The first meeting was held on 23rd January 08 with a group of students ranging from Grade 7 to Grade 11, who assembled together in Lab 7 under the supervision and guidance of Mrs. Kitchener. The activity started with a short demonstration of Charles' Law, which states that the volume of a given amount of dry ideal gas is directly proportional to the Celsius Temperature, provided the amount of gas and the pressure remain fixed. We heated an aluminium can containing a small amount of water to a high temperature to create a region of low pressure inside the tin. When steam is seen escaping from the can, we then quickly placed the can into a basement of cold water, and then it is observed that the can was crushed.
Next, we decided to light up hydrogen filled balloons in a row to create a chain of explosions. hydrogen is a bi-product of the reaction between magnesium and hydrochloric acid. Effervescence was observed when we put a piece of Magnesium ribbon into a glass test tube containing hydrochloric acid. The hydrogen gas produced was collected into balloons. The balloons were lined up using thread and tape, and then lighted (see picture). Hydrogen is highly flammable, when the gas in the balloons caught fire, it exploded.
Overall it was a very successful first meeting.
Christopher Sien and Sarvatrajit Singh
Overall it was a very successful first meeting.
Christopher Sien and Sarvatrajit Singh
(Answer to last post question: Nitrogen is the atom shown).
