Halide Displacement
On Tuesday, 10W4 witnessed a colourful demonstration of Halide displacement as part of their reactivity series topic in chemistry. Mrs Blatch demonstrated the halogen displacement using the organic chemicals cyclohexane and cyclohexene with salts of bromine , iodine, and chlorine, while Mr Rose explained the theory behind it. The students were able to identify the significance of the colour change and its layers related to how the most reactive halogen displaced all the other halogens from solutions of their salts. They also understood that the least reactive halogen displaced none of the others , however itself was displaced by all of the others.
Bacteria
Yesterday , harmful and harmless bacteria were introduced to the pupils in 8CT . While Dr Lau explained differences between harmful and helpful germs and their uses and adaptations, the students had the opportunity to identify certain species like E.coli on prepared slides under the microscope.
Making Salts
On Tuesday , 10C1 practiced making salts with Dr Gonzalez. The aim of this required GCSE practical is to prepare a dry sample of soluble salt from an insoluble oxide. The students handled sulphuric acid and copper(II) oxide to produce copper sulphate crystals.
