(FINAL) Taruni Singanamala (Class of 2022) - Blue Science Portfolio (1)

 
As you can see from the picture, in solids, all the molecules are packed and compressed 
together, in liquids, they are mobile, and in gases, they are completely independent from each 
other.  
3. Discuss the energy needed to change a 15 gram ice cube into steam. Use a graph and one 
calculation from our unit on Phase Changes. 
Heat = 15g × 333.6 J/g 

Heat = 5004 J 
Heat = 15g × (100 - 0)C × 4.178 J/g C 
Heat = 15g × 100 C × 4.178 J/g C 

Heat = 6267 J 
Heat = 15g × 2257 J/g 
Heat = 33,855 J or 3.3855 × 104​ ​ J  

As you can see, from the process of melting the ice cube (Heat of Fusion), it would be 
represented as the mass of the ice cube times the Heat of Fusion for water, which is 15 grams 
times 333.6 joules per gram. The result would be 5,004 joules. To heat it up to the boiling point, 
the equation is the mass of the ice cube, 15 grams, times the change in the starting temperature 
and final temperature, 100 C - 0 C = 100 C, times the specific heat of water. This leads to an 
answer of 6267 joules. Finally, turning it into steam (Heat of Vaporization), the mass of the ice 
cube, 15 grams, would be multiplied by the Heat of Vaporization for water; in this case, it is 2257 
joules per gram. Therefore, this leads to 33,855 joules in total, which is the overall amount of 
energy needed to convert a 15 gram ice cube to steam.  
 

 
4. What is the difference between Heat and Temperature? Provide a definition, picture and video 
link to help you review. 

Heat is form of energy from the movement of atoms while temperature is a measure of 
the average kinetic energy in a system. For example, there can be two beakers of different 
volumes having the same temperature, but they will have different amounts of heat energy 

because it took more work to raise the 
temperature of a beaker with a larger 
volume than a beaker with a smaller 
volume.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Video:  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf_6fpNbaR0  
5. Construct a graph showing the average monthly temperatures in Hartford, CT., a city on the 
equator and a city in the Southern Hemisphere. 
Questions: 
1. What do you notice about the temperatures? 
a. In Hartford, USA, the temperatures get warmer throughout the summer and 
colder throughout the winter. In Sydney, Australia, the temperatures get colder 
throughout the summer and warmer throughout the winter. In Pontianak, 
Indonesia, the temperature is constant throughout no matter the season.  
2. How is heat transferred throughout the Earth? 
a. As you can see from the graph, the farther away a location is from the equator, 
the more temperature fluctuations it will have. Additionally, places in the northern 
hemisphere are generally colder in the winter and warmer in the summer, and vice 
versa for places in the southern hemisphere.  

 
 
4. How is Steam used to create electricity in Power Plants? 
A. Coal Plant 

When water is heated into steam, it turns a turbine which powers an electric generator. 
This produces the electricity we use day to day.  
B. Natural Gas Plant 

The energy is created mostly inside a gas turbine, where gas is ignited to make 
high-temperature combustion heat, which turns the turbine and produces electricity from the 
generator connected to it.  
C. Nuclear Plant 

In a nuclear plant, energy is produced by splitting atoms inside nuclear reactors, heating 
up the water in the reactor until it vaporizes into steam. In turn, the steam moves a turbine 
which powers a generator, creating electricity.  
D. Where did Fossil Fuels originate? 

Fossil fuels formed millions of years ago from the decomposition of ancient organisms. 
E. What is the difference between Renewable and NonRenewable forms of energy? 

Renewable energy is electricity conceived from recyclable matter that can be replenished 
through time. Non-renewable energy, on the other hand, is electricity that is made from 
resources that won’t ever be replaced again. Because of their characteristics, renewable energy 
is much more efficient.  

 
Part II - Water, Orange Juice and Vegetable Oil 
1. Conduct an experiment to determine the Heat Gained by 20 g of each substance 
2. You must measure the mass of Orange Juice and Vegetable Oil. 
3. Research the Specific Heats of Orange Juice and Vegetable Oil in Calories/g C not in Joules. 
4. Make a data table 
5. Construct a 3 Line graph for 2 minutes of data collection - 1 pt every 10 seconds 
6. Write a conclusion about your results. 
 
Data Table 

Water  Alcohol 

time (minutes)  Temperature  Temperature 

0  80  80 

0.5  78  80 

1  76  78 

1.5  75  76 

2  73  75 

2.5  72  74 

3  71  72 

3.5  69  71 

4  67  70 

4.5  66  69 

5  65  68 

5.5  64  68 

6  62  67 

6.5  61  66 

7  60  64 

7.5  59  63 

8  58  62.5 

8.5  58  62 

9  57  61 
9.5  56  60 
10  55  58.5 

Graph 

 
Critical Thinking Questions 
1. What happens to the molecules in each of the beakers as heat is added? 

