In class today, Andrew led a guided lab about Earth science on how to make rocks and how they're made in the Earth. We took notes about the different layers of the Earth, such as the Core and Mantle. As we went on taking notes, I started remembering more about the layers since in my 6th grade science class we spent time learning about the process of rocks and glass. We went over the various layers, along with what each layer did. We also went over some of the sub layer, like the inner Core. Andrew didn't go over those, but instead talked about the reactions that happen in some of the layers and how the Mantle forms different land forms on the Crust. As we went on with the lab, we mixed water and sodium silicate together in test tubes. We then added cobalt chloride to one of the tubes and calcium chloride to the other. Each group was then able to watch the reaction happen. It was really cool to see the calcium chloride and cobalt chloride grow along the sides of the tubes in the mixture. I especially liked the cobalt because it turned different shades of blue, purple, and green. The calcium was also really cool to watch also because it was completely white and spread up along the tube in really long thin lines.
Looking Back:
Our experiment ended up turning out really well. We got the results we wanted of the chloride and cobalt reacting with the water and sodium silicate. The colors changed in the cobalt like they were supposed to. The cobalt chloride changed from being a bright blue to a dark purple like color. The pieces of cobalt that were the closest to the bottom of the test tube turned a dark green and teal color. When Andrew put in the calcium chloride, the powder slowly started growing out towards the top of the test tube. Throughout out process, Zoe took photos and videos of all the steps we went through to get the results we wanted.
Looking Beyond:
The reason we got the results we did, was because of how the different chlorides were reacting to the sodium silicate. When the silicate makes contact with the water, it dissolves to create silicone ions. Those then react with the different chlorides, creating the growing crystals/rocks in the tubes. When the sodium silicate combined with the calcium chloride, it created calcium silicate, which is the rock, and sodium chloride. Then when the sodium silicate and the cobalt chloride were mixed together, they created cobalt silicone, which was also the rock, and sodium chloride.
Looking Inward:
My group ended up getting desirable results with our experiment. It turned out like it was supposed to, even though the cobalt mixture was slightly different colored than other groups, bu that's what happens when the cobalt chloride mixes with the sodium chloride. During the activity, I think I performed well by helping out my group.
Looking Outward:
During this experiment, I worked with Monique, Sophie and Zoe. I think we performed very well because we all work together great. We also followed along with what we were supposed to be doing and paid attention. In order to help get our desired results, I helped by mixing the water and sodium chloride with Monique. For this experiment, there wasn't a whole lot to actually do because we weren't supposed to mix the chlorides together, they just had to sit.
Looking Forward:
If I could do this again, I think I would try more different chlorides to see how more of them react. Andrew was telling us about how some of the chlorides become different colors so that could maybe hep find desirable results and maybe learn why they all turn a certain color. If I was organizing a group for the next experiment, I would probably definitely work with the same group again. We all work well together and put in a lot of effort. Also we all get along very well. I would also still like to try working with some other people just to try it out. While we were looking at the different layers of the Earth, Andrew explained to us that if we heated the rocks we made in the test tubes to an extreme temperature, we could create colored glass. I would love to continue with the experiment by doing this or maybe even possibly polishing the rocks with the lapidary machine we have in class. Then I could study more about the reactions between the chemicals and how the rock reacts to make it glass. Lastly, I would possibly like to continue this by testing out different chlorides to test out the different colors they make.
Below is the video Zoe made of our experiment.
Looking Back:
Our experiment ended up turning out really well. We got the results we wanted of the chloride and cobalt reacting with the water and sodium silicate. The colors changed in the cobalt like they were supposed to. The cobalt chloride changed from being a bright blue to a dark purple like color. The pieces of cobalt that were the closest to the bottom of the test tube turned a dark green and teal color. When Andrew put in the calcium chloride, the powder slowly started growing out towards the top of the test tube. Throughout out process, Zoe took photos and videos of all the steps we went through to get the results we wanted.
Looking Beyond:
The reason we got the results we did, was because of how the different chlorides were reacting to the sodium silicate. When the silicate makes contact with the water, it dissolves to create silicone ions. Those then react with the different chlorides, creating the growing crystals/rocks in the tubes. When the sodium silicate combined with the calcium chloride, it created calcium silicate, which is the rock, and sodium chloride. Then when the sodium silicate and the cobalt chloride were mixed together, they created cobalt silicone, which was also the rock, and sodium chloride.
Looking Inward:
My group ended up getting desirable results with our experiment. It turned out like it was supposed to, even though the cobalt mixture was slightly different colored than other groups, bu that's what happens when the cobalt chloride mixes with the sodium chloride. During the activity, I think I performed well by helping out my group.
Looking Outward:
During this experiment, I worked with Monique, Sophie and Zoe. I think we performed very well because we all work together great. We also followed along with what we were supposed to be doing and paid attention. In order to help get our desired results, I helped by mixing the water and sodium chloride with Monique. For this experiment, there wasn't a whole lot to actually do because we weren't supposed to mix the chlorides together, they just had to sit.
Looking Forward:
If I could do this again, I think I would try more different chlorides to see how more of them react. Andrew was telling us about how some of the chlorides become different colors so that could maybe hep find desirable results and maybe learn why they all turn a certain color. If I was organizing a group for the next experiment, I would probably definitely work with the same group again. We all work well together and put in a lot of effort. Also we all get along very well. I would also still like to try working with some other people just to try it out. While we were looking at the different layers of the Earth, Andrew explained to us that if we heated the rocks we made in the test tubes to an extreme temperature, we could create colored glass. I would love to continue with the experiment by doing this or maybe even possibly polishing the rocks with the lapidary machine we have in class. Then I could study more about the reactions between the chemicals and how the rock reacts to make it glass. Lastly, I would possibly like to continue this by testing out different chlorides to test out the different colors they make.
Below is the video Zoe made of our experiment.