The Age of Rocks - 9/10/17

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The Geological Time Scale is a record of the life forms and geologic events in Earth's history. The Geological Time Scale includes the age of rocks or the years since the rocks are formed. There are two ways that geologists determine the age of rocks. The Relative age is the age of a rock compared to the ages of other rocks. For example the rock is younger than the rock beneath it. The Absolute age is the number of years since a rock is formed. For example the rock is one million years old. The law of superposition states that in any undisturbed sequence of rocks deposited in layers, the youngest layer is on top and the oldest on bottom, each layer being younger than the one beneath it and older than the one above it. Therefore the older the rock is, the deeper it is in the ground. Another way to determine relative age of rocks is the Cross-Cutting Principle: when "something" cuts across a body of rock, that "something" is younger than the rock it cuts across. 

S&EP - SP7: Engaging in argument from evidence

I use evidence to defend my explanation. I took notes on the age of rocks and fossils providing the power point about how scientists find the age of fossils, as evidence. I formulated evidence based on solid data when I stated that the top layer of rock is younger than the bottom layer of rock, using the fact that the older the rock is, the deeper it is in the ground as evidence. I examined my own understanding in light of the evidence. I used to think that rocks were dated depending on what stage of the Rock Cycle they were in, but because of understanding the information on the power point that my teacher presented in class, now I think that rocks are dated by their layers. I collaborated with my peers in searching for the best explanation. I did some research on the age of rocks and fossils which I discussed with my class and table group. Together we figured out that scientists find the age of fossils depending on how deep the rock is in the ground.

The Rock Cycle - 9/2/17

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The Rock Cycle is the cycle of processes that rocks in the Earth's crust undergo. The Rock Cycle describes the formation, breakdown, and reformation of rocks. The three main processes that a rock goes through is Igneous rock, Sedimentary rock, and Metamorphic rock. The Igneous rock is formed by cooling of molten magma on the Earth's surface. The Sedimentary rock is formed when sediment is deposited out of air, ice, wind, or when water flows carry these particles in suspension. This sediment is often formed when weathering and erosion break down a rock into loose material. The Metamorphic rock is a result of a transformation of a pre-existing rock. The pre-existing rock is subjected to very high heat and pressure which makes it go through physical and/or chemical changes. Each type of rock is able to transform into the two other rock types. However, there are other steps that the rocks must go through in order to transform from one rock type to another. The other stages of the cycle include becoming magma, soil, or sediment. You may be wondering how the rocks transport from one stage to another, well the rocks may experience erosion, weathering, deposition, lithification, melting, or crystallization when transforming into the different stages of the rock cycle. Rocks typically start as molten rock (magma below ground or lava above ground) which cools and hardens into igneous rock. No matter what rocks start as, they are always able to go through the cycle and make their way back to what they originally were.

S&EP - SP1: Asking questions and defining problems

I formulated testable questions when I discovered what I needed to do in order to complete the worksheet I did in class, about the Rock Cycle. I established what is already known about the Rock Cycle by writing, filling out, and answering questions about the Rock Cycle and how it works, using the online Gizmo. I determined what questions have yet to be answered when I looked back on the information that I collected and saw which of the questions on the worksheet I still needed to answer. I defined constraints and specifications for a solution when I noticed that some of the information on the worksheet I needed to have wasn't actually on the Gizmo. This information that I needed should only be answered by myself, since it was only the basic knowledge of the Rock Cycle I should have. However, I had some trouble on this part because the Rock Cycle is review from sixth grade and I don't quite remember all the processes of the cycle.

The Environmental Accords 5/21

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The Urban Environmental Accords are a set of objectives for an urban future. These objectives are set for an urban future that would be "ecologically sustainable, economically dynamic, and socially equitable". As well as these set of objectives are based on existing best practices and applied to issues like energy, waste reduction, urban nature, transportation, and water. The Environmental Accords were created on June 05, 2005. On this date, San Francisco hosted United Nations World Environment Day, during which Mayor Gavin Newsom presented mayors from around the world with this unique opportunity to create the Urban Environmental Accords. Since then, the Urban Environmental Accords have been signed by more than a hundred mayors who have begun applying accord principles in their own cities across the globe. In addition, since then San Francisco has been adopting three Urban Environmental Accords actions per year. All together, there are 21 Environmental Accords. These 21 accords are separated into seven different categories. The seven categories that the Environmental Accords cover are Energy, Waste Reduction, Urban Design, Urban Nature, Transportation, Environmental Health, and Water. Each category contains three different Urban Environmental Accords.