As heat is slowly added, the molecules retain more and more energy, causing them to 
move at a greater speed and break away the atomic attraction they normally have at lower 
temperatures.  
2. Which substance showed the greatest temperature change? Least? Use data 

Water showed the greatest temperature change, while alcohol showed the least. From the 
graph, both substances start out with the same temperature of 80 C, but eventually the water 
ends up having a lower final temperature of 55 C compared to alcohol’s final temperature of 58 C. 
Both  cooled  down  in  the  same  duration,  so  this  suggests that water has a fasting cooling rate 
than alcohol, and thus a greater temperature change.  
3. Which substance does research say should show the greatest temperature decrease? Least? 
Why? How does this relate to Specific Heat? 

As  stated  above,  water  has  the  greatest  temperature  change,  or decrease, and alcohol 
had  the  least  temperature  change/decrease.  This  relates  to  Specific  Heat  because  it  can  be 

assumed that the specific heat of a substance correlates with temperature change. Water, as it 
is known, has a greater specific heat than other substances like alcohol, so it takes more energy 
to raise it up one degree C. As a result, it can be hypothesized that water is less able to retain 
heat than alcohol and will lose heat faster.  
4. How does Average Kinetic Energy relate to this experiment? 

Average Kinetic Energy relates to this experiment because as the amount of heat added 
to a substance increases, the kinetic energy of the molecules inside that substance will also 
increase. Since the amount of heat will directly correlate with the amount of kinetic energy, 
kinetic energy is related to the experiment.  
5. Why is water a great substance to put into a car engine radiator? 

Water is a great substance to use inside car engine radiators because water has a 
greater specific heat compared to other compounds, which will make it harder to heat up. When 
using a car, a lot of energy is produced, which gives off heat, so by utilizing water, the heat is 
more efficiently absorbed and there will be less of a probability for the car to suffer damages 
from overheating.  
 
Practice Calculation 
1. How much heat was gained by a 50 g sample of Orange Juice that increased its temperature 
from 35 C to 75 C? 

Heat Gain = Mass × ΔT × specific heat  
Heat Gain = 0.05 kg × (75 C - 35 C) × 0.89 Kcal/kg 
Heat Gain = 0.05 kg × 40 C × 0.89 Kcal/kg 

Heat Gain = 1780 cal 
2. How much heat was gained by a 350 g sample of Vegetable oil that increased its temperature 
from 24 C to 95 C? 

Heat Gain = Mass × ΔT × specific heat 
Heat Gain = 0.35 kg × (95 C - 24 C) × 0.4 Kcal/kg 
Heat Gain = 0.35 kg × 71 C × 0.4 Kcal/kg 

Heat Gain = 9940 cal 
Lopez Lab 
Water (32 - 23) Oil (39-23) 
http://www.kentchemistry.com/links/Energy/SpecificHeat.htm 
Use this to help solve problems 
 
6. Lab Experiment:  

*Conduct an experiment that tests 3 different cups for their ability to insulate. 
A. Conduct experiment 
B. Create Data Table - Include Specific Heat 
C. Write short conclusion paragraph that relates your data to research about the effectiveness 
of the 3 materials to provide insulation 
Critical Thinking - Choose 2 out of 3 to research 
Provide pictures 
 
 
Heat  

1. How is your home insulated? Research the “R” value system for insulation. 
A house is insulated by using insulation materials, such as cellulose, fiberglass, and mineral 

wool to reduce heat gain from conduction, convection and radiation. Conduction is the flow of 
heat from one material to another, convection is the circulation of heat, and radiation is the 
emission of energy waves through materials. In the winter, heat from the interior of the house 
can flow to the outside, and likewise, in the summer heat from the outside can travel to the 
interior. By reducing heat gain, a house can keep a comfortable temperature year-long. Insulation 
can measured by how efficient it is at resisting heat, which is called the R-value system. The 
higher the R-value is, the better a material is at insulating.  

 

 

https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/weatherize/insulation  

 
3. How does the atmosphere act as an insulator? 

The atmosphere soaks in the sun’s heat and keeps it inside its layers, warming the Earth 
throughout day and night. This process is known as the Greenhouse Effect. It won’t let heat from 
the Earth escape into outer space, nor will it allow heat from outer space to penetrate into 
Earth.  
https://www.ducksters.com/science/atmosphere.php  

 

 
2. Specific Heat Lab 

 
 
 
I. Investigation Design  

A. Problem Statement:  

Find the specific heat of a metal compared to water 

 
B. Hypothesis: (Hint: Something about comparing metals to water - use increase or decrease) 

If the specific heat of a metal is found, then it would be less than the specific heat of the 
water, because metals are better conductors of heat than water.  

 
C. Independent Variable: x 

Aluminum   Zinc     

 

D. Dependent Variable: y 

Specific Heat  

 
E. Constants: 

Amount of water (mL)  Volume of beaker   Starting temperature of 
water 

 
F. Control: 

*What substance makes good control in many labs? 

