Borates

Student Objectives: Students will learn about boron and its compounds, especially the most common one called borax. They will be able to identify at least two important uses for borates.

Tips for the Teachers: Tell students about the “Twenty Mule Team” brand of borax and how the mules helped to move loads after they were mined. Discuss the use of borax as a cleaner. Demonstrate the 2/5 share of world borax production in California by displaying five equal-sized cups of borax.

Suggested Activities:

1. View a film on glassmaking. Discuss the uses of glass items in daily life.

2. Decorate a glass container using paint, cloth, ribbon, sequins, buttons, whole spices, etc.

3. Discuss and have students illustrate a subject that spans 100 years, such as travel, family tree, home life, clothing, etc. May be expanded by having students imagine what things will be like 100 years from now.

Measurements/Evaluation:

1. All borates contain boron. What is the name of the common borate that is mined in the U.S.?

2. Almost half of all boron is used for what?

3. There are two main ways for getting boron. What are they?

4. How does boron make Pyrex glass better?

 Borates

The borates are a group of chemical compounds that contain the element boron. There are some alloys that use pure boron, but most of the time we use the compound forms. Borates can be dark crystals or soft, white and waxy-looking. They are found where the bottom of prehistoric seas used to be. After the water dried up or were drained away, the borates were left. Borax is a common compound containing boron.

The United States has a large supply of borax. There is a mine in California that has so much borax in it, they think they will be able to keep mining for about 85 more years. The mine is an open area one mile long and provides 2/5 of the world’s boron. There is also a lake in California that has so much boron dissolved in it, the water is pumped out and allowed to dry. It leaves behind enough borax to make it worth doing, and provides potash and soda ash. They are useful for fertilizers and glassmaking.

Almost half of the boron is used in making glass. Some of the things boron does include, helping keep Pyrex glass from breaking during sudden temperature changes and keeping melted glass soft so it can be shaped more easily. Other important ways it is used are in fertilizers, insecticides, medicines and welding. Borates are also used to make fiberglass insulation fir-resistant and to make better gasoline and rocket fuels.

Directions: Name 2 things from each room in your house that have glass in them. Write them in the spaces.

Kitchen      ___________________________   ______________________________

Bedroom   ___________________________   ______________________________

Bathroom   ___________________________   ______________________________

Living Room  _________________________   ______________________________

Directions: See how many words you can make from the letters in borates.