S&EP - SP7: Engaging in argument through evidence

I used evidence to defend my explanation. I created a brochure for my Redesigned Urban Village using the Urban Environmental Accords, providing three Urban Environmental Accords as evidence. For this assignment, I had to create a brochure type document for my Urban Village. I chose three Environmental Accords and listed them down on my brochure. As well as I wrote a paragraph for each of the three Environmental Accords, stating how my Urban Village will reflect and show these Accords in its environment. I formulated evidence based on solid data when I stated that my Urban Village will provide a compost bin and a recycling bin next to every trash can following Environmental Accord #6 using the fact that Accord #6 is to implement "user-friendly" composting and recycling programs as evidence. I examined my own understanding in light of the evidence. I used to think that the 21 Urban Environmental Accords were just about helping to protect the environment generally, but because of reading through the different Environmental Accords for this assignment, now I think that the Urban Environmental Accords are separated by seven specific categories Energy, Waste Reduction, Urban Design, Urban Nature, Transportation, Environmental Health, and Water. I collaborated with my peers in searching for the best explanation. I did some research on the 21 Urban Environmental Accords which I discussed with my table group and elbow partner. Together we figured out all of the different 21 Urban Environmental Accords and how they impact the environment of an Urban Village.

XCC: Cause and Effect

The cause and effect relationship that occurs in the 21 Environmental Accords happens between the specific accord and how it impacts the environment of an Urban Village. The actions of one of the Environmental Accords effects the environment by improving energy, waste reduction, urban design, urban nature, transportation, environmental health, and water. As well as the outcome of each of the Urban Environmental Accords not only benefits the environment, it also impacts an Urban Village by improving quality of life. For example, action #13 is to develop and implement a policy which expands affordable public transportation coverage to within half-a-kilometer of all city residents in ten years. This impacts the environment by encouraging more public transportation to reduce the amount of fossil fuels that are released by individual cars. Less fossil fuels released into the atmosphere, means less pollution in the environment. As well as this action also helps the Urban Village by providing a more affordable public transportation system to the community.

The Different "Spheres" of the World 5/14

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Humans have impacted the world greatly. Don't be flattered because I don't mean in a beneficial way. What I'm trying to say is that human activities and actions have damaged the Earth's environment. This takes me to the 5 "Spheres" of the world. Earth's system can be separated into five major subsystems; air, land, water, organisms, and ice. These five subsystems are called "spheres". More specifically, they are the atmosphere (air), lithosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), biosphere (living things), and cryosphere (ice). The atmosphere is the layer of gases surrounding a planet. Humans activities effect the atmosphere by causing air pollution in many different ways, including the use of transportation that requires gas, working in factories that give off fossil fuel gases, and using items that give off smoke. The lithosphere is the rigid outer part of the Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle. The lithosphere is impacted by humans because of erosion. Natural land cover is disturbed as new cities are built because this new development can result in very high levels of erosion. As well as deforestation to clear land, damages the quality of land. The hydrosphere consists of all the waters on the surface of the Earth, such as lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans. Humans can impact the hydrosphere by creating water pollution. Water pollution occurs when humans let out oils and trash into bodies of water. In addition, humans can redirect the course rivers take make by creating dams. The biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living things and their relationships. The biosphere is effected by humans when humans cause species to become endangered and go extinct. Humans cause this to happen by clearing out the homes of different species in order to build cities. The final sphere, cryosphere, is the frozen water part of the Earth's system. Climate change is a big impact on the cryosphere and all of the fossil fuels that are let off from humans makes the Earth warmer. The cryosphere protects the Earth from getting too warm, but when the ice melts from global warming, it impacts the affects the entire planet's energy balance.

