Separation of a Mixture Lab

     Recently in science, we did a lab about separating mixtures. The purpose of the lab was to separate a heterogeneous mixture, one that is not evenly mixed,  of different compounds. After separating the solution, the goal is to end up with the same amount of each substance we began with. Each group began by mixing 10 grams of salt, 10 grams of sand, 100 mL of water, 15 grams of corn kernels, and 5 grams of iron filings in a beaker. Using different tools and items found in the room, we had to separate each component.
     My group began by removing the iron filings with a magnet and coffee filter. Next, we used another filter and a strainer to remove the sand and corn. The salt was not removed because it had dissolved in the water. Finally, we put out beaker containing salt water and put it in the microwave. Most of the water evaporated away, leaving behind the salt. After completing the lab, we had to write a lab write-up and turn it in along with a table including all the data from our experiment.

Mixtures and Solutions

     The eigth grade science class is curenttly learning about mixtures and solutions. A substance is matter that is always made up of the same combination of atoms. There are two types of substances; elements and compounds.  An element is made up of only one type of atom such as Nitrogen (N).  A compound is matter made of atoms of two or more elements chemically bonded together, such as water (H₂O).  A mixture is two or more substances that are physically blended, but are not chemically blended together.  A good example of a mixture is air.  It contains seventy eight percent nitrogen, twenty one percent of oxygen, and one percent of other substances.  There are two types of mixtures; heterogeneous and homogeneous.  A heterogeneous mixture is a mixture in which substances are not evenly mixed, such as granite.  A homogeneous mixture is a mixture in which two or more substances are evenly mixed on an atomic level, but not blended together.  The individual atoms or compounds of each substance are mixed.  Another name for a homogeneous mixture is a solution.  In a solution there is a solvent, and a solute.  A solute is the substance that exists in the greatest quantity in a solution.  All other substances in a solution are solutes.

                                                               Heterogenous Mixture

Emma V. 

AMC8 Math Tests

Tomorrow we will be doing a test in math that we do every year. This test is called the AMC8 test. This test is a math test with 25 questions on it. Every student has to try to complete the test in the 45 minute class period. If you don't finish however, there's nothing you can do and you have to submit it as is. THe AMC8 test is like a math test to see how you rank up to other people throught your school and the country in math. So on Thursday we will take the AMC8 test. The AMC8 tests are all word problems that require lots of critical thinking and evaluation. After you take it, a few weeks later the school will announce the top 3 students in each grade. I can't wait for the AMC8 tests!

 

Thanks giving brake is coming up I am really excited.  hope everybody enjoys their thanksgiving with their families and friends.  be thankful and remember the true meaning of thanksgiving. 
this year for my thanksgiving brake I am heading off to Missouri to spend time with my mom's side of the family.  we have been celebrating thanksgiving with them for the past couple of years and I have enjoyed it every year we always have a blast and we have lots of fun.  where are you going for your thanksgiving brake this year.  I hope you all enjoy yourselves and have lots of fun. 

We Help Food Drive

For the next 2 weeks we have started a food drive. We are collecting cans to donate to the shelter. In the middle school we are having a completion against the 7th graders. Whoever collects the most cans , then there class gets to have a crazy sock day. In honor of our food drive next Thursday the 8th graders will head over to sort cans for the shelter, and make sandwiches. Also if you don't want to bring in just cans you can bring in eight dollars, which will provide a turkey for someone who can't afford a meal on Thanksgiving. Each turkey is worth ten points. This We help Food Drive, isn't just for the holidays it runs all year around. The food drive will end this coming Friday. Hopefully the 8th graders will win to get the crazy sock day! This food drive mainly is focusing on Thanksgiving meals for the families that can't afford a meal, or don't have the things that are needed to prepare it. 

