Class with Mrs. Glassel

Monday, December 15, 2025

Spring 2026 Courses

Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture - A Musical Journey (self-paced)

Books and Other Educational Items for Sale

Items are marked with individual prices. Local pickup can be arranged in the western and southern suburbs of Minneapolis. If you're interested, please contact me at the contact form here.

The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens: $8

The House of Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne: $9

The Red Pony by John Steinbeck: $7

Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George: $6

Essential ACT flashcards: $5 or best offer

5 Steps To A 5 AP World History Flashcards: $5 or best offer

Numbers & Math Symbols stamps: $5 or best offer

(Please note that the number 1 is missing and will not be sold with the set.)

Saturday, December 13, 2025

Chemistry: Empirical and Molecular Formulas

DEFINITIONS

Molecular Formula: The molecular formula tells you the actual number of atoms of each element present in a single molecule of a compound. It is the true identity of the substance.

Empirical Formula: The empirical formula is the simplest whole-number ratio of the atoms in a compound. It doesn’t tell you exactly how many atoms are there, just the proportion between them.

Analogy: Think of a carton of eggs. The molecular formula is 12 eggs (the actual count). The empirical formula is 1 dozen (the simplified unit).

EXAMPLES

Water: Molecular H2O / Empirical H2O (2:1 cannot be simplified further).

Glucose: Molecular C6H12O6 / Empirical CH2O (All subscripts are divisible by 6).

Hydrogen Peroxide: Molecular H2O2 / Empirical HO (Both subscripts are divisible by 2).

Hydrazine: Molecular N2H4 / Empirical NH2 (Simplified by a factor of 2).

HOW TO CALCULATE THE EMPIRICAL FORMULA

If you are given the percent composition, follow these four steps (Rhyme: "Percent to mass, mass to mole, divide by small, multiply 'til whole!"):

Step 1: Percent to Mass - Assume you have a 100g sample. This turns percentages directly into grams (40% becomes 40g).

Step 2: Mass to Mole - Divide the grams of each element by its molar mass from the Periodic Table.

Step 3: Divide by Small - Look at your mole results and divide all of them by whichever number is the smallest.

Step 4: Multiply 'til Whole - If you get a decimal like 1.5, multiply all numbers by a factor (like 2) to get whole numbers.

CONVERTING EMPIRICAL TO MOLECULAR

To find the molecular formula, you need the molar mass of the actual compound (usually provided in the problem).

The Scaling Factor (n) = Molar Mass of Compound / Mass of Empirical Formula.

Once you find the value of n, multiply all the subscripts in your empirical formula by n.

Example: If your empirical formula is CH2 (mass of 14) and the problem says the real molar mass is 42, then n = 42/14 = 3. Your molecular formula is C3H6.

Friday, December 12, 2025

Chemistry: Stoichiometry Practice

Instructions:

Balance the equation if it is not already balanced.

Show your work using dimensional analysis (stoichiometry bridges).

Use the periodic table for molar masses.

Round your final answers to two decimal places.

1. Given the balanced equation: N2 + 3H2 -> 2NH3

How many moles of ammonia (NH3) are produced when 0.60 moles of nitrogen (N2) react completely?

2. Given the balanced equation: 2KClO3 -> 2KCl + 3O2

How many moles of oxygen gas (O2) are produced from the decomposition of 5.00 moles of potassium chlorate (KClO3)?

3. Given the balanced equation: Zn + 2HCl -> ZnCl2 + H2

How many grams of hydrogen gas (H2) are produced when 2.50 moles of zinc (Zn) react with excess hydrochloric acid?

4. Given the balanced equation: 2H2 + O2 -> 2H2O

How many grams of water (H2O) are produced if 4.00 moles of oxygen (O2) are consumed?

5. Given the balanced equation: CH4 + 2O2 -> CO2 + 2H2O

How many moles of carbon dioxide (CO2) are formed from the combustion of 32.00 grams of methane (CH4)?

6. Given the balanced equation: Mg + 2HCl -> MgCl2 + H2

How many moles of magnesium chloride (MgCl2) are produced if you start with 48.62 grams of magnesium (Mg)?

7. Given the balanced equation: C3H8 + 5O2 -> 3CO2 + 4H2O

How many grams of carbon dioxide (CO2) are produced when 22.05 grams of propane (C3H8) are burned?

