Sweet Science

Pecan Pralines


You will find science everywhere. Particularly in the Kitchen .

The skills and knowledge needed to do science well are required in the kitchen too; develop questions, predict, experiment, measure, record, analyze, identify varibles IV, DV, "controls", and particularly develop and reach conclusions ( I really like the Kitchen Science conclusions...yummy).




Dr Barbara Heine Hagerman, famous scientist and "foodie" in her own right, elegantly stated,

‎"... and I loved seeing the SCIENCE part of cooking - reading thermometers...change in physical properties of the candy, etc"


Growing up in New Orleans, THESE WERE MY FAVORITE..

Pecan Pralines

Pecan Pralines:

1 cup granulated sugar (sifted)

1 cup light brown sugar (packed)

¾ cup heavy whipping cream

2 ½ tbl unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)

¼ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cup pecans toasted

Butter or pan spray a metal sheet pan (do not use parchment)

Place sugar in middle of a heavy sauce pan (Make sure it is very clean)

Add cream and butter and salt

Cook over VERY low heat stirring continuously with a CLEAN wooden spoon until all the sugar has dissolved, be careful not to simmer

Place candy thermometer in syrup and increase heat to medium high and allow it to boil until it reaches 236 degrees F (3-5 minutes)

If you don't have a candy thermometer a small teaspoon of syrup dropped into a bowl of cold water should form a soft ball.

Remove the pan from the heat and let it sit until it cools to 220 degrees F (about 2 minutes)

Stir syrup until it thickens up and add the pecans

IMMEDIATELY begin spooning the mixture into dollops on the cookie sheet a tablespoon at a time

Let cool then store or serve with ice cream

(Or for easier method pour out the syrup and flatten it in the pan – let it cool then break up into pieces)

Elements For Life Project

"ELEMENTS NECESSARY FOR LIFE" PROJECT


THE ASSIGNMENT: You and your partner have been asked by the American Chemical Society (ACS) to design an advertisement/presenation which promotes an element that is necessary for the health and well being of the human body. You may choose an age group (children, teenagers, adults, or senior citizens) and/or sex (male or female) you intend to target, as the nutritional requirements for your element may change depending on these factors. Pregnancy may also be a factor you need to account for. For example, the daily requirements for the element calcium vary depending on whether you are male or female, and whether you are a child, teenager, adult or senior. In addition to this, pregnant and nursing women have additional calcium requirements for their diet. Not every element will have different RDA’s for each of these different people groups, so you will need to check carefully.


The following is a list of elements that students have had success with in the past:
F, Na, Mg, P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Se, Mo, Cd, Sn, and I.
Several additional elements have proven to be harder but not impossible to successfully research: Li, Si,V, B, Br, and Te.

developed by Michael Geyer

with assistance from Cynthia Bedell

downloaded from The Catalyst (www.TheCatalyst.org)

edited and adapted by Todd Conner


Elements Necessary for Life” project



Your advertisement must be presented in such a way that the average reader in your age group will understand it. Do not rely only on text in your presentation. For example, add some visual aids such as tables to convey information, or pictures of foods that your mineral can be found in.

You will prepare a PowerPoint presentation promoting your element.

You will also prepare a Tri-fold, colored pamphlet that could be distributed to your audience.

The following is required information for your advertisement:
- Element name and symbol
- History/Discovery – (who? when? where? )
- Description- basic physical and chemical properties
- Abundance/Sources - (Where is it found? How is it obtained?)
- Biological role
• Recommended daily allowances (RDA’s)
• Main food sources of element
• Why does your body need this element required, how does it help the body?
• Problems if you get too much in your body (include symptoms)
• Problems if you get too little in your body (include symptoms)
• Are mineral supplements containing this element available at the local pharmacy?
(Look specifically for a supplement that only contains the one element, not a multivitamin. Use a multivitamin as a last resort, and let your audience know that you are referring to a multivitamin if you do so.)
• If so, what is the average cost for a daily supplement? (Pay attention to how many pills make up a daily supplement.)
- A bibliography which includes at least three sources (including books, web addresses, magazines, etc.).

When conducting a search for the above information, you will want to search under the name of your element as well as the following: minerals, trace minerals, essential minerals, or macrominerals.

You and your partner will present your information to your classmates in a five minute presentation. You each are required to speak during the presentation. You will be given class time to perform some of your research. However, you cannot hope to complete this project with class time only.

Pamphlet Presentation

Your pamphlet must be designed so that it can be folded into thirds, and will have six panels for presenting your information. The following are the minimum requirements for your pamphlet:

Title panel must show the element name and symbol and a graphic,

Back panel must include your bibliography of at least three sources, with your name at the bottom of this panel, and

You must use some color in designing your pamphlet. Black and white only is not acceptable.

PowerPoint Presentation

For those of you who are computer literate, and have some PowerPoint experience, you may prepare your presentation with PowerPoint. Do not rely only on text in your presentation; add some visual aids. In addition to visual aids, you may also include sound effects or movie clips. Check spelling and grammar, it will count towards your final grade.

