H.    Buoyancy is the ability to float.  All fluids exert an UPWARD force called a buoyant force.

I.       Buoyant force acts opposite to gravity and weight.

J.     Archimedes’ Principle:  Buoyant force acting on an object is equal to the weight of the object if the object floats.  If an object floats, it is displacing its weight in water.

8th Grade Science Supplies for the 2013-2014 School Year

Required Materials

1. Sharpened pencils (please have more than one)

2. Dedicated science notebook (either a spiral or a composition book).  Bring this to class everyday.

3. Separate Section of Binder for handouts, corrected homework, and labs.  This must be with you in class everyday.

4. Red pen

5. Notebook paper

6. Organizer

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data Video

This is the shortest and clearest youtube video on Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data.

Mousetrap Car - Attaching string

Click HERE to see how to attach the string.

Mousetrap Car Help - Removing part of the snapper and attaching lever arm

Click HERE to see good pictures of how to cut off part of the snapping arm and attach the lever arm.  We are using the first method pictured.

How to Pronounce Uranus

Is Pluto a Planet?

Video - The Big Bang

Power Point Presentation on the Big Bang, Galaxies, and Stars

Click HERE for Power Point presentations.

Practice Quiz Chapter 9

1.  In order to describe the motion of an object, you need a fixed point also known as a ____________________________.
2.  What are three ways that the velocity of an object can change?
3.  What is the difference between speed and velocity?
4.  Do all objects fall at the same rate on Earth?  What affects the rate of acceleration on Earth that is not true on the Moon?
5.  When a skydiver uses a parachute, what are they increasing to slow the rate of free fall?
6.  The law that states that energy is not created or destroyed, it just changes form.
7.  When the downward pull of gravity equals the upward force of air resistance, what is true for a falling object?
8.  Why does a shot bullet hit the ground at the same time as a dropped bullet from the same height?
9.  The ability to do work.
10.  Stored energy found in food and fuels.
11.  As an object falls toward Earth, it gains ______________ energy as it loses potential energy.
12.  A car travels 100 miles in 2 hours.  What is the average speed of the car?
13.  A bicycle is stopped at the top of a hill.  As the bicycle travels down the hill it reaches 10 meters/sec in 2 seconds.  What is the rate of acceleration of the bicycle?
14.  The straight-line length between a starting point and an ending point of motion.
15.  What happens to the gravitational pull of an object as mass of the object increases?
16.  What happens to the gravitational pull of an object if the mass stays the same but the volume is made smaller (increasing the density of an object)?

Practice Quiz Chapter 9 Answers

1.  Reference Point
2.  An object can speed up, slow down, or change direction.
3.  Velocity is speed in a direction.  Both are distance travelled in a given time but velocity is a vector quantity and you must describe direction.
4.  Because the Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere, shape and size of an object will affect the rate of free fall.  If an object is shaped to "catch more air" it will fall more slowly than an object that is aerodynamic.  In an air-free environment like on the Moon, all objects fall at the same rate.  On Earth, objects of similar shape should fall at the same rate too.  So the marbles we dropped in class fell at the same rate even though they had different weights.
5.  Air resistance or air friction.
6.  Law of Conservation of Energy
7.  It has reached terminal velocity.
8.  Gravity is pulling on each bullet equally.  The forward movement of the shot bullet is separate from the downward force of gravity.
9.  Energy
10.  Chemical potential energy.
11.  Kinetic
12.  50 miles/hour
13.  5 meter/second 2
14.  Displacement
15.  As mass of an object increases, the gravitational pull of the object increases.
16.  As density increases, gravitational pull increases (black hole).

Dissection 101 Blog

Here is the link to my new blog for Dissection 101

CLICK HERE to go!

Chapter 5 Study Guide

Chapter 5 Study Guide

Chemical Bonding

Review Notes, Labs, Homework, and the Textbook.

1.    Using the Periodic Table, you should be able to draw the electron dot diagram for all of the elements covered in class.

2.    Ionic Bonds

A.    Know that an ion is a charged atom or group of atoms

B.    A polyatomic ion is what we call a charged group of atoms

C.    Atoms become charged when the gain or lose electrons.

D.   Atoms have positive charges when the lose electrons (mostly metals) and negative charges when they gain electrons (mostly nonmetals).

E.    Ionic Bonds form when electrons are transferred from one atom to another resulting in ions.  The opposite charges of the ions attract each other.  This is a very strong bond.

F.    You should know how to write chemical formulas using ion charges.  You should know how to name compounds using the chemical formula.  I will give you an ion list to use on the test.