Good ‘ol Water  

 
G. Materials: (List with numbers) 
​ 1. Triple Balance Beam 
2. Calorimeter 
3. Glass Beakers 
4. Metal Object 
5. Thermometer 
6. Tongs 

 
H. Procedures: (List with numbers and details) 
1. Gather materials. 
2. Measure mass of metal on triple beam, and balance to nearest tenth of gram and record. 
3. Fill Calorimeter Cup (Foam coffee cup) with exactly 100 grams of water using a graduated 
cylinder. 
4. Record temperature of water in calorimeter cup to nearest tenth of degree Celsius. 
5. Fill glass beaker halfway with hot water and submerge metal in beaker. 
6. Leave metal in hot water until the temperature stops rising.   
7. Record the hot water temperature after temperature stops rising. - M​ etal Initial Temp​. 
8. Use tongs to remove metal from hot water and carefully place into calorimeter cup and 
close lid with thermometer placed in spout. 
9. Record Final Temperature for Metal and Water after the water temperature stops rising. 
10. Perform the calculations using the examples discussed in class - Record Specific Heat for 
the metal. 

 

A. Heat Gained Water = mass of water * Change in temp of water * Specific Heat of Water 
 
B. Heat Lost Metal = Mass of metal * Change in Temp of Metal * Specific Heat of Metal 
 
II. Data Collection 

A. Qualitative Observations: (Describe the metals using characteristics) 
Aluminum:​ Shiny luster, light-silver color, soft and smooth texture 

  Zinc: S​ hiny luster, bluish-silver, brittle and smooth texture  
B. Quantitative Observations: (Key data) 
1. Data Table 
 

Aluminum  27.1 - 24.7  77.8 - 27.1 =  240  240  0.238 
19.9  100 = 2.4  50.7 

23.6 - 22.1  75.8 - 23.6 
Zinc  30.1  100 = 1.5  = 52.2  150  150  0.095 

 
 
 
 
 
 

2. Graph - Metal and Specific Heat 
*Compare your results to Periodic Table (Think about this graph) 

  

3. Calculations - Show examples of how you solved for specific heat (2 or 3 examples) 
Aluminum​:  
Mass: 19.9 g  
Heat Gain = 100 mL × (27.1-24.7) × 1 cal/g 
= 100 × 2.4 × 1 cal/g 

= 240 cal 
Heat Loss = 19.9 g × (77.8 - 27.1) × specific heat 

240 = 19.9 g × 50.7 × specific heat 
240 = 1008.93 × specific heat 

SH = 0.238 cal/g  
 

Real Specific Heat of Aluminum = 0.215 cal/g 
% Error:​ ​ 9.7% 

 
Zinc: 
Mass: 30.1 g  
Heat Gain = 100 mL × (23.6-22.1) × 1 cal/g  
= 100 × 1.5 × 1 cal/g  

= 150 cal 
Heat Loss = 30.1 g × (75.8 - 23.6) × specific heat 

150 = 30.1 × 52.2 × specific heat 
150 = 1571.22 × specific heat  

SH= 0.095 cal/g 
 

Real Specific Heat of Zinc = 0.093 cal/g 
% Error: 2.1% 
 
 
IV. Research 
1. How does Specific Heat relate to a real life application? 
(Land/Sea Breezes, Cooking, Mercury in Thermometers?, Water in engines, think of others…) 
2. Include 2 sources for evidence 

 
Application of Specific Heat to Smelting Metal  
 

Smelting is a process where metal ore is heated beyond its melting point and mixed with a 

reducing agent, typically carbon coke, to get rid of the ore and extract out base metals for other 

purposes. It is part of a branch of metallurgical engineering called extractive metallurgy. Smelting 

involves  the  dynamics  of  thermochemistry  because  metals,  even  metal  alloys,  have  their  own 

specific heat, so variables such as heat gain/heat loss or how much reducing agent will be needed 

varies.  You  don’t  want  to  overheat  a  metal  or  barely  reach  melting  point  for  the  extraction 

procedure  to  happen.  For  example,  the  specific  heat  and melting point of copper is 0.092 cal/g 
and 1,085 ℃, respectively. Malachite, on the other hand, has a specific heat of 0.18 cal/g and a 
melting point of about 112 ℃. Since the properties of copper and malachite differ largely, those 

certain  temperatures  would  be  essential.  Therefore,  applying  the  knowledge  of  specific  heat is 

crucial to the field of smelting.  

 

Sources: 

https://www.britannica.com/technology/smelting  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extractive_metallurgy  

 

 

 

 

 

 

8. SPECIFIC HEAT WORKSHEET 
WORKSHEET LINK​ - Use this worksheet and show your work 

 
DIRECTIONS:​ Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 
 

1. A​ 15.75-g p​ iece of iron absorbs​ 1086.75 joules​ of heat energy, and its temperature 
changes from 2​ 5°C to 175°C.​ Calculate the specific heat capacity of iron.  

Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 
1086.75 J = 15.75 g * 150°C * specific heat 
1086.75 J = 2362.5 g°C * specific heat 
Specific Heat of Iron = 0.46 J/g°C 

 
2. How many joules of heat are needed to raise the temperature of 10.0 g of aluminum from 
22°C to 55°C, if the specific heat of aluminum is 0.90 J/g°C?  

Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 
Heat = 10 g * 33 C * 0.9 J/g°C 

Heat = 297 J 

3. To what temperature will a 50.0 g piece of glass raise if it absorbs 5275 joules of heat 

and its specific heat capacity is 0.50 J/g°C? The initial temperature of the glass is 

20.0°C.  
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

5275 = 50 g * (final temperature - 20°C) * 0.5 J/g°C 

5275 = 25 J°C * (final temperature - 20 °C) 

(final temperature - 20°C) = 211°C 

Final temperature = 231°C 
4. Calculate the heat capacity of a piece of wood if 1500.0 g of the wood absorbs 6.75×104​  

joules of heat, and its temperature changes from 32°C to 57°C.  
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

67,500 J = 1500 g * (57°C - 32°C) * specific heat 

67,500 J = 1500 g * 25°C * specific heat  

67,500 J = 37,500 g°C * specific heat  

Specific Heat = 1.8 J/g°C 

5. 100.0 mL of 4.0°C water is heated until its temperature is 37°C. If the specific heat of 

water is 4.18 J/g°C, calculate the amount of heat energy needed to cause this rise in 

temperature.  
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

Heat = 100 g * (37°C - 4°C) * 4.18 J/g°C 

Heat = 100 g * 33°C * 4.18 J/g°C 

Heat = 13,794 J 

6. 25.0 g of mercury is heated from 25°C to 155°C, and absorbs 455 joules of heat in the 

process. Calculate the specific heat capacity of mercury.  
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

455 J = 25 g * (155°C - 25°C) * specific heat 

455 J = 25 g * 130°C * specific heat  

455 J = 3250 g°C * specific heat 

Specific heat = 0.14 J/g°C  
7. What is the specific heat capacity of silver metal if 55.00 g of the metal absorbs 47.3 

calories​ of heat and the temperature rises 15.0°C?  
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

47.3 cal = 55 g * 15°C * specific heat 

47.3 cal = 825 g°C * specific heat  

Specific heat = 0.057 cal/g°C  

 

8. If a sample of chloroform is initially at 25°C, what is its final temperature if 150.0 g of 

chloroform absorbs 1000 joules of heat, and the specific heat of chloroform is 0.96 

J/g°C? 
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

1000 J = 150 g * (final temperature - 25°C) * 0.96 J/g°C 

1000 J = 144 J°C * (final temperature - 25°C) 

(final temperature - 25°C) = 6.94°C  

Final temperature = 31.94°C 

9. How much energy must be absorbed by 20.0 g of water to increase its temperature from 
283.0 °C to 303.0 °C? (Cp of H​2O​ = 4.184 J/g °C) 

Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

Heat = 20 g * (303°C - 283°C) * 4.184 J/g°C 

Heat = 1673.6 J 

10. When 15.0 g of steam drops in temperature from 275.0 °C to 250.0 °C, how much heat 

energy is released?  
(Cp of H​2​O = 4.184 J/g °C) 

Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

Heat = 15 g * (275°C - 250°C) * 4.184 J/g°C 

Heat = 1569 J  
11. How much energy is required to heat 120.0 g of water from 2.0 °C to 24.0 °C? (Cp of H​2O​  
= 4.184 J/g °C) 
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

Heat = 120 g * (24°C - 2°C) * 4.184 J/g°C 

Heat = 11,045.76 J 

12. How much heat (in J) is given out when 85.0 g of lead cools from 200.0 °C to 10.0 °C? (Cp 

of Pb = 0.129 J/g °C) 
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

Heat = 85 g * (200°C - 10°C) * 0.129 J/g°C 

Heat = 2083.35 J 

13. If it takes 41.72 joules to heat a piece of gold weighing 18.69 g from 10.0 °C to 27.0 °C, 

what is the specific heat of the gold? 
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

41.72 J = 18.69 g * (27°C - 10°C) * specific heat  

41.72 J = 317.73 g°C * specific heat  

Specific Heat = 0.131 J/g°C  

14. A certain mass of water was heated with 41,840 Joules, raising its temperature from 22.0 
°C to 28.5 °C. Find the mass of the water, in grams. (Cp of H2​ O​ = 4.184 J/g °C) 
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

41,840 J = mass * (28.5°C - 22°C) * 4.184 J/g°C 

41,840 J = mass * 27.196 J/g 

Mass = 1538.46 g  

15. How many joules of heat are needed to change 50.0 grams of ice at -15.0 °C to steam at 

120.0 °C?  
(Cp of H​2​O = 4.184 J/g °C) 

Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

Heat = 50 g * (120°C + 15°C) * 4.184 J/g°C 
Heat = 28,242 J  
16. Calculate the number of joules given off when 32.0 grams of steam cools from 110.0 °C 
to ice at -40.0 °C.  
(Cp of H2​ ​O = 4.184 J/g °C) 
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 

Heat = 32 g * (110°C + 40°C) * 4.184 J/g°C 
Heat = 20,083.2 J 
17. The specific heat of ethanol is 2.46 J/g o​ ​C. Find the heat required to raise the 
temperature of 193 g of ethanol from 19o​ ​C to 35​oC​ . 
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 
Heat = 193 g * (35°C - 19°C) * 2.46 J/g°C 
Heat = 7596.48 J 
18. When a 120 g sample of aluminum (Al) absorbs 9612 J of energy, its temperature 
increases from 25o​ C​ to 115o​ ​C. Find the specific heat of aluminum. 
Heat​ = mass * change in temperature * Specific Heat 
9612 J = 120 g * (115°C - 25°C) * specific heat 
9612 J = 10,800 g°C * specific heat 
specific heat = 0.89 J/g°C 
 

