Monday, November 19, 2007
Mon-Day 1
Bio- we reviewed for tomorrow's important first test of the second quarter! For your test tomorrow, I have just posted an additional practice worksheet (with answer key) on the DNA mutation that codes for a different-shaped hemoglobin protein that causes red blood cells to have a sickle shape. I also posted a flow chart showing the central dogma of biology, which shows the two distinct/different uses for DNA.
Make sure that you fully write out and DRAW answers to each of the unit objective questions from today. If you do not, then you are not adequately prepared for tomorrow's test. You will be writing these SAME answers and drawing these SAME drawings to help you answer the applied knowledge questions on tomorrow's test.
More than anything, when you read a question tomorrow, DRAW OUT AND PREDICT your answer FIRST. DO NOT look at the answer choices until you have an answer that is AT LEAST related to the question asked. (Oftentimes, just coming up with an example or a synonym of a keyword in the question will put you on the right track.)
Then and ONLY then should you look for an answer that matches or nearly matches your prediction.
Those who do not follow this test-taking advice (and you have NO reason not to follow this advice since it WILL definitely help you) are going to spend a lot of time reading wrong answers that may be true and tempting but will be irrelevant; you will not easily see the relevance of an answer UNLESS you have a predicted answer based on your study of the unit objectives questions.
Chem 7- we reviewed how to calculate the "atomic mass" of an element by taking the WEIGHTED AVERAGE of the element's naturally occurring isotopes. A weighted average takes into account that the more abundant isotopes of an element contribute more to its average mass than do the less abundant isotopes.
We then began a discussion of atomic theory starting with ancient philosophical arguments that posited that matter was made up of indivisible, separate particles called "atomos".
We then began our discussion of how SCIENCE, with its requirement of consistently repeatable physical evidence, unraveled the mystery of the atom, a particle that is too small to ever be seen directly. We will take a tour of the models of the atom that developed, over the past 300 years, in response to new and more detailed, accurate evidence.
On Blackboard tonight, I posted some good review practice worksheets on subatomic particle calculations and definitions. Do them this week and get instant feedback on your answers.
Chem 8/9- we did several problems that involved calculating the number of each type of subatomic particle in a given atom, cation, or anion. We revisited the definitions of isotope, "mass number" ( p + n number, really), atomic number, and nucleon. You should be practicing the tutorials and worksheets that I posted on Blackboard until you can do these calculations quickly and accurately.
We then looked at the calculation of a weighted average (which is how your grades are calculated). We used this fair and logical way to get the average of a sample of particles in order to calculate the "atomic mass" of an element. We take the WEIGHTED AVERAGE of the masses of an element's naturally occurring isotopes. A weighted average takes into account that the more abundant isotopes of an element contribute more to its average mass than do the less abundant isotopes.
We then did a lab that reflects the fact that the atomic mass scale is a relative mass scale that uses the pure C-12 atom as its standard of mass. We will discuss this lab at the beginning of class tomorrow and then you will hand in the lab.
On Blackboard tonight, I posted some good review practice worksheets on subatomic particle calculations and definitions. Do them this week and get instant feedback on your answers.
Make sure that you fully write out and DRAW answers to each of the unit objective questions from today. If you do not, then you are not adequately prepared for tomorrow's test. You will be writing these SAME answers and drawing these SAME drawings to help you answer the applied knowledge questions on tomorrow's test.
More than anything, when you read a question tomorrow, DRAW OUT AND PREDICT your answer FIRST. DO NOT look at the answer choices until you have an answer that is AT LEAST related to the question asked. (Oftentimes, just coming up with an example or a synonym of a keyword in the question will put you on the right track.)
Then and ONLY then should you look for an answer that matches or nearly matches your prediction.
Those who do not follow this test-taking advice (and you have NO reason not to follow this advice since it WILL definitely help you) are going to spend a lot of time reading wrong answers that may be true and tempting but will be irrelevant; you will not easily see the relevance of an answer UNLESS you have a predicted answer based on your study of the unit objectives questions.
Chem 7- we reviewed how to calculate the "atomic mass" of an element by taking the WEIGHTED AVERAGE of the element's naturally occurring isotopes. A weighted average takes into account that the more abundant isotopes of an element contribute more to its average mass than do the less abundant isotopes.
We then began a discussion of atomic theory starting with ancient philosophical arguments that posited that matter was made up of indivisible, separate particles called "atomos".
We then began our discussion of how SCIENCE, with its requirement of consistently repeatable physical evidence, unraveled the mystery of the atom, a particle that is too small to ever be seen directly. We will take a tour of the models of the atom that developed, over the past 300 years, in response to new and more detailed, accurate evidence.
On Blackboard tonight, I posted some good review practice worksheets on subatomic particle calculations and definitions. Do them this week and get instant feedback on your answers.
Chem 8/9- we did several problems that involved calculating the number of each type of subatomic particle in a given atom, cation, or anion. We revisited the definitions of isotope, "mass number" ( p + n number, really), atomic number, and nucleon. You should be practicing the tutorials and worksheets that I posted on Blackboard until you can do these calculations quickly and accurately.
We then looked at the calculation of a weighted average (which is how your grades are calculated). We used this fair and logical way to get the average of a sample of particles in order to calculate the "atomic mass" of an element. We take the WEIGHTED AVERAGE of the masses of an element's naturally occurring isotopes. A weighted average takes into account that the more abundant isotopes of an element contribute more to its average mass than do the less abundant isotopes.
We then did a lab that reflects the fact that the atomic mass scale is a relative mass scale that uses the pure C-12 atom as its standard of mass. We will discuss this lab at the beginning of class tomorrow and then you will hand in the lab.
On Blackboard tonight, I posted some good review practice worksheets on subatomic particle calculations and definitions. Do them this week and get instant feedback on your answers.
# posted by C @ 1:08 PM 