You will be allowed to use one of the class computers to make your presentation to the class. Your presentation must be saved on your school provided server space. You should also have it saved to a floppy disk, “just in case”. If you have prepared your presentation at home, be sure that it is compatible with and runs on the school system. In other words try it out before it is your time to present. You will be required to print out a “hard-copy” of your slides and turn it in after your class presentation.


NOTE: If you have any specific questions see your instructor. Do not make any assumptions! If you are unsure about anything, ask. If you would like to add your own creative touch, make sure you get approval from your instructor.


Rubric



Presentation method

_____pamphlet ______PowerPoint ______video (+10% EC) _______ other/w permission

A. Required Content (20 points)
Element name and atomic number
(2) present ______ (0) not present ______

Atomic configuration (2) present ______ (0) not present ______

RDA’s (if established) (2) present ______ (0) not present ______

Main food source (2) present ______ (0) not present ______

bring in a sample for the class to see
( 1) present ______ (0) not present ______

bring in a sample for the class to taste bonus +2

Why body needs/how it helps body
(2) present ______ (0) not present ______

Toxicity (if applicable) (2) present ______ (0) not present ______

Deficiency (if applicable) (2) present ______ (0) not present ______

Mineral supplements/multivitamin(2) present ______ (0) not present ______

average cost for a daily supplement
(1) present ______ (0) not present ______

Bibliography (2) present ______ (0) not present ______

# sources (0) 0 ______ (1) <3_______ (2) 3 _______ (+1) >3_______


B. Visual Presentation of Content
Picture(s) or drawing(s) included
(5) present ______ (3) minimal ______ (0) not present______

Color included
(5) present ______ (3) minimal ______ (0) not present______

Use of supporting data
(2) present ______ (0) not present ______

Persuasive “selling points”
(2) present ______ (0) not present ______

Typed or written neatly 5 4 3 2 1

Neat/organized 5 4 3 2 1




C. Oral Presentation

Eye contact with audience
(3) good ______ (2) fair ______ (1) poor______

Enthusiasm (as shown to audience)
(3) good ______ (2) fair ______ (1) poor______

Voice projection
(3) good ______ (2) fair ______ (1) poor______

Dress/appearance
(0) normal school dress ______ (+2) dressed up ______

Time (-2) <3 min______ (1) 3-5 min______ (+1) >5 min ______

Summation and Conclusion
(3) good ______ (2) fair ______ (1) poor______



D. Notes (bonus)
(Any extra background or chemistry-related information)







Total Points = ___________ out of _____

IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITY

Physical Science Improvement opportunity.

There will be an opportunity to IMPROVE your Term Test score on Wednesday December 15, 2010 (or Thursday 12/16/10 in the event of of schedule changes interruptions)


This test will be shorter, with significantly fewer questions, so each question will have increased value. The improvement opportunity will cover the same material and time frame as the original term test.


The improvement assessment will be heavily based on VOCABULARY.



NO FIELD NOTEBOOKS to be used on this improvement test. You may retrieve your past work from your in-class file to help you prepare. YOU MUST RETURN YOUR PAST WORK TO THE FILE WHEN DONE.



You may demonstrate your test preparation, notes etc on one (1) 8.5 in. by 11 in sheet of notebook paper and you may use that on the test.

GOOD LUCK !

Interactions

Biotic and abiotic interactions shape, determine and define the success (or lack there of) for all habitat.

Cocos Island and the Gemelas Seamounts

In September 2009, National Geographic Fellow Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle, and a team of leading marine scientists from Central America and across the globe gathered together in Costa Rica. Destination: Cocos Island—Isla del Coco, ringed by some of the most shark-rich waters anywhere—and the submerged and all-but-unexplored summits of the Gemelas (“Twin Sisters”) Seamounts.

The team worked with local marine scientists and conservation organizations to document these aquatic ecosystems. The data, they hope, will help to establish new scientific baselines for intact—and critically important—environments.

While Cocos has helped define the world’s image of an untouched island paradise for centuries, the Gemelas Seamounts have lurked, mostly unseen and unknown, beneath hundreds of feet of seawater. But marine creatures know them as fertile and important waypoints on their wanderings. These rich feeding grounds may be critical to the survival of many of the migratory predators that pass through them.

This could all be endangered through intentional and unintentional interactions with coastal environments.

As climate change has warmed the Earth, oceans have responded more slowly than land environments. But scientific research is finding that marine ecosystems can be far more sensitive to even the most modest temperature change.

Global warming caused by human activities that emit heat-trapping carbon dioxide has raised the average global temperature by about 1°F (0.6°C) over the past century. In the oceans, this change has only been about 0.18°F (0.1°C). This warming has occurred from the surface to a depth of about 2,300 feet (700 meters), where most marine life thrives.

