Science 11/22/2011

EXAMPLES OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS

SYNTHESIS/COMPOSITION                  2H₂ + O₂ à 2H₂O

DECOMPOSITION                           2KClO₃ à 2KCl + 3O₂

SINGLE REPLACEMENT                  2Al + 3NiBr₃ à 2AlBr₃ + 3Ni

DOUBLE REPLACEMENT                  AgNO₃ + KCl à AgCl + KNO₃

VOCABULARY

CHEMICAL FORMULA – a shorthand way to show a compound or molecule

CHEMICAL EQUATION – shorthand description of a chemical reaction

CHEMICAL REACTION – the process of when substances undergo changes to produce new substances

REACTANTS – what you begin with in a chemical reaction

PRODUCTS – what you end with in a chemical reaction

SYNTHESIS/COMPOSITION REACTION – when you begin with two or more simple substance and produce a complex substance

DECOMPOSITION REACTION – when you begin with a complex substance and produce two or more simple substances

SINGLE-REPLACEMENT REACTION – when a single element switches places with an element in a compound

DOUBLE-REPLACEMENT REACTION - when a two elements switch places with each other in a two compounds

IONIC BOND – bonding between a metal and a non-metal when electrons are transferred from the metal to the non-metal

COVALENT BOND – bonding between non-metals when electron pairs are shared

11/11/2011

No pictures this week. We've been learning about chemical bonding. It is quite an abstract idea and it is giving us a challenge. We went to ExploreLearning and used their online simulations to help us. Check it out at -

http://www.explorelearning.com/

Type "bonding" in the search bar and you will be directed to ionic and covalent bonding Gizmos. We did both simulations. We will be moving on to chemical reactions this week.

Science 11/4/2011

The classroom has been quiet today as students have busy showing what they know about atoms and the periodic table (on today's test.) One class was done early enough to play a review game on the symbols for the elements on the periodic table.

Students have been fascinated with the barometer today. It is overflowing, predicting rain for early next week. We'll see if that happens.