8. Given the balanced equation: 4Fe + 3O2 -> 2Fe2O3

How many grams of iron (III) oxide (Fe2O3) can be made from 100.0 grams of iron (Fe)?

9. Reaction: Sodium metal reacts with chlorine gas to produce sodium chloride.

Equation: 2Na + Cl2 -> 2NaCl

Calculate the grams of sodium chloride (NaCl) produced if 5.00 grams of chlorine gas (Cl2) are reacted.

10. Reaction: Aluminum reacts with oxygen to form aluminum oxide.

Equation: 4Al + 3O2 -> 2Al2O3

If you have 54.00 grams of aluminum (Al), how many grams of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) will be produced?

Answer Key

1) 1.20 mol NH3

(0.60 mol N2 x 2 mol NH3 / 1 mol N2)

2) 7.50 mol O2

(5.00 mol KClO3 x 3 mol O2 / 2 mol KClO3)

3) 5.04 g H2

(2.50 mol Zn x 1 mol H2 / 1 mol Zn x 2.02 g H2/mol)

4) 144.16 g H2O

(4.00 mol O2 x 2 mol H2O / 1 mol O2 x 18.02 g H2O/mol)

5) 2.00 mol CO2

(32.00 g CH4 / 16.04 g/mol x 1 mol CO2 / 1 mol CH4)

6) 2.00 mol MgCl2

(48.62 g Mg / 24.31 g/mol x 1 mol MgCl2 / 1 mol Mg)

7) 66.02 g CO2

(22.05 g C3H8 / 44.10 g/mol x 3 mol CO2 / 1 mol C3H8 x 44.01 g CO2/mol)

8) 142.97 g Fe2O3

(100.0 g Fe / 55.85 g/mol x 2 mol Fe2O3 / 4 mol Fe x 159.69 g Fe2O3/mol)

9) 8.24 g NaCl

(5.00 g Cl2 / 70.90 g/mol x 2 mol NaCl / 1 mol Cl2 x 58.44 g NaCl/mol)

10) 101.96 g Al2O3

(54.00 g Al / 26.98 g/mol x 2 mol Al2O3 / 4 mol Al x 101.96 g Al2O3/mol)

Thursday, December 11, 2025

ACT: The Writing Section Playbook

Do You Need the 40-Minute Essay?

The Writing section is scored on a scale of 2–12. It is reported separately and does not affect your 1–36 Composite score.

Step 1: The "Keep-Your-Options-Open" Check

Are you applying to highly selective universities? While many Ivies have dropped the requirement, some top-tier schools still "recommend" it. If a school says "recommended," treat it as a requirement.
Are you an Undecided Major? If you haven't finalized your college list, taking the writing section once ensures you don't have to retake the entire ACT just to get an essay score later.
Is it a State Graduation Requirement? Some states (like Hawaii or Montana) require the writing section for high school graduation when the test is given during the school day.

Step 2: The "Strength" Assessment

English Grades vs. Test Scores: If your high school English grades are a bit low, but you are a strong writer, a high ACT Writing score (10–12) can prove to colleges that you have the skills.
Humanities/Journalism/Law Majors: If you are heading into a writing-heavy field, this is a "low-stakes" way to show off. A bad score won't hurt your Composite, but a great score looks excellent on a resume.

Step 3: The "Energy" Calculation

The new ACT is significantly shorter. If you skip Science and Writing, you are out of the building in about 2 hours.

Take Writing if: You have the stamina to stay an extra 40 minutes and want the "complete" score report.
Skip Writing if: You are prone to test fatigue and want to put 100% of your mental energy into the Math and Reading sections to maximize your 1–36 Composite.

Summary: The "Quick Call" Table

The Scenario	Recommended Action
Applying to local/state schools	SKIP. Most do not look at it.
Applying to Top 20 / Competitive schools	TAKE. It’s better to have it and not need it.
You hate writing under pressure	SKIP. A low score won't help you, and it's not worth the stress.
Your state/district requires it	TAKE. (Usually free during school-day testing).

Workshop Strategy: The "Three Perspectives" Tip

The "Golden Rule" for the 40-minute essay:

The ACT gives you a prompt and 3 perspectives. Your job is not just to pick one; it is to compare your idea to at least one other. To get an 8+, you must show how your argument interacts with the others provided.