An explosive Expo

Posted by admin on Nov 2, 2006 in Community | 0 comments

Smoke, fire and ice. Flaming gummy bears and exploding garden pots. On Oct 16, 120 students from six high schools participated in the fifth annual high school Chemistry Expo organized by Trinity Western University’s chemistry students and faculty.

Visiting eight different stations throughout the morning, groups of students were treated to demonstrations covering topics like environmental chemistry, polyurethane foam, and acids and bases. Thirty TWU chemistry students, faculty, and staff gave the demos, led groups of high school students around, and answered questions during the final wrap-up session, which included a presentation from the admissions department on TWU’s science programs.

One of the biggest hits was the methane bubbles station presented by upper-level chemistry students Ben Linkewich and Benson Jelier. They involved the students in a hands-on demo that taught the students how to hold flaming soap bubbles. Another demo led by Dr. Craig Montgomery, Chair of the Chemistry Department, and Kandice Waul-Bennett, a senior student, let students practice building molecular models using a high-tech computer program.

Ben Crow and Myra Cottle, both senior chemistry students, gave a demonstration involving plenty of dry ice, smoke, and colour. Students were encouraged to participate and required to answer a question at each station, such as, “What element burns with a purple flame?”

In addition to having the biggest turnout ever, this year’s Chemistry Expo received glowing reviews from schools that attended.

“It was a great way to show the kids some of the spectacular stuff that we can’t do without a fume cupboard and gas,” one high school teacher said. “It was also good to give them a preview of TWU and what [chemistry] students are doing there.” This year, some of the TWU students who participated in the Expo had attended the Expo previously as high school students.

The Expo is a rewarding experience for TWU’s chemistry students who have a passion for their major and want to communicate it to younger students.

“It’s always great to meet people who are interested in chemistry,” said Jesse Newton, a senior chemistry student who gave a demo showing the combustion of gummy bears in different colours. TWU’s Chemistry Expo is the best introduction for future students to experience what the science department is really like: dynamic, hands-on, and full of exciting opportunities.