G.    You should know the characteristics of ionic compounds:

1)   Ionic compounds form crystals because of the regular repeating pattern of ions.

2)   Conduct electricity when dissolved in water.

3)   High melting points

4)   Not flammable

5)   Almost all ionic compounds (salts) are formed from

a metal and a nonmetal bonding.

3.    Covalent Bonds

A.    Know that covalent bonds form when atoms share electrons.

B.    Usually form when nonmetals bond to other nonmetals.

C.    Sometimes atoms have to share lots of electrons when they bond (example: Nitrogen forms a triple bond).

D.   Covalent molecules often have low melting points and burn easily (more flammable).

E.    Most covalent compounds do not conduct electricity in water like ionic compounds do.

F.    If electrons are not shared equally between all atoms, the molecule is said to be polar.  A polar bond makes one part of the molecule more positive and another part of the molecule more negative.  An example is water where the Hydrogen atoms are more positive and the oxygen is more negative because the electrons like the oxygen better.

Chapter 4 Study Guide

Chapter 4 Study Guide  - The Periodic Table and

The Structure of the Atom

I.              Students will need to be able to identify the groups of the periodic table and their characteristics.

A.   Metals and Nonmetals

B.  Alkali Metals

C.  Alkaline Earth Metals

D.  Transition Metals

E.   Metalloids / Semi-metals

F.   Halogens

G.  Noble Gases

H.  Radioactive and Synthetic Elements

II.            Students will need to be able to find the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons for an atom of an element using the periodic table.

III.          Students will need to know the structure of the atom and the characteristics of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

IV.          Know the definition of elements and atoms.

Know who Dmitri Mendeleev was

Chapter 3 Study Guide

Chapter 3 Study Guide

Chemistry – Properties of Matter

Solids, Liquids, and Gases

Study all Labs, Homework Sheets, Handouts, Graphic Organizers, and Notes.  You may also refer to Chapter 3 in your book.

Know definitions for the following terms:

Supercooled water       Amorphous solid      Crystalline Solid    Solid

Fluid                            Gas                            Liquid                   Surface Tension        Temperature               Thermal Energy        Viscosity                Evaporation

Vaporization                Boiling

Know the definitions, molecular movement, and processes involved for each of the following:  (Example:  Melting – Solid to Liquid – Increase in Molecular Motion)

Melting                 Evaporation         Sublimation            Freezing

Condensation       Resublimation

Know that TEMPERATURE and PRESSURE are two factors that can affect the phase of matter.

Be able to explain the Gas Laws and give examples of each (Charles’s Law, Boyle’s Law, and Temperature/Pressure)

Know the effects of changing temperature, pressure, and volume of a gas.

Know that water freezes at 0 degrees C and boils at 100 degrees C.

Know your labs – why we did the labs and what they showed. Labs to know:  Freezing point lab, Marshmallow Madness Lab, Endothermic and Exothermic Lab, and all gas demos.

FROM CHAPTER 2 KNOW THE FOLLOWING:

Be able to define, describe, and identify chemical changes, physical changes, endothermic reactions and changes, and exothermic reactions and changes.

Know that electricity can be used to break molecules apart.  This is called electrolysis.  We used electrolysis to break bonds in water.  We saw gas bubbles produced and acids and bases produced.  That was the evidence that new substances had been formed – a chemical change.

Density and Buoyancy Study Guide

Study Guide

Density and Buoyancy

I.               Density

A.     Density is the amount of matter in a given space.  The formula for density is:  Density = mass/volume. 

B.     Students should know how to solve density problems.

C.     Students should know the definitions and units for mass and volume.

D.    Know that density is a property of matter - no matter how much you have of a pure substance, the density remains the same.

E.     Know that the density of water is 1 g/mL (1 g/cm³).  And that objects with a density less than 1.0 g/mL will float and objects with a density greater than 1.0 g/mL will sink.

II.             Buoyancy

A.     Buoyancy is an upward force exerted by a fluid (a fluid is substance that flows – a liquid or a gas).  It is always an UPWARD force.

B.     Archimedes’ Principle states that for a floating object, the weight of the object equals the weight of the water displaced.

C.     Be able to explain, using buoyancy, why some objects float (like a heavy aircraft carrier) and some objects sink.

D.    If buoyant force is less than the weight of the object, the object will sink.  If buoyant force is the same as the weight of the object, the object will float.  (Buoyant force can’t be greater than the weight of the object because then the object would fly out of the water!)

E.     Buoyant force is a force and is measured in Newtons like weight.

(kg x meters /seconds² = Newton)