small monomers Year 9 have concluded their topic on ‘materials’ with an investigation into composite materials. In a composite material the properties of two or more materials are combined to produce an improved material. A recent innovation has been the use of plastic waste as the reinforcing medium in reinforced concrete rather than the more traditional use of steel rods. An understanding of how plastics are produced was first required and students modelled the process […]
The opening topic in the Year 9 chemistry course focuses on ceramics. In particular, how the heating and cooling process results in re-crystallisation and the formation of a new structure. This new structure resulting in a material far harder and more durable than the original. To put this to the test pupils have been preparing their own pottery from the basic raw material; Boulder Clay. A trip to Boggle Hole resulted in the raw material […]
In Year 12 chemistry, we have been doing an experiment in order to find out how much calcium carbonate is in the shell of the snail (don’t worry; no snail was harmed). So first, I had to look around the school grounds to find empty snail shells! This was fun as you can walk around and get some fresh air! It was beautiful weather as well. After collecting the shells, I had to grind them […]
Chemistry lessons have looked a little different this week. With lessons going on-line, a web cam, plasticine and white boards have come to the fore. Simple chemical experiments have kept the link between home and the lab and Year 10 have continued with their work on displacement reactions. A short demonstration, interactive face to face discussion through Teams and the ability to share work has meant that learning has continued almost seamlessly, from the classroom […]
Dr Richardson’s Year 8s have been working on the topic of sedimentary cakes. This is their interpretation of the their favourite sedimentary rock formations in cake form!! The best type of sedimentary cakes!
Fyling Hall’s Year 9s have been investigating lead glass, sometimes called lead crystal. But please, refrain from calling it “crystal.” Technically, we should not be using the term ‘crystal’ as glass has an amorphous structure rather than a crystalline one The production of lead glass was introduced by George Ravenscroft in 1627 and its ‘brilliant’ lustre soon made it popular for drinking glasses. A method since discontinued due to the toxic nature of lead! Year […]
We are all used to the term ‘counting the calories’, but what does it actually mean? A calorie is a measure of the potential energy available from the chemical reaction of a substance. We are used to using the term calorie to identify the fat content of a food, this is simply due to the fact that the greater amount of fat present, the more potential energy, or calories are available. The calorie has been […]
You might ask, what do Calcium Carbonate, Brazilian mussels and Robin Hood’s Bay Limpets have in common? Let’s start with what calcium carbonate is. It forms approximately 4% of the rocks found on the Earth, mainly in the forms of chalk, limestone and marble. The uses of calcium carbonate are wide and varied; from relieving heart burn as antacid tablets, to the construction of roads and buildings, to the deacidification of rivers and fields. The […]
The history of vinegar, and its uses, goes back thousands of years with traces being found in Egyptian urns from around 3000 B.C. The name vinegar derives from the French vinaigre, meaning sour wine, and gives an indication of how vinegar is traditionally made. In a two step process sugars are initially fermented by yeast to produce alcohol (ethanol) and other compounds. The second step involves further oxidation of the ethanol to ethanoic acid (acetic […]
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