S&EP - SP7: Engaging in argument through evidence

I used evidence to defend my explanation. I played a playlist of educational games on "Legends of Learning" that dealt with human impact on the Earth and taught me how we can start improving, providing the information that I learned as evidence. I formulated evidence based on solid data when I stated that human activities damage the atmosphere by creating air pollution using my knowledge that gas emissions from transportation mobiles, fossil fuel gases that are given off from human made factories, and smoke that is burned from humans cause air pollution, as evidence. I examined my own understanding in light of the evidence. I used to think that deforestation of areas in order to clear space for cities effected the lithosphere most because of soil erosion that deforestation causes, but because of playing the educational games and learning new information, now I think that deforestation is a huge impact on the biosphere because of the lost of homes of animal species. I collaborated with my peers in searching for the best explanation. I did some research on the different "spheres" of the Earth and how human activities greatly impact them, which I discussed with my class and the people at my table. Together we figured out how humans effect the environment of the Earth and the Earth's "spheres" with our actions.

XCC: Cause and Effect

The cause and effect relationship that occurs in the different "spheres" of the Earth happens between us humans and the well being of the Earth's environment. More specifically, the relationship revolves around the actions and activities humans take in daily life and how this effects the "spheres" of the Earth. For example when humans let out fossil fuels into the atmosphere, this not only affects the atmosphere with air pollution, it also causes the global warming. Global warming is the act of the Earth getting warmer. When the Earth gets warmer, it effects the cryosphere by melting ice. This is important because when the ice melts, it effects the entire planet's energy balance and encourages global warming. Another example of this relationship is when humans cause water polution. When we release oil, trash, and other toxic items into bodies of water, it of course pollutes the water and contaminates it. However, this action also affects the biosphere by killing any species that live in these contaminated bodies of water.

Acid vs. Base 5/7

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An acid is a chemical substance that neutralizes alkali and is able to dissolve some metals. Acids are usually a sour tasting liquid. You will most likely be able to find acids in foods you eat and drinks you consume. Examples of acidic substances are lemon juice, coffee, or tea. However, these acids aren't very strong, meaning that they aren't harmful and won't be able to burn through metals. A base is a chemical substance that is slippery to the touch and has a bitter taste. You will be able to find bases in cleaning products. Such as soap, baking soda, and ammonia. These products aren't very strong bases either, which is why you are able to use them to clean with no harm done to you. You can measure how acidic or basic a product is by using a pH scale. To use a pH scale, you put some of the product on a piece of litmus paper. If an acid is poured on the paper, it turns the litmus red. If a base is poured on the paper, it turns the litmus a blue color. This means that the more red the litmus paper is after the experiment, the more acidic the substance is. As well as the more acidic a substance is, the lower the pH level is on the scale. For bases, the more blue the litmus paper is, the more basic the substance is. The more basic a product is, the higher the pH level on the scale. You can tell that a product is an acid if the pH level ranges anywhere on the scale from 0 to 6. In contrast, you can tell that a product is a base if the pH level ranges from 8 to 14. In addition, the lower the pH level of an acid and the closer it is to 0, the more concentrated the acid is. The higher the pH level of a base and the closer it is to 14, the more concentrated the base is. You may be thinking, what does it mean if the pH level of a product is at 7? Is there an in between? The answer is no, if a substance has a pH level of 7, this means that the substance is neither an acid or a base. This means that the substance is neutral. An example of a neutral product is water or H2O. 

S&EP - SP7: Engaging in argument from evidence

I used evidence to defend my explanation. I conducted an experiment that tested the pH level of different acidic or basic products and filled out a worksheet about the pH level of acids and bases, providing the results of the experiment as evidence. I formulated evidence based on solid data when I stated that the more red the substance was when it was tested, the more concentrated the acid was using my observation that the lower the numbers got on the pH scale, the more red the substance had to be and the lower the pH level of a substance means that the substance is a stronger acid, as evidence. I examined my own understanding in light of the evidence. I used to think that when a substance had a pH level of 7, it just meant the substance was in between and was both an acid and a base, but because of learning about neutral substances now I think that when the pH level of a substance is 7 that means that it is neither an acid or a base, but a neutral substance. I collaborated with my peers in searching for the best explanation. I did some research on how to use a pH scale to tell if a substance is an acid or a base which I discussed with my class and the people at my table who conducted the experiment with me. Together we figured out that the lower the pH level and the more red a substance is, the more acidic the substance is. As well as the higher the pH level and the more green or blue a substance is, the more basic the substance.

