ASU Science Field Trip

Today the 8th grade DLC took a field trip to the Tempe campus of Arizona State University. We explored their science department as a part of our chemistry section. When we arrived, we were split into fourths, and each group set off to do a different activity. First, my group went to see a piece of gold under a very powerful microscope. We could see all of the tiny arrangements of atoms that made up the element. There was foam on the walls, which we discovered were placed there because of the extremely sensitive microscope. The foam absorbed the sound waves that could enter and disrupt tests.

We moved forward to see many various experiments. The first we conducted was where a rubber ball was dropped into a tub of liquid nitrogen. This froze the ball solid, so when it was dropped, it shattered. The change in temperature had made the rubber into a glass, thus causing it to break.

Furthermore, we got to experience the power of current and voltage. We learned how even if something has high voltage, it needs to have current to make it powerful. Power outlets have a high current, so that is why it hurts if you put something metal in that is directly connect to your person. I was one of the people who stood on grounding blocks, and placed my hand over a device which gathered electrons. I could feel the hair on my neck stand up as I became charged. The other classmates stood in a semi circle behind me, hands linked. When the instructed touched my elbow, a shock flew through  the students. We learned that electricity can travel through people.

Lastly, we went to another department to experience vacuums. We saw how a vacuum affects the atoms around it. We learned how marshmallows are puffy because air has been blown into the small spaces inside the marshmallow, or because of their air bubbles.


In conclusion, we had a riveting time at the ASU Science department. We learned many things about science that we had not known before. On top of that, we even had fun. I would happily go back to learn more about science.

Sodium Silicate Polymer

Sodium Silicate Polymer

Question: What will happen after Calcium silicate and ethanol are combined?

Hypothesis: It will create a bouncy substance that is thicker than the previous polymer we created, similar to that of a bouncy ball.

Results: We created a mixture using roughly 12ml of Sodium Silicate, and 3ml of Ethyl alcohol. At first, the mixture was very crumbley and loose. It would flake apart with the slightest contact. My lab partners and I discovered that you take the flecks of the mixture, which resembled hail at this point, and slowly applied pressure to push them together. It took many tries to get it right, because if you applied to much pressure to the mound, it would suddenly break apart, or if you applied too little, it would just fleck off. Several of the test we conducted included a bounce test. This is where we dropped the bouncy ball from roughly three feet in the air, and it rebounded to roughly 40% of its start hight. Another test we conducted was an elastic test, in which we concluded it is not as elastic as our first polymer, which was stretchy and goo-like.


Conclusion: In conclusion, this polymer was more bouncy, but not as elastic as our first polymer. Even the smell was different. This one was also smaller, and was harder to form. It required a great deal of attention to make sure the creation did not fall apart. It held the same basic procedures as the Slime Lab, but the outcome was rather difficult. This was to due with the compounds we were using, since all materials bond a little differently.