In the Proof of Efficacy Document I needed to include:

1. Name and function of your energy transfer device

2. Photos of your energy device

3. Written description of your design including steps of energy transfers and types of energy manifested(Energy forms & Changes PhET simulation)

4. Modifications you made based on experiments/data collected and WHY you made each modification (science reasoning)

5. Measurements of energy output (you will need to get creative here if you don’t have scientific instruments for accuracy. (Ex. you don’t have a voltmeter, but you do have an LED, how much energy is required to light the LED)

6. Molecular Blueprints

We were allowed to chose how we wanted to display this information through paragraphs, bullet points, diagrams, pictures, tables, etc. I chose to mainly stick to bullet point and paragraphs as it kept it very organized, as well as pictures for a visual component. I chose to tackle this project by making a small hot air balloon out of tissue paper, plastic bags, and paper bags. I chose to do a hot air balloon because it was a great way to represent energy transfers through chemical energy, to thermal energy, to kinetic energy through convection. My four attempts at hot air balloons can be seen in the images below.

Content:

Listed below our key vocabulary terms that relate to this project to help further strengthen ones understanding of the topic.

Hot Air Balloon: a large balloon with a basket underneath in which people can use to travel or sight see. The balloon is filled with hot air in the balloon which makes it less dense and allows it to raise up in the more dense colder air.

Combustion: A chemical reaction between substances, usually including oxygen and usually accompanied by the generation of heat and light in the form of flame. The birthday candle burning and releasing CO2 was an example of combustion in the hot air balloon.

Kinetic Energy: is motion- the motion of waves, electrons, atoms, molecules and substances.

Chemical Energy: is the energy stored in the bonds of atoms and molecules. Biomass, petroleum, natural gas, propane, and coal are examples of stored chemical energy.

Thermal Energy: also known as heat, is the internal energy in substances- the vibration and movement of atoms and molecules within substances. Geothermal energy is an example of thermal energy.

Convection: the circular motion that happens when warmer air or liquid, which has faster moving molecules, making it less dense, then rises, while the cooler air or liquid drops down.

Potential Energy: is stored energy and the energy of position (gravitational).

Nuclear Energy: is the energy stored in the nucleus of an atom-the energy that holds the nucleus together. The nucleus of a uranium atom is an example of nuclear energy.

Stored Mechanical Energy: is energy stored in objects by the application of force. Compressed springs and stretched rubber bands are examples of stored mechanical energy.

Gravitational Energy: is the energy of place or position. Water in a reservoir behind a hydropower dam is an example of gravitational potential energy. When the water is released to spin turbines, it becomes motion energy.

Electrical Energy: is the movement of electrons. Lightning and electricity are examples of electrical energy.

Sound: is the movement of energy through substances in longitudinal (compression/rarefaction) waves.

Motion: the movement of objects or substances from one place to another is motion. Wind and hydropower are examples of motion.

Radiant Energy: is electromagnetic energy that travels in transverse waves. Radiant energy includes visible light, x-rays, gamma rays and radio waves. Solar energy is an example of radiant energy.

Thermochemistry: the study of the heat energy which is associated with chemical reactions and/or physical transformations.

Law of Conservation of Energy: Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only transferred.

Calorimetry: is the process of measuring heat transfer.

Thermal equilibrium: when heat transfer stops (temperatures stop changing).

Exothermic Reaction: the enthalpy change is negative, meaning energy is released from the system as heat.

Endothermic reaction: the enthalpy change is positive because energy is absorbed into the system as heat.

Reflection:

Overall this was a super fun yet challenging final STEM Chemistry project. For the most part I think I did a really good job on this project but there is always room for improvement. One of the 6 C's I would like to personally improve on is being a better consciences learner. Starting with self management when it comes to my personal time is something I need to improve on. This project was never rushed but I wish I started it a couple days sooner than I did. I spent many hours on the project later in the week, when I could have used more of my free time sooner to work on it. This would have been beneficial for two reasons. First off I would get a head start on the work I needed to complete. I would have more time to work on this project, meaning I could have gone back and performed more tests and taken more data. Another benefit from me working earlier is I would have one less final to worry about. It is defiantly more stressful to work on four final project at once, rather than work on three and finishing up another because I chose to work on it sooner. That is also were I need to be a better consciencoiuos learner and take time to be aware of my mental health and wellness. Finals week, especially as a junior with two AP's is very stressful and sometimes I need to take a moment and address that stress. It does not have to be for long but give myself a break sometimes to relax, then begin working again once I feel mentally better. Another topic I want to work on is my collaboration. For this project I chose to work individually which was fine for me, I do not mind working by myself. However for such an important project and difficult topic, working with others might have been a better option. Not necessarily doing the same project just being in a breakout room with someone else so if I needed more help from besides my teacher it was available to me. It is nice to work individually but having other students around you and being able to utilize them as a tool for yourself is very beneficial. In the future even if I am working alone I still want to try and be in close relations to others, just so I have that extra sense of support and a few more friends to talk to throughout the working process.

For the most part while working on this project I believe I did a really good job. Two aspects I did well on relating to the 6 C's were critical thinking and communication. This project in my opinion was defiantly challenging and required a lot of problem solving to succeed. While trying to make my hot air balloon, I ended up recreating 4 hot air balloons because each one failed to succeed. This resulted in my constantly having to come up with new ideas to try and make the hot air balloon work. Sadly none of them did but I was always positive while trying and am still very proud of myself for putting in hours of work on something that kept failing time after time. This led to another problem solving aspect where I then had to figure out how to calculate energy of my project but my project did not work. So I got creative and decided to calculate as much as I could from my hot air balloon and then calculate a real life hot air balloon energy output. That way I could still demonstrate my knowledge of understanding how to calculate energy outputs while still relating it back to my project. Another skill I thought I did well on was communication. I communicated my knowledge of the information being taught to me quite well through my proof of efficacy document through my explanations and writings. Besides that, when I needed help I was quick to ask for it. For example when holding up the hot air balloon I needed a family members help because I did not have enough hands. My family is super busy so I communicated times and places for us to meet sooner so I could still get their help and not waste their time as well as mine. Also I was quick to jump on the opportunity of my teacher offering to check our projects to let us know any improvements to make on them before we can turn them in. Verbal or written feedback is one of the best forms of communication when working on a project because it lets you correct your mistakes and learn from them. It is always helpful to communicate to another person if needing help, ideas, or feedback on a project, and I feel as if I did a great job on utilizing all those resources throughout my project. In the end it was a super fun project and I know what skills I can improve on and can utilize in my future!