Do you know what element is deposited on the inner walls of your chimney?  A chemistry student does—just ask them!

In their first venture into the chemistry lab, students learned how to safely light a Bunsen burner.  They also learned how adjusting the gas and oxygen inlets allows them to control the size and intensity of the flame.

After learning how to use the Bunsen burner and the triple-beam balance, students got some practice in critical thinking and analysis.  The students examined physical properties of four common substances (sand, salt, iron filings, and poppy seeds) and then used their knowledge to develop a procedure for separating a mixture of the four.

The chemistry lab is an exciting and fun learning environment.  It’s great to see students make a connection between material presented in class and the experiment they do in the lab.  If you have a chemistry student, be sure to ask them what they did in lab, and why.