Year 7 visit the University of Cape Town
Currently our Year 7 class are exploring Chemistry, learning about the properties of matter, the physical and chemical properties, as well as the results of chemical reactions. Recently the class were treated to an amazing interactive experience at the University of Cape Town – Chemistry Department. Dr. Roxanne Mohunlal created a laboratory experience to learn about The Magic of Chemistry – Chemical Reactions.
To start, they were welcomed by a magic trick of Invisible Ink welcoming them to the department. They were enthralled by the immediate effect of chemical reactions. The students were then given a comprehensive Health & Safety presentation by Ms. Monique Muller, who explained how a chemistry laboratory operates in order to keep the Lab Staff and students safe. Our Year 7s were given lab coats, protective glasses and plastic gloves before proceeding with the chemical experiments.
After the Health & Safety presentation, the students received a motivational talk from one of the Department’s PhD Candidates – Mrs. Larnelle Garnie-Weale. She gave a wonderful presentation on following your dreams and learning that no one will do it for you, if you want to learn you need to choose to and work hard – starting now – to achieve whatever you desire. Larnelle and her husband have been granted an opportunity in New York to continue her study into the treatment of Malaria.
After Larnelle’s story, the students were able to get their hands “dirty” and conduct chemical reactions. The first one they experimented on was making a Crystal Garden. This reaction occurs when metal salts interact with a solution of sodium silicate, due to the properties of these chemicals and solubility, a plant-like structure of different colours forms slowly over time. The students used cobalt chloride and iron sulphate resulting in a light blue/grey coloured crystal and a dark blue coloured crystal. The reaction happened over 45 minutes and the students were able to watch their gardens grow!
The second experiment conducted was the reaction of copper with a solution of silver nitrate. The copper metal undergoes a reaction where the silver deposits coat the copper, creating crystalline structures around the metal. The third reaction was mixing steel wool with a solution of copper sulphate. When mixing steel wool with a copper sulphate solution the copper sulphate will turn from the colour blue to the colour green and after a short period of time the steel wool will have become a copper plated substance. The class enjoyed watching it “rust”.
Between the hands-on experiments the class were given the pleasure of watching one of the laboratory technicians perform a wonderfully visual chemical reaction making Elephant’s Toothpaste. It was a fun and elaborate experiment that wowed the class! The fifth and final experiment was also done as a demonstration – the reaction of magnesium with oxygen. This chemical reaction uses heat to produce a magnificently bright white light.
The UCT Chemistry Department was outstanding and the day allowed the Year 7s to be immersed in the wonders of Chemistry in a fun and interactive way!
Mrs Carin Howcroft, Year 7 Teacher