 

Electricity 

 

1. Scientist Report 

 

Rosalind Franklin: The Unsung Hero of DNA 

 

British chemist Rosalind Elsie Franklin was born into an affluent and influential Jewish family on 

July 25, 1920, in Notting Hill, London, England. She displayed exceptional intelligence from early 

childhood, knowing from the age of 15 that she wanted to be a scientist. She received her 

education at several schools, including North London Collegiate School, where she excelled in 

science, among other things. Rosalind Franklin enrolled at Newnham College, Cambridge, in 1938 

and studied chemistry. In 1941, she was awarded Second Class Honors in her finals, which, at that 

time, was accepted as a bachelor's degree in the qualifications for 

employment. She went on to work as an assistant research officer at the 

British Coal Utilisation Research Association, where she studied the 

porosity of coal—work that was the basis of her 1945 Ph.D. thesis "The 

physical chemistry of solid organic colloids with special reference to coal." In the fall of 1946, 

Franklin was appointed at the Laboratoire Central des Services Chimiques de l'Etat in Paris, 

where she worked with crystallographer Jacques Mering. He taught her X-ray diffraction, which 

would play an important role in her research that led to the discovery of "the secret of 

life"—the structure of DNA. In addition, Franklin pioneered the use of X-rays to create images 

of crystalline solids in analyzing complex, unorganized matter, not just single crystals. 

 

Moving on to Franklin’s scientific discoveries, in January 1951, Franklin began working as a 

research associate at the King's College London in the biophysics unit, where director John 

Randall used her expertise and X-ray diffraction techniques (mostly of proteins and lipids in 

solution) on DNA fibers. Studying DNA structure with X-ray diffraction, Franklin and her student 

Raymond Gosling made an amazing discovery: They took pictures of DNA and discovered that 

there were two forms of it, a dry "A" form and a wet "B" form. One of their X-ray diffraction 

pictures of the "B" form of DNA, known as Photograph 51, became famous as critical evidence in 

identifying the structure of DNA. The photo was acquired through 100 hours of X-ray exposure 

from a machine Franklin herself had refined. 

 

 

John Desmond Bernal, one of the United Kingdom’s most well-known and controversial scientists 

and a pioneer in X-ray crystallography, spoke highly of Franklin around the time of her death in 

1958. "As a scientist Miss Franklin was distinguished by extreme clarity and perfection in 

everything she undertook," he said. "Her photographs were among the most beautiful X-ray 

photographs of any substance ever taken. Their excellence was the fruit of extreme care in 

preparation and mounting of the specimens as well as in the taking of the photographs." 

Unfortunately, despite her cautious and diligent work ethic, Franklin had a personality conflict 

with colleague Maurice Wilkins, one that would end up costing her greatly. In January 1953, Wilkins 

changed the course of DNA history by disclosing without Franklin's permission  or 

knowledge her Photo 51 to competing scientist James Watson, who was 

working on his own DNA model with Francis Crick at Cambridge. Upon seeing 

the photograph, Watson said, "My jaw fell open and my pulse began to race," 

according to author Brenda Maddox, who in 2002 wrote a book about Franklin 

titled Rosalind Franklin: The Dark Lady of DNA. The two scientists did in fact use what they saw 

in Photo 51 as the basis for their famous model of DNA, which they published on March 7, 1953, 

and for which they received a Nobel Prize in 1962. Crick and Watson were also able to take most 

of the credit for the finding: When publishing their model in Nature magazine in April 1953, they 

included a footnote acknowledging that they were "stimulated by a general knowledge" of 

Franklin's and Wilkins’ unpublished contribution, when in fact, much of their work was rooted in 
Franklin's photo and findings. Randall and the Cambridge laboratory director came to an 

agreement, and both Wilkins' and Franklin's articles were published second and third in the same 
issue of Nature. Still, it appeared that their articles were merely supporting Crick and Watson's. 

According to Maddox, Franklin didn't know that these men based their Nature article on her 
research, and she didn't complain either, likely as a result of her upbringing. Franklin "didn't do 
anything that would invite criticism … [that was] bred into her," Maddox was quoted as saying in 
an October 2002 NPR interview. Due to the discreditment, Franklin left King's College in March 
1953 and relocated to Birkbeck College, where she studied the structure of the tobacco mosaic 
virus and the structure of RNA. Because Randall let Franklin leave on the condition that she 
would not work on DNA, she turned her attention back to studies of coal. In five years, Franklin 

published 17 papers on viruses, and her group laid the foundations for structural virology. 
 

Although she had much more to discover in the world of science, in the fall of 1956, Franklin 
discovered that she had ovarian cancer. She continued working throughout the following two 

years, despite having three operations and experimental chemotherapy. She experienced a 
10-month remission and worked up until several weeks before her death on April 16, 1958, at the 
age of 37. But, Franklin’s discoveries are not in vain, as with those about DNA, we have been able 

to expand our knowledge about our creation more than ever.  
 

