#SciStuChat – Surviving a year in space

Every month, there is a #SciStuChat Twitter chat for students all over North America to communicate with scientists on a different theme. In October, the theme is “Surviving a year in space” and the chat will be Thursday (October 8) from 9-10PM:

Astronaut Scott Kelly is spending a year in space on the International Space Station, and his Russian counterpart cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko is doing the same thing. On Sept 15 they reached the halfway point of the#yearinspace. The major purpose of the #yearinspace is to learn the demands the human body requires to make the trip to Mars. 

You can find more information here. Since some of you have not participated in a Twitter chat before, I put a few tips together. This is an optional activity, but I recommend it. You will have the opportunity to ask real scientists questions!

If you want to see tweets during the chat

  1. Go to https://twitter.com/hashtag/SciStuChat
  2. Under the #SciStuChat banner, select “Live”
  3. As new tweets come in, you will be notified at the top of the page

If you want to participate

  • Click on the Log-In link in the top right corner and enter your Twitter username and password
  • To tweet, click on the Tweet button in the top right corner of the window. Don’t forget to add the #SciStuChat hashtag every time!
  • Use the Q & A format.
    question and answer
  • To respond to someone else’s tweet, use one of the buttons below their tweet:

responding

I will be following along with you! Good luck!

 

Kinetic Molecular Theory worksheet

For the worksheet, you will be using these two simulations:

Gas Properties

Gas Properties

Click to Run

You can also access the Gas Properties simulation by going here and clicking the blue Download button.

 

States of Matter

States of Matter

Click to Run

You can also access the States of Matter simulation by going here and clicking the blue Download button.

Gases objectives

We are just starting the Gases unit. Here are the big picture questions that I would like you to keep in mind while we’re working through this unit:

  • Why are certain gases better suited for specific uses?
  • How can you handle gases safely?
  • What is the difference between a real gas and an ideal gas?

In addition, here is a summary of what you are responsible for in this unit:

# Objective Must-do Activities Videos
1 Associate the use of certain gases in various applications with their chemical reactivity Chemical Reactivity assignment Reactivity
2 Explain the behavior of a gas using kinetic theory KMT Worksheet KMT
3 Apply the general gas law
(P1V1/n1T1 = P2V2/n2T2)
Gas Laws Worksheet

Boyle’s Law lab
Charles’ Law lab

Pressure, Real vs. Ideal, General gas law, Boyle, Charles, Gay-Lussac, Avogadro
 4 Apply the ideal gas law
(PV = nRT)
Gas Laws Worksheet

Yeast lab

Real vs. Ideal, Ideal Gas Law
Stoichiometry & Gases
5 Apply the law of partial pressures.
(ptotal = ppA + ppB + ppC + …)
Dalton’s Law Reflection Dalton
6 Calculate the number of moles of a gas at STP or SATP. Molar volume worksheet Molar Volume