Captivating Chemistry for Year 10

In Science on Friday 14 May 2021, our Year 10 students took part in a Captivating Chemistry workshops. Below are a few reflections from our Year 10 girls.

 

‘This week in Science, Year 10 girls were involved in Captivating Chemistry – a set of workshops designed by the science department, highlighting the creative applications of chemistry. Students could choose from a variety of activities, including extracting perfume from flowers, creating lip balm, invisible ink, bouncy balls and extracting dyes from minerals.  

‘The lesson was extremely fun, allowing us to interact with students from other classes and extend our understanding of the role of chemical reactions in our daily life. I chose to participate in the workshop which involved creating paint. To do so, we crushed minerals such as copper carbonate and added oil or egg yolk to bind it together into a smooth, liquid substance. Then, we added ethanol and water, respectively, as an extender to thin the paint out and increase its volume. It was an enjoyable challenge to try and achieve the correct ratio of binder to extender to produce the correct paint consistency. Afterwards, we got to test out our creations and create artworks with the paint, which was really rewarding.  

‘Overall, Captivating Chemistry was a really fun and interesting experience. Thank you to all the teachers in the Science department for organising this for us!’ 

 

Jenna Wright (Year 10)

‘Today we learnt about how chemical principles are applied in the production of cosmetics. We learnt about how cosmetics are tested and formed to make sure that they are visually appealing and effective. We learnt about how a balance of fragrance and function is important for cosmetics and how cosmetics chemists choose from thousands of ingredients to create new products. We learnt about the importance of a balance of oils, butters and waxes to have the correct consistency for a lip balm and how those ratios are essential to create the perfect product. We applied these principles and made a lip balm using three different products commonly used in cosmetics (shea butter, almond oil and beeswax) in a practical experimentation where we were able to put the things we learnt into practice. The lip balm turned out great and it was a great chance to see how cosmetics chemists create products that carry out their function and are also appealing.

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