XCC: Patterns

The pattern that occurs with using a pH scale to measure if a substance is acidic or basic, deals with the pH level of the substance and what color it is when tested. I observed this pattern when conducting an experiment in class that allowed me to see how acidic or basic a substance was based on its pH level. During the experiment I saw that after testing out the substances, all the acid products were a pink to reddish color and all of the base products were a green to blue color. When testing an acid product, I noticed that the more red the substance, the lower the pH level of the substance. Which lead me to figure out the the lower the pH level of a substance, the stronger and more concentrated the acid is. As well as the higher the pH level of an acid, the weaker and less concentrated the acid is. In contrast, I noticed an opposite pattern with bases. When testing a base product, I noticed that the more green the substance got, the higher the pH level of the substance on a pH scale. With this information I found that the higher the pH level of a substance, the more concentrated and stronger the base is. In addition, the lower the pH level of a base, the less concentrated and weak the base is.

Endothermic vs. Exothermic 4/30

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A chemical reaction can either be Endothermic or Exothermic. This means that the reaction can either absorb energy or release energy. An Endothermic reaction is a chemical reaction in which the solution absorbs energy from its surroundings. In contrast, the opposite of an Endothermic reaction is an Exothermic reaction. An Exothermic reaction is when the solution of a chemical reaction releases energy. This energy that is either absorbed or released is usually, but not always, in the form of heat. Since an Endothermic reaction absorbs heat, the products will have more potential energy than the reactants. This is because the reactants require more energy in order to complete the chemical reaction. In a Exothermic reaction, the products will have less potential energy than the reactants. The reactants of an Exothermic reaction have to release energy in order to complete the chemical reaction. You may be asking, where does the absorbed energy come from in an Endothermic reaction and where does the released energy go in a Exothermic reaction? The simple answer is the surrounding environment. In an Endothermic reaction, the energy comes from the surrounding environment of the chemical reaction. In an Exothermic reaction, the energy is released into the surrounding environment of the chemical reaction. An easy way to tell the difference between these reactions is by measuring the temperature. Since the energy usually comes in the form of heat, the temperature of a chemical reaction will change depending if it is Endothermic or Exothermic. In an Endothermic reaction, the temperature will decrease and the product will be a lower temperature than the reactants. In an Exothermic reaction, the temperature will increase and the product will be a higher temperature than the reactants.

S&EP - SP7: Engaging in argument from evidence

I used evidence to defend my explanation. I answered a worksheet in class about Endothermic and Exothermic reactions providing the examples and models on a website that was given to my classmates and I to use, as evidence. I formulated evidence based on solid data when I stated that the products of an Endothermic reaction is colder or a lower temperature than the reactants of the chemical reaction using the fact that energy (usually in the form of heat) from the surrounding environment is absorbed into the reaction and trapped inside the bonds of the molecules in an Endothermic reaction, making the surrounding environment colder, as evidence. I examined my own understanding in light of the evidence. I used to think that the temperature of the products in an Exothermic reaction would be cooler and at a lower temperature than the reactants because the heat energy was being released from the reactants, but because of learning that the energy is released into the surrounding environment of the chemical reaction, now I think that releasing the heat energy rises the temperature of the chemical reaction. I collaborated with my peers in searching for the best explanation. I did some research on Endothermic and Exothermic reactions and how they occur which I discussed with my class and table group. Together we figured out that an Endothermic reaction absorbs energy and an Exothermic reaction releases energy.

XCC: Cause and Effect

The cause and effect relationship that occurs in Endothermic and Exothermic reactions is between the reactants and products of the chemical reaction. The amount of potential energy that is in the product depends if the chemical reaction is an Endothermic reaction or Exothermic reaction. If the chemical reaction is an Endothermic reaction, the product will have more potential energy than the reactants. This is because the reactants of the chemical reaction absorb energy from the surrounding environment of the chemical reaction in order to break the bonds. If the reaction is an Exothermic reaction, the product will have less potential energy than the reactants. This is because the reactants of the chemical reaction release energy into the surrounding environment of the chemical reaction in order to form new bonds. In addition, the temperature of the product in the chemical reaction depends if the reaction is Endothermic or Exothermic as well. If the chemical reaction is an Endothermic reaction, the product is colder and at a lower temperature than the reactants. The temperature of the chemical reaction drops because the reactants absorb heat energy from the surrounding environment, making the surrounding environment of the chemical reaction colder. If the chemical reaction is an Exothermic reaction, the product is warmer and at a higher temperature than the reactants. The temperature of the chemical reaction rises because the reactants release heat energy into the surrounding environment, making the surrounding environment of the chemical reaction warmer.