 
2. Build Series/Parallel Circuits Worksheet 

 
PreAP Physics – Circuit Construction Kit (DC Circuits) PhET Lab 

Today, you will use the Circuit Construction Kit PhET lab to qualitatively explore series and 
parallel circuits.  
PreLab 
Draw a simple diagram for a series and parallel circuit below using your notes/homework. 

Series Circuit  Parallel Circuit 

 

  

  
Beginning Observations 
1) Open the Circuit Construction Kit (DC Only) PhET simulation.   
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/circuit-construction-kit-dc 
 
What can you change about the simulation? 
  You could select multiple electric appliances, such as the wires, light bulbs, resistors, and 
how many you wanted of them. I was able to be move each object around and connect others, 
and there was a feature that let you disassemble or delete things at will.  
  
2) Build a simple circuit with a battery, wires, light bulb and voltage source. Draw it below. 

PhET diagram (draw what you see on the  Circuit diagram (use symbols we have 

screen)  learned in class) 

 

 
 

3) What are the main differences between what you see on the screen and what you drew in 
your circuit diagram?   

  The main differences between the circuit on the screen and the circuit I drew is through 
their characteristics. The PhET circuit is clearly a parallel circuit, while the one I drew is a series 
circuit. The circuit I drew has only one power source, the two batteries, but on the PhET 
diagram, it has the two batteries and a coin. Thus, that diagram is also maintained by a resistor. 
Those are the notable differences between the PhET circuit and the circuit I built.  
  
4) What flows through the wires when there is a closed circuit? What on the screen represents 
these? 

When the circuit is closed, blue dots with minus signs on the screen are representing 
electrons flowing through the wires. That shows that electricity is present.  
  
Part 1 – Series Circuit 
Construct a simple series circuit with the following amounts of light bulbs using the PhET 
simulation. Remember in a series circuit, there is only on path for electricity to flow. Keep the 
battery source the same. Draw the proper circuit diagram in your table and rank the relative 
brightness in your table. 

Number of  Circuit Diagram  Relative Brightness of bulbs 
Light Bulbs  (use words like brightest, 
least bright, etc.) 

1  Brightest 

 
2  Somewhat Bright 

 

3  Least Bright 

 

  
What can you conclude about what happens to the brightness of the bulbs as you add more bulbs 
in series? Why do you think this is the case? 
  In conclusion, the more light bulbs are added into a series circuit, the less the brightness 
of the lightbulbs will be. This is probably because the power source in a series circuit always 
remains constant, so the light bulbs have the share the electricity equally. With a greater amount 
of lightbulbs, the power that each of them shares decreases.  
 
Part 2 – Parallel Circuit 
Construct two parallel circuits one with 2 light bulbs in parallel and one with 3 light bulbs in 
parallel and rank the relative brightness of the bulbs. Remember, in a parallel circuit there are 
multiple pathways for electricity to flow. Keep your battery source the same. 

Number of Light  Circuit Diagram  Relative Brightness of bulbs 
Bulbs in Parallel  (use words like brightest, 
least bright, etc.) 

2  Bright 

 

3  Bright 

 
What can you conclude about what happens to the brightness of the bulbs as you add more bulbs 
in parallel? Why do you think this is the case? 
  When the number of light bulbs is increased, this has no effect on its brightness. This is 
probably because in a parallel circuit, the power travels through multiple places, and the lightbulbs 
aren’t in a position where the electricity can only flow in one place, like a series circuit. Instead, 
each light bulb is placed so that it has its own circuit, so other light bulbs won’t drain away its 
electricity.  
  
Conclusion Q’s 
1. How does the parallel circuit compare to the series circuit? 
  The parallel circuit has more sources where the electricity can travel, unlike the series 
circuit. Parallel circuits also requires more resistors to control the flow of electricity as well.  
2. What happens when you break a parallel circuit (try it out in the sim if you need to!)? How 
would this property be useful when designing circuits? 
  If you break a parallel circuit, the light bulb that is connected to that area where it broke 
will go out, but the other bulbs will stay lit. This property is useful in designing circuits because it 
shows that the characteristics of the flow of electricity, like how all areas needed to be 
connected to each other 
3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of series and parallel circuits?  

The advantage of a series circuit is that it is efficient to construct and doesn’t require 
many materials, but it can be a downfall if multiple lightbulbs are connected inside the circuit, 
because the abundance of electricity within the circuit will decrease. For parallel circuits, its 
advantage is that multiple light bulbs can be placed inside without sacrificing its brightness, and if 
one section of it breaks, the others are still able to function, but it does require more materials, 
effort, and can be hazardous because it has more electricity and thus is harder to control.  

