Trial and Error: 1-20-11

The monotonous reading has ended! Unfortunately, lab work is nothing like I expected. First we spent an hour talking about the importance of precise measurements. Next, we discussed how to take hypothetical data and plot it in a linear regression (had to think way back to my Algebra skills). Next I was asked to create a 50 milligram/50 milliliter aqueous phenol red solution (thinking back to the chemistry skills). I was pretty lost. I started by trying to measure 50 milligrams of phenol red. Unfortunately, the scale was in grams and my unit conversion skillswere also a little rusty. After tediously measuring up to .000001g I found out that I had not done it correctly. Certain chemicals require specific weigh boats, scales, and measuring techniques. This means I had to start all over again. After an hour I had a little teaspoon of red die in some water. It was extremely frustrating. Next I had to use that stock solution to create a 20 microgram concentration solution with a volume of 60 mg. After many miscalcuations of moles, units of volume mass, and elementary math errors I had another solution. I have to do this five more times on Monday too. So far the life of a scientist has been monotonous and frustrating. Still, I can't begin to caclulate how much I have already learned. I just hope I can retain all this new information for the rest of the semester.