Chemistry Visit By Ashley Glass & Emily Martin

Claire, Elsie, Angela, Mrs. Baldwin, and Emily observing the combustion of magnesium!

Chemistry Visit By Ashley Glass & Emily Martin, Monument Mountain High School


On Monday, April 3rd, our chemistry class had the pleasure of giving Elsie and Claire a preview of what we do. They arrived cheery and curious and looked ready to go in the proper lab attire we gave them. To start off, Elsie worked with Fay Lee and I on finishing our Heat Capacity Lab. She watched us stir solids into liquids and she learned how to use the scale and thermometer. After patiently observing and asking great questions, we were able to move onto the fun stuff. Elsie and Claire got to see the combustion of a magnesium strip which produced an incredible light AND they helped put together the reaction of copper nitrate solution and a piece of aluminum wire. Throughout the experiments they were taught more about lab safety such as always wearing your goggles and washing your hands. Both Elsie and Claire asked great questions as we explained what our experiments had to do with some of the things they had learned from their own periodic table project. With a lot to think about, Elsie and Claire left the class with a few chemistry tokens to take back including their yet-to-be-reacted beakers of copper nitrate, lab aprons, and of course their chemistry goggles!
-By Ashley Glass

Last week, I got the privilege of working with Claire and Elsie from Ms. Cosel’s fourth grade class at Muddy Brook. My classmates (Angela, Ashley and Fay Lee) and I had so much fun, and I think Claire and Elsie did too! We were able to give them a taste of what working in the chemistry lab is all about. First, we had to make sure they were properly geared up with goggles and a lab apron, and then showed them the showers, eye wash station, fire blanket and fire extinguisher. Safety first! Then, it was time to get to work. Claire helped me and Angela finish up the experiment we were working on involving the heat capacity of different solutions. Then, we started out discussing some of the basics, the difference between chemical and physical changes and how to know when either has occurred. We set up the reaction between copper nitrate and aluminum by measuring out solution, cutting and weighing wire and taking the temperature of the solution. Unfortunately, we didn’t see much happening. You never know what is going to happen in the lab! While we were waiting for that reaction to occur, we saw something really different and fun; the combustion of magnesium! As Claire and Elsie could tell you, it is pretty cool. When magnesium combusts, it gives off a great amount of energy in the form of light. The little strip of metal turns into what looks like a bright chunk of glowing sun! It was so great being able to share some of the fun of chemistry with Claire and Elsie. Hopefully, we will be able to get more of the younger students up to work with us in the future, because it is a great experience both for them and for us at the high school. Thank you Claire, Elsie and Ms. Cosel for making it all happen! (and Mrs. Baldwin too ☺)
-By Emily Martin