Balancing Chemical Equations

I just had to share!  A new favorite video!  (Another being this one on Unit Conversions)

I would suggest setting aside about 25 minutes and have paper and pencil handy.  After the first few when you get the hang of it, pause the video and write out each new equation.  Pause often to study the equation and see if you can figure out what the next step should be.  Follow along and write it out as you go.  =)

►Check out Tyler DeWitt's YouTube channel for more videos.  See his playlists, especially the one on Unit Conversions.

This video is now linked and/or embedded in the Chemistry post, and Biology Module 5 Part A and Part B.

Chemistry 101 Tab

I needed a place to save some links and notes for myself so that I would remember what things I'd come across, so I decided to share even though it's not very thorough.

See top for the tab!  =)

Colored Fire!! =)

An exciting activity to test for elements!!
http://chemistry.about.com/od/funfireprojects/a/coloredfire.htm

Let your students do a little research (with direction as needed) on the colors each will produce (John Hudson Tiner's Exploring the World with Chemistry, ch 5, will help if you have it). Or just show them the website. 
Might want to first see what materials you're able to obtain, and which elements your child has learned, then go from there. 

--Chemistry 101 (Wes Olson), chapter 6 mentions when elements are exposed to fire, their gases give off a distinct "fingerprint" of color. 

--We will be reading Tiner's ch. 5 along w/ Chem 101, ch. 3 because of the scientists mentioned and what they discovered. This will be a good time for us to do this experiment!   And watch some Periodic Videos as well!!  http://periodicvideos.com/
(I also want to be learning some of the elements ahead of Chem 101 because he introduces them almost all at once, and because, well, I just don't want to wait, lol.)

More tips about colored fire here: http://chemistry.about.com/cs/howtos/a/aa052703a.htm

We will probably just sprinkle the substance on the fire, but from something with a long handle. 

You can also have your child to do a lab report on this.  Have him fill out the initial part of a lab report, including materials, his predictions, etc (make a chart), then fill in what actually happened and if he had better results for some substances than others, and why he thought that happened.
If you're not sure how to do a lab report, instead of copying one person's method, the best way to learn something is to google and compare several samples so that you know what you want.  =)

Any ideas or thoughts on this experiment?