 

3. Tesla Movie Questions 

 

Tesla: Master of Lightning  

Movie Questions 

Link: 

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Nikola+Tesla&&view=detail&list=7HSn0admDCWBQw&listin

dex=1&FORM=VRPPLV 

Questions: 

 

1. What were some major contributions made by Tesla? 
● Captured power of Niagara Falls with AC system 
● Made it possible to transmit electricity throughout world 
● Wireless communications (all radio + television broadcasting) 
● Remote control 
● Neon lighting 
● X-rays 
● Missiles 
● Strategic defense initiative 

2. Who were some famous inventors that competed with Tesla during his time? 
● Thomas Edison 
● George Westinghouse 
● J. Pierpont Morgan 

3. Did Tesla profit from his inventions? Explain: 
● Helped America grow into industrial nation 
● Failed to protect his commercial interests 

○ In the end, others made fortunes with his inventions → wound up penniless and 

rejected 
● Invested all his money in inventions 

4. What was interesting about his birth? 
● Born on midnight, 1856 
● Electrical storm raged the night he was born 

5. What were the options for careers for people of his time in town?What did his father 

want him to be? 
● Father wanted him to be a priest 

● Army or become a priest 

6. What was his vision of Niagara Falls? 
● Big wheel run by the falls 

7. What did Tesla become obsessed with when he entered college? 
● Engineering 
● Electricity 

8. What did Faraday discover? Why was it important? 
● Principle of electromagnetic induction 

○ Made it possible to generate electricity 

 

9. What did Edison and Tesla battle over? What ideas about electricity? 
● AC and DC current electricity 
● Tesla → AC currents 
● Edison → DC currents 

10. What idea did Tesla come up with related to AC current? 
● Drew diagram based on sun 
● Perceived whirling field of energy 

11. What is a “perpetual motion scheme”? 
● Twist rotor in a circle 
● Accomplished with AC 

12. Describe his journey to America? Anything interesting happen? 
● Wanted to meet Thomas Edison 
● Took voyage (lost money, tickets), landed on US shores with 4 cents in his pocket 
● June 6th, 1884 
● Filled with dreams of success 

13. What were the problems with DC current in NYC? 
● Can’t change the voltage 
● Couldn’t be transmitted over long distances 

14. What happened with the deal made with Edison? 
● Improve performance of DC motors 
● Offered $50,000 
● Edison laughed 

○ Deal wasn’t real 

15. Did Tesla give up or work harder? Explain: 
● Still determined to develop AC motor 
● Worked harder 

● Began to build prototype of model he’d envisioned earlier 

16. What was the War of the Currents? 
● Alternating Current vs. Direct Current 
● Tesla vs. Edison 
● Edison started a negative media campaign 

17. What did Edison do to prove that AC was dangerous? 
● Electrocuting animals in public demonstration 
● Executing criminals (electric chair) 

18. What happened at the Chicago World’s Fair? 
● First world fair lighted by electricity 
● Westinghouse couldn’t use any Edison lights 

○ Devised 2 piece stopper lamp 
● AC Generators supplied entire fair with electricity 

○ Would work on a large scale 

19. What was the “Egg of Columbus”? 
● Show the rotating magnetic field created by his AC motor 

 

20. What cool displays did Tesla do? 
● Displayed how his electricity could power the whole fair 

○ At night, the fair was lit up with alternating current 

21. What big challenge awaited Tesla from Westinghouse and Lord Kelvin? 
● Edison’s electrical company 

22. What did Niagara do to Edison’s business? 
● Went out of business 

○ Written out of his own company 

23. What did Tesla do every evening to show his success? 
● Showed up at DelMonico’s to be shown to his special table 
● Tesla talked to many important people 

○ Showcase his inventions 

24. What famous people did Tesla spend time with? 
● John Jacob Astor 
● William K. Vanderbilt 
● Mark Twain 

25. What is the Tesla Coil? 
● An instrument that can step up voltages to high voltages at high frequency 
● Transmits radio signals 

26. What was Mark Twain’s quote about lightning? 
● “Thunder is good, thunder is impressive, but it is lighting that does the work” 
27. What tragedy struck? 
● Fire broke out in the building which housed Tesla’s lab 
● Everything was lost 
● Tesla was devastated 

○ Lifetime of work gone 
28. What did Tesla invent that he did not get credit for until much later? 
● Wireless communication 
29. What was interesting about his invention to “End War”! 
● Radio controlled boat 
● It seemed to have a mind of its own 
● Could operate without any wires 
30. Find one more interesting fact: 
● Nikola Tesla was noted as having an obsessive personality 
 
 

4. Electricity Circuits 

 
1. Electricity Packets - 20 minutes ✓ 
2. Complete Tesla Video Questions ✓ 
3. Textbook: pg. 190-219 ✓ 
4. Pg. 218-219 Complete 1-15 ✓ 
5. How does a battery work? ✓ 

http://www.open.edu/openlearn/science-maths-technology/science/physics-and-astronomy/phys
ics/how-do-batteries-work 
Summarize Using pictures and words 
 
Basically, electrons can move through an electrically conducting metal/object. Under electric 
forces, the electrons will move in a set direction. Similar to a pump, the battery pulls electrons 
from one end of the wire and then pushes them into the other. As a result of chemical reactions 
(that take place inside of the batter), the energy required for this process is attained. Simply, 
batteries work by converting chemical energy into electricity. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Compare the Chevy Volt Technology to the Tesla. How are they same and different? 
 
