Getting a taste for chemistry in the kitchen
Scotland Regional Group: Chemistry Week 2005 Falkirk, Scotland
 Bringing science to schoolchildren was high on the agenda during Chemistry Week in November when a number of Falkirk primary schools had a visiting presenter to enthral them with a workshop, sponsored and organised by SCI Scotland Regional Group, introducing them to aspects of chemistry.
For the first three days of the week Pat Duchart from Shell education service visited six primary schools. Here she instructed the pupils in how to test for the amount of citric acid in fruits such as lemon, mandarin and grapefruit. The also learnt about why the vitamin C is important for health reasons. A simple titration with a colour change measured the relative amounts in the different fruits and the pupils were able to use simple statistics to average results. They were left with some follow-up work on interpreting the results. The enthusiastic primary sevens soon got the hang of laboratory work and an insight into the world of chemistry.
Richard Robinson from Science Magic brought his performance to four schools in the Falkirk area for the last two days of the week. Using liquids and solids found in the kitchen and with the help of the pupils, Robinson made a polymer, and explained the discovery of carbon dioxide and oxygen to the children. They were entertained with vinegar and bicarbonate providing fizzes and bangs. There was an interesting strength of materials challenge that the classes solved as a group. Many of the budding scientists left enthused to raid the kitchen and do more experiments using the magic word ‘research’ to placate their parents.
The SCI Scotland Regional Group, RSC Mid Scotland Regional Group and a local company provided funding for the event. Personnel from SCI and RSC helped the presenters and more than 450 schoolchildren took part in the workshops.
By John Lewis,
Vice Chairman,
Scotland Regional Group
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