Chemical Reaction Rate Project

This week in science we learned about the rate of chemical reactions and how to speed them up or slow them down. On Tuesday we were assigned a project where we would have to create and experiment that demonstrates a way to slow down or speed up a chemical reaction. For my demonstration I decided to use baking soda and vinegar. When the products mix they create a chemical reaction that causes the reactants to fizz. I demonstrated that you could increase the concentration of the powder and vinegar to increase the reaction rate, or decrease it to slow down the reaction rate. 

Science Chemical Reactions Lab

Over the past few weeks the 8th Grade a science class was working on a Chemcial reactions lab. We had 19 different compounds that we had to put together. All of them had different chemicals and substances within them. Most of them had to do with fizzing or creating a solid from a liquid. I enjoyed learning about chemical reactions and doing this really fun lab.

Next week we'll be helping with the We Help organization. The whole eighth grade class will be making sandwiches for the people who can't afford food for them to eat on Sunday. We had the president of We Help come talk to us yesterday about all the food they give out, and how much they do for the community. Sure it's not the funnest thing in the world, but it's a good thing to so for the community.      

Spanish grammar

In 8th grade advanced Spanish we are learning some grammar. We are learning demonstrative adjectives, which we have already learn in language arts class. They are, this, that,these, and those. Also the forms of them in Spanish depend on if the object you're referring to is close, not close, or far away. We did many practices with this in our books with pictures and we would say where the object was, and what it was. So for example if I were to say "That book" (referring to it close) it would be " este libro". So depending on where something is and if it is or masculine or not, that is where you would pick what form and the location of it. 

Science chemical lab

In science, we are doing a lab to see what reacts with what. We are testing and seeing what happens when we mix different chemicals together.  We started last week and finished today. My group was Lauren and Evan. It was fun to see the chemicals react with eachother. (By kyra)

Pic Collage

Last week in language arts, 7th grade had to do a project. We had to make a collage using pictures that represent ourselves. I put volleyball, friend, and pet pictures because those all represent me. We make the collage how ever we wanted to suing any app. I used Pic Collage and it worked great. It was really easy to use! It didn't take me very long to do, but it was hard trying to fit all the pictures in. I wish we could have presented them in class. I wanted to say what all my picture were. It was a really fun project and I hope to do something like that again!

Junkyard Ear

This week in science, we are doing a project on the human ear. The goal of this project is to make a model of an ear and see if all the parts will send vibrations through the whole ear when a loud sound is produced. I think my group will do very well on this project together. Sydney, Haiden, Abi and I have already come up with a plan in order for this experiment to work. So far, we will use a small dog cone for the pinna, which is the outside of the ear that funnels the sound into the ear canal. Then, we will use paper for the ear canal, and ceran wrap for the ear drum so that it will vibrate easily. Then, we will use toothpicks for the malleus and the stapes. The incus will be represented by the bottom of a small paper cup. These 3 bones are the smallest in your body, and we really needed them to vibrate well. We will use a balloon for the cochlea. Inside we will put dog and bunny fur to represent the hair inside the cochlea that plays a very important part in sound traveling through the ear. A straw will be inside the balloon to represent the auditory nerve which send the signal to the brain. Finally, we will use a monster straw to act like the Eustachian tube. We are very excited to test our model out. I hope it works!

Science Dimensional Analysis

It's that time of year again...mid terms! Even though they seem so far away it's only a little bit over a month until the semiannual exams begin. In Science class we recently did a lesson that took two class periods to complete that contained material only to be found on our mid term. What we learned in class is called dimensional analysis and the 8th graders already learned a form of it in math earlier in the school year. Dimensional analysis is the process of converting something from one unit to the other. For example, you could find out how many meters are equivalent to five kilometers. There's also a more difficult version of this called double decker dimensional analysis which is twice the work. I'm explaining this all in a nutshell because if the insane name didn't give it away: this is very hard! I'm not confused though because we went over numerous, in depth examples during class and I copied everything down to the best of my ability. I actually found dimensional analysis very interesting and know that it will help me in the real world. Let's just hope I understand it enough to do well on my Science mid term! Good luck everyone!