Saturday, February 24, 2007

You Don't Want to Drown Them...

Yet another quote from my Organic Chemistry Lab professor has emerged! This week we did an experiment called Qualitative Analysis. This is different from our normal experiments, since we are not actually collecting numerical data (yield, weight, melting points, etc.). We simply reacted compounds with testing reagents and recorded our observations. The testing reagents react with the known compounds and create colorful solutions or solids that precipitate out, due to the makeup of the compound. For example, one reagent may be used to test if a product has OH groups (alcohols, carboxylic acids) or if there are double bonds (C=C). It's actually very interesting, and some beautiful colors can be seen in some of the reactions.

This quote comes into play when we were discussing how to set up the experiment. She wanted us to use our "baby test tubes," which only hold about five milliliters of liquid. For parts of the experiment, we had to set up a water bath with hot or boiling water, and for that you need a beaker. Some of my classmates took out 250- or even 400-mL beakers to put the so-called "baby test tubes" in, and she about had a conniption. She then said, "Take our your 100-mL beakers to put your baby test tubes in; you don't want to drown them!" She of course was referring to the fact that we didn't want our baby test tubes to be under water, since that would ruin the mixtures. Still, it was quite funny that she phrased it that way!

Next week is my last week of classes before Spring Break (Yay!). I have a test and homework due in Organic Chemistry, a paper in English, a test and homework due in Statistics, a paper and a test in Psychology, and two three lab reports due in Chemistry Lab. That's a full week, isn't it? But I will be glad once it's over, since we haven't had a real break since we came back from Christmas. (Unless, of course, you count my two snow days.) As for me, I think I will go out for a walk, since it has been a tad bit warmer lately around here. I hope everyone has a great weekend, and I will try to post once more before I leave for break.

3 comments:

Tim B. said...

Hope you enjoyed the weather Saturday.

You're likely getting hammered with snow and ice today. If not now, then soon.

Sean M. said...

Snow and ice? Are you kidding? It's 47 degrees outside right now! You must be thinking of north of Cincinnati, because all we have had is rain. There's a possibility of rain/snow mix tonight, but it's going to be too warm! I think the snow season is over...

This is odd; my word verification is Frida!

paulette said...

Previous post. Hawthorne and his Seven Gabels. Beneficience was not the word that had us giggling all the way to Florida. It just came to me. It was Benignity.