Chemical Reactions

I was a bit nervous about starting this unit because I figured it would be the hardest so far, but it really isn't all that bad. Most of it is math based rather than rule based so its easy to pick up on. I'm hoping for a good exam grade.  All I need to do to ensure a good grade is to remember the poly-atomic ions that have made a reoccurring appearance in the new lessons.

Solubility Rules

A basic knowledge of which compounds are soluble in aqueous solutions is essential for predicting whether a given reaction might involve formation of a precipitate (aka a solid). The solubility rules are essential in remembering if a compound can be dissolved in water or not. Here are the rules:


Rule 1. All compounds of Group IA elements (the alkali metals) are soluble.

Rule 2. All ammonium salts (salts of NH4+) are soluble.

Rule 3. All nitrate (NO3-), chlorate (ClO3-), perchlorate (ClO4-), and acetate (CH3COO- or C2H3O2-, sometimes abbreviated as Oac-) salts are soluble.

Rule 4. All chloride (Cl-), bromide (Br-), and iodide (I-) salts are soluble except for those of Ag+, Pb2+, and Hg22+.

Rule 5. All sulfate ( SO4=) compounds are soluble except those of Ba2+, Sr2+, Ca2+, Pb2+, Hg22+, and Hg2+, Ca2+ and Ag+ sulfates are only moderately soluble.

Rule 6. All hydroxide (OH-) compounds are insoluble except those of Group I-A (alkali metals) and Ba2+, Ca2+, and Sr2+.

Rule 7. All sulfide (S2-) compounds are insoluble except those of Groups I-A and II-A (alkali metals and alkali earths).

Rule 8. All sulfites (SO3=), carbonates (CO3=), chromates (CrO4=), and phosphates (PO43-) are insoluble except for those of NH4+ and Group I-A (alkali metals)(see rules 1 and 2).

Useful Information

Although notes in class are very helpful for my expanding my mind,  I seem to retain more by looking and reading from these helpful links! i hope you find them just as helpful as I do!

Balancing Equations
Chemtutor
CHEMystry
Practice Exams

Final Thoughts on Matter and Measurement

Although I did not perform well on my test I understand the ideas and concepts of the chapter. I will review the book and my notes to make sure I understand completely so I'm fully prepared for the semester final. I hope since I have improved my study habits, my test scores will be better.

The Little Molemaid

As a project for Mole day we were given the task of creating a unique and themed mole. I've been a fan of the Disney movie The Little Mermaid forever and I got to thinking that a "molemaid" would be a perfect idea. I used fabric that had Ariel on it and made sure you could tell what I was trying to compare it too.

Final thoughts on Star Log Project

The Star project was extremely fascinating because i was learning so many interesting new facts about polar bodies and what composed them. Without this project i would have never had known the amount of stars there are. Choosing my 15 stars took a while because i wanted to have a different mix of colors and a variety of different categories.The most interesting fact I learned was that the different chemicals of a star determine its color.

Half Life's

A half life is the amount of time it takes for a sample to devolve. The amount of time it takes to devolve varies depending on the element. Alpha, beta, and gamma particles explain how an element devolves. We continued to work on examples with our partners to ensure we fully understand how and what a half life is.

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