Both the Chevy Volt and Tesla technology is similar because they are both electric cars. The 
Chevy Volt is a plug in hybrid car and the Tesla company manufactures electric cars (both based 
of electricity and are plug in cars). However, compared to the Tesla Model S, the Chevy Volt has a 
certain mileage limit before requiring gas, whereas the Model S runs completely on electricity. 

 
 
(Left: Chevy Volt, Right: Tesla Model S) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

6. How do Solar Panels collect and store electricity? 
 
Solar Panels collect energy from the sun and turn it into electricity. Then, the electricity is 
passed through the inverter and converted into a usable form of energy (which can be used to 
power homes). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
7. How do the large windmills generate electricity? 
 
A large wind turbine (with propellers) is connected to a generator, which then creates electricity. 
The process begins as wind makes the turbine spin. Wind is the main source of energy in a 
windmill. 

 
 
8. Research a technology not mentioned here that will help to conserve energy in the future and 
help to eliminate fossil fuels as the main source of electricity. 
 

To conserve energy in the future and help eliminate fossil fuels, chemically stored electricity can 
be used to power cars. With the use of batteries and fuel cells, the need for fossil fuels (which 
causes pollution) can be eradicated. Battery powered cars are much better for the environment 
and are a cheaper, better alternative. 
 
 
 

End of The Year 

 

1. End of Year Reflection 
 
1. What was your favorite science activity or topic this year? Why did you enjoy this activity? 

Be specific 

My favorite science activity this year had to do with chemical reactions. In a demonstration, 
Mr. Lopez showed a chemical reaction that steel wool was burned (magnesium and oxygen in 
the air). I enjoyed this activity because I got to see what happened in a chemical reaction. 

 
2. Which topic or skill did you find to be the most challenging? Explain 

The topic/skill that I thought was challenging was chemical reactions. At first, it was difficult 
because I didn’t know the elements very well. After I learned them, the concept became easier. 

 
3. Provide an example of 3 types of graphs that were used this year in science? Why did it make 
sense to use these graphs for those activities? 

The three types of graphs we used this year in science were pie charts, line graphs, and bar 
graphs. We used a pie chart in our heterogenous mixtures lab report, a line graph in our heat 
lab report, and bar graphs when graphing things like the specific heats of different metals. It 
made sense to use a pie chart in the mixtures report because we had to calculate the 
percentage of each substance within the whole mixture. I used a line graph for the heat 
energy assignments because you can show the continuous change in temperature over time. A 
bar graph makes sense to use when graphing the specific heats of metals because you can see 
which metal has the highest/lowest specific heat. 

 

4. What were the key tips you remembered about solving math problems in science this year? 

Word problems? Provide an example from this portfolio of a science math problem that was 

challenging to solve this year. 

A key tip I remembered about solving math problems in science this year is to always write 
down the formulas before plugging in any numbers. This was really useful for me because I 
could always make sure I wasn’t forgetting anything. I think this an important tip for word 
problems as well. 
 
Scenario: ​Suppose you would like to bring a 1​ 75 N​ box up to a height of 2​ 9 m​. You decide to 

use an inclined plane because you just learned about them in science class. The ramp you 
design has a distance of ​48 m.​ You also measure the Force (N) needed to push the box up the 
ramp which is ​85 N.​ What is the Work Output, Work Input, Ideal Mechanical Advantage, Actual 

Mechanical Advantage, and Efficiency of the machine? 

 

A. Use “Drawing” to label a triangle (Inclined Plane) 

 

 

F​output​ = 175 N 
D​output​ = 29 m 
Fi​ nput​ = 85 N 
D​input​ = 48 m 

 

W​output​ = Fo​ utput​ * D​output 
Wo​ utput​ = 175 N * 29 m 
W​output​ = 5075 J 

 

Wi​ nput​ = Fi​ nput​ * Di​ nput 
W​input​ = 85 N * 48 m 
Wi​ nput​ = 4080 J 

 
B. Calculate the angle of the ramp. 

 
Angle = opposite/hypotenuse 
Angle = 25/48 
Angle = 0.52 
Angle = 32° 
 

C. Calculate the Ideal Mechanical Advantage (IMA) 
 
IMA = D​input/​ Do​ utput 
IMA = 48 m/29 m 
IMA = 1.7 J 
 

D. Calculate the Actual Mechanical Advantage (AMA) 
 
AMA = F​output/​ Fi​ nput 
AMA = 175 N/85 N 
AMA = 2.1 J 
 

E. Calculate the Efficiency (%) 
 
Efficiency = Wo​ utput/​ Wi​ nput​ * 100 
Efficiency = 5075/4080 = 1.2 * 100 = 120% 

 
5. Which lab conclusion or sample of writing are you most proud of in this portfolio? 

The lab conclusion that I am most proud of in this portfolio was from my density lab. I’m proud 
of this conclusion because it was the first one I did during the school year and I put a lot of 
effort into it. 

 
6. What are you excited to learn about in science next year? Do you want to pursue a career in 
the sciences? Explain 

I’m excited to learn biology in science next year. In the future, I think i’m going to pursue a 
career in medical science.