Bahn,+Michael

__1/21/10- Harry Potter__ After reading the Harry Potter article, I discovered that it really is possible to make colored flames and sparks. I do recall reading about these things in the books, and from the movies I guess I just assumed they used something technical, like special lighting. Then I realized that it’s no different than fireworks- they work in the same way! And the fact that they are created using simple metal salts tells me that this would be a good at-home science project: full of both experience and fun.

Michael, We do some cool demonstrations like this. 5 stars. MW

__1/22/10- Distillation of Crude Oil__ I didn’t realize that you had to distill crude oil. I always assumed that it was used as is. I also would have never guessed that the crude oil is in different parts, and needs to be heated at different temperatures to get all of the fractions out of it. It seems like it would be a complex process, one that would take much time. It now makes sense to me why the petroleum refineries are so enormous- they clearly need to do this extensive process on a large scale. It just seems like such a large process for something used in basic industry.

Michael, Very good points. 5 big stars! MW

__1/29/10- Redefining the Kilogram__ I didn't know before reading the article that there were specific standard measurements, and that the kilogram was the only physical standard. I also had never heard of Planck's constant and Avogadro's constant, and I find it interesting how these numbers coincide with the standard kilogram. It's also interesting that the concept with the mole and Avogadro's number would appeal to chemists, but the BIPM committee takes the physicists' view, which involves Planck's constant. I had no idea how important it was to keep a constant measurement, probably because you don't consider these things usually. After reading the article, however, it gives me reason to find importance in these matters.

Michael, It's interesting how increased knowledge enriches our lives. 5 stars! MW

__2/25/10- Where do Elements Come From?__ I never knew that all elements came from stars. I did know, however, that young stars were made of hydrogen atoms. But what I find truly interesting is how the more complex atoms are created- I guess I never realized that more complex elements (like beryllium and carbon) were made of the same atoms as hydrogen. It all makes sense, though, and it fascinates me that the more complex elements started out as more basic elements at one point or another.

Mike, Heavier elements are not made of the same atoms as hydrogen, but they are made of the same sub-atomic particles. 5 stars. MW

__3/11/10- Mole Day__ I think it's interesting that Avogadro was actually a physicist professor who also studied chemistry. I also think it's interesting that he was considered careless, yet he contributed one of the most important topics in the chemical field used today. What's also interesting is that because of his known carelessness his hypothesis wasn't recognized until fifty years later. He must have given much work into discovering the mole and its properties.

Michael, I suppose it could be said that physics is the only real science, but that is because it studies everything. MW

__4/9/10- Dust Explosion__ That's realy sad what happened at that factory, and it raises suspision as to what can be done to really improve the safety of factories, the containment of the dust, and the ways that this could be prevented in the future. If it's been such a big problem with the explosins, it seems like there would be some way to remove the dust from the factories so that this scenario couldn't happen. It's also frightening that the explosions occur so quickly, and maybe it's just a small acident that causes that much damage in a short amount of time.

Michael, How does this relate to stoichiometric quantities? I think dust removal is expensive. I often see them changing filters in the school. BTW watch your spelling. 4 stars. MW

__4/26/10- Helium Balloons/Sulfur Hexafluoride Ballons__ //Three things I knew//- 1. Helium makes your voice higher 2. SF6 makes your voice deeper 3. Helium balloons deflate //Three things I didn't know//- 1. SF6 baloons inflate 2. Inhaling excess helium can suffocate you 3. When you hld your breath, your body notices something is wrong after 15-20 seconds

Michael, Did you pick up on the CO2 connection when your brain tells you to breathe? MW

__5/12/10- Motion Detectors__ //Three things I knew//- 1. There are different methods used by motion detection devices: light sources/infrared, pulses and sensors, and ifrared monitoring 2. The Hertz is the unit of measure for light frequecy 3. Einstein won the Nobel Prize in 1921 //Three things I did't know//- 1. The process the eye uses to view things (the photon-electron connection) 2. The process infrared-monitoring systems use to filter out irrelevant light 3. The fact that rattlesnakes have receptors on the sides of their head that detect infrared

Michael, OK. 5 stars. MW