Four Year 9 students (Becky, Amelia, Brendan and Nathan) took part in Salters Chemistry Festival at Liverpool University on Friday 7th July. The first part of the day involved an investigation based on chemiluminescence. We did lots of experiments using fluorescent chemical energy. These involved using lots of new equipment like fume cupboards, vacuum pumps, volumetric flasks, pipettes, burettes, magnetic stirrers and a dark room. As well as synthesising chemicals, we carried out the testing of drug store tablets for contamination and worked out the percentage of impurities they contained.

In the afternoon we were given a tour of the campus and took part in a real university lecture, giving us the real feeling of being at university. The day was challenging but interesting because there was new apparatus and we were completely independent and had responsibility for our results and safety. We got to know what it was like to be a chemistry university student and what chemistry can do. These pictures show us working, in our lab coats and goggles. Thank you to Alex and Tolly from Salters and Liverpool University and Mr Bell for organising the visit.