Summer SAVY 2017, Session 3/Day 1- Chemical Spill! (Rising 4th/5th)

Posted by morganr1 on Monday, June 26, 2017 in SAVY.

What a great first day we had in Chemical Spill!

We learned about the importance of hydrogen ions in acids and how pH relates
to hydrogen ion concentration. Then we saw a short video about the chemical
reactions that occur in the atmosphere to produce acid rain. We even observed
a little demonstration of how burning carbon compounds produces enough
carbon dioxide to make rain acidic.

We made pH indicator solution from red cabbage extract and we will use the
extract throughout the week to identify several different acidic and basic substances
that humans use for many different purposes.

We discussed the concentration of acetic acid in vinegar and prepared to set up
our experiment for studying the effects of acid and base on the growth of onion
plants. We also discussed some of the ways that humans cause different types of
pollution and why it is important to keep our water supply clean.

Tomorrow we will perform serial dilutions of vinegar and washing ammonia and start
the onion growth experiment. We will also study a real-life chemical spill that
occurred in Tennessee in 2015 and consider several different problems that resulted
from that spill.

Thank you to everyone who had such great questions and made such excellent
contributions to our class discussions! This is going to be a very exciting week!

Mrs. Organ