Chemical Engineering Essay

Chemical Engineering

I learned a lot this unit about chemical engineers and chemistry. Chemical engineers deal with chemicals and their reactions. I have also learned about protons, neutrons, electrons bonds such as ionic and covenant and preformed a chemical reaction.

        I already knew that atoms are the base of every element like sodium or magnesium which are metals but I did not know that there are smaller parts of an atom such as protons and neutrons which hold each other together while the electrons spin around the protons and neutrons. The amount of the protons, neutrons and electrons shows the atomic number and weight and determines the element.

        I also learned about the different bonds between the elements. Like I said in the last paragraph, sodium and magnesium are metals, and if they were put together it would be called a metallic bond. But if I put two nonmetals together, then it would be called a covalent like sulfur and iodine. If there is a nonmetal and a metal combination then it would be called an ionic bond. There is one more if there is a weak bond between two molecules, then it is called a hydrogen bond such as 2 water molecules put together. When you jump in a pool you are breaking water molecules and as you swim they are putting themselves together behind you that is an example of a hydrogen bond in action.

        I also conducted a chemical reaction. I popped popcorn. You may think that this does not sound like a chemical reaction, but intact it is. Below there is a diagram in popcorn popping. 

        For this example the more heat put onto water the more the molecules spread out and at some point creates pressure among the second layer. After that that pressure can’t handle it and the shell cracks open and lets out all the popcorn in a small little explosion. Before I did this with a pan I tried to do it with a magnifying glass and put it up to the sun and waited. 10 min passed and nothing reacted. I then thought it was not enough heat. I burnt a dry leaf and thought “Isn’t this hot enough?” Heat is a catalyst not a chemical but is usually produced through chemical reactions. For example, the sun the sun creates heat because it has an unstable amount of protons and neutrons and they shake a lot. This somehow produces heat. There are many things that I learned about chemistry but there is most likely a lot more to it and that is what I will be learning In chemistry class; where most of it will be only a review.