CAS Reflection #12: Math Jeopardy

Last July 22, during Xigma, my club moderator prepared us a simple math jeopardy game. This was to test our knowledge of the different math topics we learned. Since there were 4 of us who took the IB program, we had an advantage.

The game began and our group was able to solve 3 consecutive problems. However, the other group managed to solve the next problem. This made our group more enthusiastic about winning the short game. Eventually, the game ended with our group winning.

The problems that we encountered our difficult. I felt that I need to catch up some of the lessons that I have already forgotten after a year of the IB program. From this experience, working with others and having fun sometimes brings out the true potential of the individual, and thus, produces good results.

Total Number of Hours: 1.5

CAS Reflection #11: Physical Fitness

For the first semester, I was assigned to take Fitness (or Gym) as my sport for Physical Education. Today was our first meeting, the teacher asked us to name some common body exercises. Personally, I do not have any experience in fitness or the different body exercises. Although I am familiar with basic ones like crunches, push-ups, and sit-ups, our teacher preferred us to name others like incline bench press, back fly, and what not.

After naming a few exercises, we were tasked to practice them. Even though I do not understand how the exercises are done, I was able to try and did some. My classmates also helped me in practicing since it was my first time doing it. Eventually at the end of the day, I was able to learn new exercises that I can use and practice during my free time. I can say that this first-hand experience will not only make me fit physically, but to realize that it is difficult to take care of one’s body.

Total Number of Hours: 1.5

CAS Reflection #10: Discover the Math Within

Last June, Xavier School once again launched the ECA fair where students can choose their different clubs and committees for school year 2011-2012. Since this is my senior year at Xavier School, I chose to join the clubs and committees that may help benefit me in the future like college life. I joined the Xigma, which is a club filled with math athletes and math enthusiasts.

Last July 8, 2011, I had my first Xigma club meeting. During the first day, my fellow members and I nominated our officers who will help in maintaining unity within the club. Then last July 15, 2011, we had a diagnostic test to see where our math skills are and if we can cope the rigorous course of the club’s program. After I took the diagnostic test, I felt that I have much more to learn since I only got one correct answer. As we discussed the answers to the problems, I was happy to have chosen this club.

Through this club, I will not only be able to increase my math knowledge and abilities, but also my analytical and logical thinking skills. These further developments may help me in preparing for the meticulous college life ahead, and also, my future career job.

Total Number of Hours: 1.5 hours

Thoughts on Beauty

Landscapes are a form of art and beauty. Admiring the various sceneries can make a person feel at ease and comfort. Our interpretation of beauty varies from people to people and culture to culture. Beauty is like desert to our eyes.

We also see music as a form of art. The beauty of the notes being played by the pianist, and the sound being emitted from the piano itself is majestic. Going back to our ways of knowing, sense perception plays a big role in determining whether one has beauty. Our five senses, can tell many of these things.

Culture itself is an art. The beauty of the different sceneries and traditions that we see and hear from various kinds of people are truly inevitable. All of us are trying to learn and understand the different customs and actions that each community practices.

These 3 pictures are what I consider to be my thoughts on beauty. Culture, music, sceneries, and many others that one can consider as beauty. Our knowledge and ability to comprehend the natural world can lead us to see how beauty lives out in our everyday lives.

Sources of pictures:

*the link of the piano had an error (it came from Google Images) 🙂

http://www.travel-planners.net/images/image101.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

Energetics

Definitions:

1) Heat is the amount of kinetic energy inside a certain object.

2) Temperature is the degree or amount of heat present in an object.

3) Standard Enthalpy Change of Reaction is the enthalpy change that occurs in a system one mole of matter is transformed by a chemical reaction under standard reactions.

4) Endothermic Reaction is the amount of heat to require to break the reactant bonds.

5) Exothermic Reaction is the amount of heat released when new bonds are formed.

6) The standard enthalpy of formation or standard heat of formation of a compound is the change of enthalpy that accompanies the formation of 1 mole of a substance in its standard state.

7) The standard enthalpy of combustion is the heat liberated when 1 mole of the substance undergoes complete combustion with oxygen at constant pressure.

8) Bond energy is the measure of bond strength in a chemical bond.

9) Standard enthalpy of atomization (or vaporization) is the energy required to transform a given quantity of a substance into a gas at a given pressure (often atmospheric pressure).

10) Electron Affinity is the enthalpy change that occurs when one electron is gained by each atom in a mole of gaseous atoms of the element to give one mole of ions, each with a single negative charge, at standard temperature and pressure.

11) Ionization energy is the energy required to remove an electron from a gaseous atom or ion.

12) Lattice Enthalpy is the enthalpy change involved in formation of the ionic compound from gaseous ions.

13) Entropy is a thermodynamic quantity representing the unavailability of a system’s thermal energy for conversion into mechanical work, often interpreted as the degree of disorder or randomness in the system.

14) A spontaneous reaction takes place when the reaction releases heat to increase stability

15) Gibbs Free energy is defined as a measure of the total change of entropy that results into a exothermic reaction.

16) DG = DH – TDS is the equation for Gibbs free energy which states that the total change of entropy (Gibbs free energy) is equal to the difference between the enthalpy change and the product of the temperature and entropy change.

Sources:

Wikipedia

http://www.ausetute.com.au/heatcomb.html

http://www.chemguide.co.uk/physical/energetics/definitions.html

http://www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~cchieh/cact/c120/heatreac.html