Chemistry Food Project
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Reflection |
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High temperature released chemicals from the tea leaves which entered the water, giving it both it’s distinctive taste and color. The difference in types of teas actually comes from the processing of leaves after they are picked, not from how they are brewed. Green tea is processed less, and the leaves are dried immediately after being picked. Black tea on the other hand is ground up before being dried which oxidizes more of the chemicals giving it a different flavor and color.
My experiment was a complete failure. I did not get usable results from it. This was both due to how I conducted the experiment and how I tested the results later. When doing the actual testing I did not use enough precision in measuring out the ingredients. The scale I had only measured to an accuracy of 1 gram, and was unable to measure out any more specific quantity of tea. Other than this, my measurements of temperature, amount of water, and steep time were consistent. This meant my dependent variables were consistent but one of my independent variables was not. My taste test was also inconclusive. I was the only person to participate in the taste test, and it was also done not blind. I did do a more scientific test of the color of the tea, but I don’t feel it provided any useful information because the data I got was very inconsistent. I believe the inconsistency here is due to me not having consistent independent variables. The other thing that affected my results with only me doing them is the amount of caffeine in 8 cups of green and black tea really has an effect on a person, and that made it difficult for me to think clearly at the time while my mind was racing so much. |
SARS CoV-2 Chemistry Project
- How can the lens of chemistry be used to inform societal practice and policy designed to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2?
- By understanding what allows the virus to spread, including how it is able to interact with the molecules in human cells, though this the virus can be treated with antivirals and vaccines. Then chemistry can also be used to understand how other chemicals can be used to destroy the virus, like soap or alcohol. Without understanding the chemical bonds that make the virus interact, it’s not possible to actually treat and control it.
- How did your knowledge of science grow through your work on the project
- I was able to get an understanding of how chemistry plays into how viruses affect human cells, something I didn’t understand at all before. In my own project research, I also grew in understanding in how even minor differences in chemistry could cause a huge difference in the severity of a pandemic. For example, despite being similar chemically and genetically to many modern strains of the flu, the 1918 H1N1 strain was far deadlier than the other viruses, even than flu viruses created by mixing the genes from the 1918 strain and modern strain. SImilar chemistry also allowed the 1968 H2N3 Pandemic to be easier for doctors to treat.
I think it was very helpful to gain an understanding of chemistry as it gave the class a real world anchor, and an anchor that everyone can easily relate to at that. Living through the Covid-19 Pandemic not only created more interest for me in the subject of chemistry and how it applies, but made it easier to understand the reasons that we do the things we do to prevent the spread. Before the class, I didn’t know how or why masks/hand sanitizer work but being able to study them in class lead me to understanding it why we do these things. By creating that real world connection I came to understand chemistry better without it being taught in a vacuum.
- By understanding what allows the virus to spread, including how it is able to interact with the molecules in human cells, though this the virus can be treated with antivirals and vaccines. Then chemistry can also be used to understand how other chemicals can be used to destroy the virus, like soap or alcohol. Without understanding the chemical bonds that make the virus interact, it’s not possible to actually treat and control it.