Chemistry Week celebrated in style at St Benedict's School

Chemistry Week at St Benedict's School kicked off on Monday evening (7 Nov) with a chemical talk given by Mr Irfan H Latif on the 'Chemistry of Wine'. This was followed by an exciting wine tasting seminar given by Mr Nick Demergue of the London Wine Academy. Parents found the evening both informative ans stimulating.

 

On Tuesday Gary the Clown's Chemical Circus  came to the St Benedicts Junior School and inspired both students and staff alike. He innovately talked about the states of matter and chemical materials.

Gary the Clown

 

On Wednesday Mr Irlan H Latif assisted by Mrs Cristina Wall and Philip Davidson gave two lectures at the prestigious Royal Institution of Great Britain. Children aged between 9-11 from schools from all over the south east were enthralled and entertained by the 'Chemistry of Absolutely Nothing!'.

The chemistry of absolutely nothing

While at the school, Mr Veit Cooke and Mr San Gobin talked about the 'Chemistry of Fireworks' during lunchtimes junior science club.

On Thursday the Chemistry Department gave an assembly to the Junior School on the fantastic properties of liquid nitrogen! 

At lunchtime the Cunning Chemistry Group met to discuss the chemistry of combustion especially that of the methane-oxygen system. 

That very evening Dr Graeme Hogarth, the admissions tutor for Chemistry at UCL gave an explosive and exhilarating lecture on the 'Elements from the Big Bang'. drayton Manor, Ellen Wilkinson School and Claremont High staff and students attended. 

In a fitting close to Chemistry Week the Chemistry Department set a new school record by making Chemical Ice cream in the space of 50 seconds. With the aid of liquid nitrogen and the Chemistry Department's very own secret recipe, the department raised £125 for the school's SVP charity.

St Benedict's sets new ice cream record