Science Fair a Huge Success!

     The Wellington College Science Fair is an opportunity for students to apply scientific method to conduct independent research and promote an ongoing interest in Science through exhibit and demonstration. Creative thinking is encouraged so that all involved think outside of the box to determine solutions to their chosen question. This provides exploratory experiences through self-designed models and encouraging problem-solving teamwork. A further aim of the Fair is to develop a scientific approach to raise awareness of environmental challenges such as sustainability, global warming and an alternative to plastic, all of which promote a scientific mind. Students enjoy learning through such exhibitions and feel a sense of ownership as they make the presentations with their own hands. The students get an opportunity to showcase their talent in front of others and feel proud of their achievements as well as learning in unique ways to find solutions to their challenge. Our A-Level induction group amazed the primary school with magic mud, a non-newtonian fluid made from starch solution. If you strike magic mud hard it behaves like a solid, but it behaves like a liquid if you are gentle with it.

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Rose and Klara explained that heat from the candles causes air to expand and escape the beaker. When the candle goes out atmospheric pressure quickly decreases again causing water to be sucked into the beaker to rise as if by magic.

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Matteo was a true showman and amazed everyone with his knowledge of enzymes. He used pectinase to increase the volume of juice extracted from apples.

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Tina, Tracey and Mr. Traber were wowed by Andy’s elephant’s toothpaste demonstration. Potassium iodide is used as a catalyst to increase the speed at which hydrogen peroxide is broken down into water and oxygen gas in this iconic chemical reaction.

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Bhoomi demonstrates how soap is made whilst carefully explaining the scientific processes involved in its production.

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Even Mr. Ratcliffe couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw the traffic light reaction.  Inigo carmine indicator changes colour from red, to orange to green as it is shaken, causing it to become more oxidized.

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Mrs Milovanovic’s demonstrations were a real hit.  This reaction called Ghost in a Bottle caused a jaw-dropping response from Mr. Jeffrey and the primary school students. The spooky effect is caused by hydrogen peroxide being decomposed to water and oxygen, with magnesium permanganate acting as a catalyst.

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August and Selina experimented to see if straw could be used as a cheap, reliable building material in poorer parts of the world.  A  pupil  helps to treat the straw bales with stucco which helps with waterproofing.

Winners

Sydney, Zea and Grace in Year 7 for their project on cryopreservation

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