Overview

Chemistry classes teach abstract ideas about atoms and molecules. These ideas are often difficult to apply to everyday life. It can be hard to see how what you learn in Chemistry is in any way relevant to your life. The fact is that Chemistry is all around you and understanding it can enrich your daily experience immensely. From food and cooking, to cleaning, to the clothes you wear and the medicines you use to keep you healthy Chemistry is involved in literally every part of your life.

For your sixth experiment you will explore the properties of Ivory Soap. In this experiment you will compare the density of Ivory soap to another brand. You will also do an experiment involving the expansion of a gas when it is heated. You can find the experiment at this link: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bring-science-homes-soap-microwave/ or try this short-cut: http://goo.gl/uXYjzF.

Also for this activity go to the PhET site and download and run the Microwaves simulation. You can find it here: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/microwaves. Answer the following questions by playing with the simulator as a part of your report:

1. Use the “One Molecule” tab to find out how microwave radiation (an electromagnetic wave with a wavelength longer than infrared but shorter than radio waves) affects the motion of a single molecule of water. Describe what happens to the molecule when the microwave turns on.
2. Use the “Single Line of Molecules” tab to find out how microwave radiation heats up water. When molecules speed up we measure that as an increase in temperature. Just how does the microwave radiation heat up the water molecules? (Hint: Does one molecule get hotter when you microwave it?)
3. Molecules other than water also can begin to rotate faster when microwave radiation passes through them. Soap molecules are among those that do this. Other molecules, such as those that make up the air, are not affected by microwaves. How does microwaving the soap heat up the air bubbles inside it when the air itself cannot be heated with microwaves?

The Report

Type a one-page paper which answers the following questions in a numbered-response format. Write no more than one solid paragraph in response to each one. You will be graded based on how clearly you demonstrated significant care in carrying out the experiment and how deeply you have thought about what it means.

1. Describe what you did step by step.
2. Either in school or at home, have you ever observed anything like this experiment before? If so, describe the similarities and differences.
3. What were you supposed to learn about by doing this experiment? What did the authors of the activity intend you to learn?
4. In your chemistry class you often talk about physical and chemical changes by considering both the macroscopic event (that you see with your eyes) and the molecular-level events that explain it. Think about this experiment on the molecular level and explain what you observed by discussing events that were happening to the atoms and molecules involved. Do some research in the library and/or on the Web to inform your answer to this question.
5. Add one or more photos of your work.
6. Add an original illustration (not an image found on the internet) of what is happening at the molecular level which explains what you observe in the experiment. Use your imagination, so some research, and do not be concerned too much about being 100% accurate. Cartoonish drawings are acceptable--try to do them in the style of the Modeling the Molecular Level activity you did in class.
7. How well did this experiment work? Is there anything that should be added to the author’s instructions that would make it work better?
8. What made this experiment fun? Of if you didn’t enjoy it, why not?

A Bibliography is required. Further research will be required for you to fully understand and explain the phenomena you explore in your experiment. Record your sources in standard format.

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