By 8am Wednesday (September 8, 2010 8:00 AM EST), find and blog about a compound that you think is incredibly interesting. Tell me why based on its properties in your own voice.

+1 on any test you choose (remember, tests are 10 points each) if you complete this in time.

Here’s a good place to start:

List of inorganic compounds – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Even better (+5 points) if the compound you choose is on display and you can point it out at the American Museum of Natural History (which we’ll visit on our D.C. Trip next month!)…

OHIO: Research | Physicists capture first images of atomic spin: “Though scientists argue that the emerging technology of spintronics may trump conventional electronics for building the next generation of faster, smaller, more efficient computers and high-tech devices, no one has actually seen the spin—a quantum mechanical property of electrons—in individual atoms until now.”

Exciting news.

Go read the rest of the article (there may be some extra credit available tomorrow based on the article).

Iceberg breaks in Antarctica not where expected: “With the dramatic crash of an iceberg against a glacier that dislodged a massive new chunk of ice, the mysterious continent of Antarctica once again did the unexpected.”

A big chunk of extra credit if you can figure out what happened and why it might matter (both for our studies of waves as well as the future of our planet’s climate). You’ll have to reflect back on our studies of elements, forces, pressure and waves.

And no… there is no “right” or “wrong” answer and you certainly can’t contain your hypothesis in one sentence, word or even paragraph

Check back by 5pm for those.

If you’d like some extra credit, make a triangle bigger than yourself out of some material (has to be 3D not a drawing, etc), take a picture/video of your creation (and you so we’ll know you’re not cheating) and post it in the links below or in the wall over on the side. The triangle must be able to stand up (not just lay on the floor or ground).

Worth 3 points and due by 2/16/10 at 8:00am EST

Facts About Dihydrogen Monoxide: “Dihydrogen Monoxide (DHMO) is a colorless and odorless chemical compound, also referred to by some as Dihydrogen Oxide, Hydrogen Hydroxide, Hydronium Hydroxide, or simply Hydric acid. Its basis is the highly reactive hydroxyl radical, a species shown to mutate DNA, denature proteins, disrupt cell membranes, and chemically alter critical neurotransmitters. The atomic components of DHMO are found in a number of caustic, explosive and poisonous compounds such as Sulfuric Acid, Nitroglycerine and Ethyl Alcohol.”

Dihydrogen monoxide:
- is called “hydroxyl acid”, the substance is the major component of acid rain.
- contributes to the “greenhouse effect”.
- may cause severe burns.
- is fatal if inhaled.
- contributes to the erosion of our natural landscape.
- accelerates corrosion and rusting of many metals.
- may cause electrical failures and decreased effectiveness of automobile brakes.
- has been found in excised tumors of terminal cancer patients.

Despite the danger, dihydrogen monoxide is often used:
- as an industrial solvent and coolant.
- in nuclear power plants.
- in the production of Styrofoam.
- as a fire retardant.
- in many forms of cruel animal research.
- in the distribution of pesticides. Even after washing, produce remains contaminated by this chemical.
- as an additive in certain “junk-foods” and other food products.

What should we do about the Dihydrogen Monoxide problem? Should Dihydrogen Monoxide be banned?

Make sure to use your brain