Chemical Compounds
Overview: In this unit, we learned about the properties and characteristics of different types of chemical compounds, their uses, and how they are important in our everyday lives.
Enduring Understanding: A chemical formula is a set of symbols which show the elements present in a compound (substance) and their relative proportions. The relative proportions are calculated by first dividing each of the masses by the total mass of the substance, followed by multiplying that by 100%. Then you divide each of the elements' mass percent by the mass percent of the limiting reagent (the one that has the least).
The ratio of the elements are the simplified version of the percentages. It is fixed and hence crucial to the formation of the compound. If there was a change in the ratio, it would make an entirely new substance.
Personal Achievements: In this unit, I'm especially proud of my high test scores and ability to understand most of what I've learned thoroughly.
Chemistry Around the School - We had to scout around the school and find 20 different compounds in any thing, and record the data into a table (picture + compound name + chemical formula). For example, in one of the coffee beans that we've found at the coffee shop, there's caffeine (C8H10N4O2).
Strengths: My strength is the ability to understand the content I've learned in depth—both with the help of a teacher/classmate and independently—and show it (visuals, in-class discussions, etc).
Weaknesses: A weakness of mine is getting confused with some of the vocabulary at times, as they might seem as if they're the same (e.g. compound and molecule). To solve this problem, I searched for meanings of those words and find differences.