Chemical Reactions 4/9

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A chemical reaction is when two or more substances meet and are converted into one or more different substances. The substances that are usually used in a chemical reaction are normally elements or molecules. An element is a substance located on the periodic table that can't be chemically introverted or broken down into simpler substances. Each element is made up of only one type of atom and are the primary constituents of matter. Whereas a molecule is a group of atoms bonded together. There are two primary bonds that connect these atoms together. One type of bond is called an ionic bond. An ionic bond is the complete transfer of electrons between atoms. This type of bond generates two oppositely charged ions, the attraction between the opposite charges is what holds the bond together. Another type of bond is called a covalent bond. This bond occurs when atoms that are bonded share electrons. In a chemical reaction, bonds between atoms are broken and created to form new molecules. More specifically, the atoms are rearranged together and new bonds are created between these atoms. Chemical reactions are represented by chemical equations. A chemical equation is the symbolic representation of a chemical reaction in the form of symbols and formulas. There are three parts to a chemical equation, the reactants, the yield, and the product. The reactants are all of the elements and molecules on the left side of the equation. The product are all of the molecules on the right side of the equation. The yield is the arrow that separates the reactants and the product. Chemical equations are balanced to show the same number of atoms of each element on each side of the equation. This means that both the reactants and product have the same number of atoms of each element throughout the chemical reaction. This happens because of the Law of Conservation Mass; which is that the atoms are balanced on each side of a chemical equation. 

S&EP - SP7: Engaging in argument from evidence

I used evidence to defend my explanation. I filled out a couple of online document worksheets about ionic bonding and covalent bonding and a couple of worksheets about counting atoms, the Law of Conservation Mass, and about a chemical reaction we did in class. I filled out the majority of these worksheets providing the slideshow presentations that my teacher explained to my class as evidence. However, for the worksheet about the chemical reaction we performed in class, I provided the experiment as evidence. I formulated evidence based on solid data when I stated that the amount of atoms of each element stays the same throughout a chemical reaction an that they are just rearranged into new molecules, using the Law of Conservation Mass as evidence. I examined my own understanding in light of the evidence. I used to think that only the same amount of atoms were balanced on each side of a chemical equation and that it didn't matter the amount of atoms of each element, but because of learning more deeply about the Law of Conservation Mass, now I think that the specific amount of atoms of each element stay the same on both sides of the equation. For example, if there were four hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms as reactants, there would still be four hydrogen atoms and two oxygen atoms as a product. However, the atoms would be rearranged differently into new molecules. I collaborated with my peers in searching for the best explanation. I did some research on chemical reactions and even performed an experiment of my own which I discussed with my class. Together we figured out the molecular arrangement of atoms throughout a chemical reaction.

XCC: Patterns

The pattern that occurs in the a chemical reaction relates to the Law of Conservation of Mass. The Law of Conservation Mass is the theory that mass in an isolated system is neither created nor destroyed by chemical reactions or physical transformations. According to the Law of Conservation of Mass, the mass of the products in a chemical reaction must equal the mass of the reactants. Simply, the Law of Conservation of Mass states that the amount of matter stays the same on both sides of a chemical equation throughout a chemical reaction. Meaning that the number of atoms of each element in a chemical equation is the same amount in the product as it is in the reactants. So the pattern that I noticed in chemical reactions is that the amount of different types of atoms always stays the same before and after the chemical reaction. For example, in the chemical reaction with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (acetic acid), the reactants are C2H4O2 + NaHCO3. For this part of the equation, there are three carbon atoms, five hydrogen atoms, five oxygen atoms, and one sodium atom. The product of this chemical reaction is sodium acetate, water, and carbon dioxide. The formula for the products is NaC2H3O2 + H2O + CO2. As you can see, the product includes three carbon atoms, five hydrogen atoms, five oxygen atoms, and finally one sodium atom. There are exactly the same amount of atoms of each element in the product as there were in the reactants.