Perhaps the ocean organism most vulnerable to temperature change is coral. There is evidence that reefs will bleach (eject their symbiotic algae) at even a slight persistent temperature rise. Bleaching slows coral growth, makes them susceptible to disease, and can lead to large-scale reef die-off.

Other organisms affected by temperature change include krill, an extremely important link at the base of the food chain. Research has shown that krill reproduce in significantly smaller numbers when ocean temperatures rise. This can have a cascading effect by disrupting the life cycle of krill eaters, such as penguins and seals—which in turn causes food shortages for higher predators.

Higher Sea Levels

When water heats up, it expands. Thus, the most readily apparent consequence of higher sea temperatures is a rapid rise in sea level. Sea level rise causes inundation of coastal habitats for humans as well as plants and animals, shoreline erosion, and more powerful storm surges that can devastate low-lying areas.

Stronger Storms

Many weather experts say we are already seeing the effects of higher ocean temperatures in the for m of stronger and more frequent tropical storms and hurricanes/cyclones. Warmer surface water dissipates more readily into vapor, making it easier for small ocean storms to escalate into larger, more powerful systems.

These stronger storms can increase damage to human structures when they make landfall. They can also harm marine ecosystems like coral reefs and kelp forests. And an increase in storm frequency means less time for these sensitive habitats to recover.









Try a tide simulator don't forget to click on the neap/spring identifier.

Two oceanic bulges—one on the side of the Earth facing the moon and the other on the side opposite from the moon—move in relation to our satellite as it orbits us, causing in most places two high tides a day as our planet rotates on its axis. The moon's gravity pulls the ocean toward itself to create the near-side bulge, but this doesn't account for the bulge on the far side.

Here, follow a step-through animation that explains why water rises on the side of the Earth away from the moon. Tides also make a difference in our interactions on a quite regular schedule..

(More cool stuff )

Why do the biggest tides happen when the moon is new and full?

Although tides are affected mainly by the moon's gravity, gravity from the sun also pulls on the oceans. In fact, the tidal force of the sun is almost half ( 46%) that of the moon. When the moon, sun, and Earth line up, we see either a full moon (if we're between the moon and the sun) or a new moon (if the moon is between us and the sun). At these times, the gravitational forces of the sun and moon work together, increasing the overall pull on the Earth and its oceans.

Why is the tide cycle 24 hours 50 minutes long instead of just 24 hours long?

You might think that, because the length of the tide cycle is determined by the Earth's rotation, the tide cycle should be 24 hours long. The reason it's longer is that, during a 24-hour period, the moon travels about 12 degrees of its 360-degree orbit. The extra 50 minutes is how long it takes any spot on the Earth to "catch up" to the moon's new position.





So... what do you think?

Questions?

Change Matters

There are four (+) states of matter that we know about: solids, liquids, gases, plasma (and some other "odd" phases. Each of these states is made up of particles that move by different amounts.

All solids, liquids and gases are made of particles. The only difference between them is how much energy the particles have. If you give the particles energy; or take energy away from them; then you can change their state.

If you heat up a solid - you give it some energy. This causes the particles to move more and the solid to change into a liquid, or melt. If the liquid is heated then it may evaporate and turn into a gas.

Taking energy away from a gas (cooling it down) may cause it to turn into a liquid - or condense. Further cooling of the liquid may cause it to turn into a solid - or freeze.

Energy Changes

To change a solid into a gas you need to give the solid particles a lot of energy, the particles need more energy to turn from a liquid into a gas.

If you want to make a solid warmer then you give it some heat - the graph shown here describes this. The change from a solid to a liquid requires heat energy but the temperature doesn't rise. There isn't an increase in temperature because the energy is all used in changing the particles from a solid to a liquid. The same thing happens when the particles change from a liquid to a gas - at first the heat given to the liquid just causes it to warm up. Then any more heat given does not cause the temperature to rise because it is all used to change state from liquid to gas.

For a very simple self check, CLICK HERE



Reversible Changes? hmmmmm? perhaps... check your understanding,

Presto Change O


You can dive deeper into the atom with the interactive from Jefferson Labs...some weird stuff awaits







Take the Particle Adventure ... it gets REALLY Weird



What is the World Made of?

Why do so many things in this world share the same characteristics?

People have come to realize that the matter of the world is made from a few fundamental building blocks of nature.

The word "fundamental" is key here. By fundamental building blocks we mean objects that are simple and structureless -- not made of anything smaller.

Even in ancient times, people sought to organize the world around them into fundamental elements, such as earth, air, fire, and water.

Trivia: Who first classified the fundamental elements as earth, air, fire, and water?

START THE ADVENTURE, and find out ...

So what else is there?

Elementary, My Dear Watson, this is all there is ...(maybe)

Hey Everyone Colleen made a great find and submitted it for adding to the 9/25/10 Post .. "You are made from the Stuff of Stars" I thought I would put it here too!

Click Here


More to come...

What do you think?

What examples can you describe?