Reflection Week Oct. 1-5

As of this week, I learned how to calculate the thickness of aluminum using only a ruler and a balance triple beam scale, how to calculate the volume of candy, and how to measure the volume and density of a gas.

On Tuesday, we measured the mass, volume, and density of Starbursts. However, my group and I had to use, to measure the volume, water displacement, which is that any object immersed in water will rise through if the water density is greater than the material density. So, the first step was to unwrap the Starbursts and put them in water, then take them out and measure the new volume of the water, and then find the difference of the old volume of water and the new volume of water, which would be the volume of the candy. Then, find the volume, which is the new volume of water, and then divide the mass of each of the Starbursts by their volumes to find their densities.

The orange Starbursts had a mass of 4.8 grams, a volume of 4 mL, and a density of 1.2 g/mL. The yellow Starbursts had a mass to be 5.3 grams, the volume to be 5 mL, and the density to be 1.06 g/mL. Then, the mass, volume, and density of the red Starbursts were 5 grams, 4 mL. and 0.8 g/mL.

On Wednesday, we found the thickness of aluminum to be about 0.0013 cm. The density was 2.7 g/cm^3, and using the balance scale, the mass is 2.5 grams.

To find the aluminum's volume, length and width were measured with a ruler. The length is 30 cm, and the width is 23.5 cm, which were multiplied to equal 705 cm^2. However, height (thickness) was excluded. So, d=m/v was used to calculate volume.

Steps:

1. 2.7=2.5/v
2. 2.7v=2.5
3. v=2.5/2.7
4. v=0.93 cm^3
5. v=l*w*h
6. v=(30)(23.5)(h)
7. v=705h
8. m/v=d
9. 2.5/(30)(23.5)(h)=2.7
10. 2.5/705h=2.7
11. 2.5=1903.5h
12. h=0.0013 cm

On Thursday, we learned how to use equipment to find the volume of a gas. To do this, my group and I filled the trough with water. Next, we filled two cups with water. Then, we hooked up the flask, containing the water and the alka seltzer, on the balance scale, with a nozzle where the gas would travel through it, as a result of the chemical reaction between the alka seltzer and the water creating a gas.

Initially, though, we measured the mass of the beaker and the water at 193.7 grams and the volume of the water at 295 mL.

With the cups of water, we put them, one at a time, in the trough upside down in the trough. But, the challenge was to avoid spilling them, so we used a lid for each of them, and as soon as the cups were in the trough, the lid was carefully removed.


We then observed the fizzing of the alka seltzer and noticed in one of the cups in the trough that the water level was going down and increasing the water level of the trough. Knowing that the volumes of the bottles were 295 mL, we then calculated the volume of the gas, which was 260 mL, meaning that 35 mL added to the water level of the trough. Then, the mass of the beaker was calculated at 192.7 grams, which was 1 gram less than what it was before the gas entered into the bottle in the trough. Then, the density was calculated at 0.0052 grams/mL.

Lastly, we discussed three theories, which are that densities: vary because of particle size, space between particles, and greater mass if substances being compared were to have the same volumes. Therefore, these theories may explain why a solid has the greatest density, a liquid has the second greatest density, and a liquid has the least density. Discussing these three states of matter, we found the densities on average, which were 4.19 g/mL for a solid, 1 g/mL for a liquid, and 0.0045 g/mL for a gas.

The connections between these experiments are that mass, volume, and density is extremely important ways to measure matter, space, and matter within an amount of space. Another important factor is that to find either one, use the density formula, which essentially, is one of the best mathematical principles in science.

By getting involved in these labs, I understand that different methods of measuring volume don't end at the tick mark on a ruler. The candy lab demonstrates that volume can be found using water displacement, and the volume of a gas could be found using complex equipment.