October 21 Homework

Entry for October 21, 2007
Howdy Chem buds,

My Halogen of the week:

Bromine is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Br and atomic number 35. A halogen element, bromine is a red volatile liquid at standard room temperature which has a reactivity between chlorine and iodine. This element is corrosive to human tissue in a liquid state and its vapours irritate the eyes and throat. Bromine vapours are very toxic upon inhalation. It is a heavy, mobile, reddish-brown liquid, that evaporates easily at standard temperature and pressures in a red vapor (its color resembles nitrogen dioxide) that has a strong disagreeable odor resembling that of chlorine. It bonds easily with many elements and has a strong bleaching action. Certain bromine-related compounds have been evaluated to have an ozone depletion potential or bioaccumulate in living organisms. As a result many industrial bromine compounds are no longer manufactured, are being restricted, or scheduled for phase out of manufacturing processes.


The Portuguese Electrochemistry Toy Site:

This looks like fun! I would love to try out the polariscope and the boat. I might like to recruit my boyfriend to help me out. I'll need to buy a plastic rod, mylar films, plug, polarizers and a plastic tube. That seems easy enough. It would be great to have some time set aside to work with our class on some of these things. Actually, I would love if each of us had to choose a different one for a homework assignment and then we could all bring them in and share them one week. This kind of thing would definitely get kids in school more interested.


Alchemy:

I do think alchemy is a little of all three: science, magic and art.