Five students from the American Chemical Society Student Affiliation of the University of Delaware presented a series of scientific demonstrations on November 10 at the Independence School in Hockessin, Delaware, as part of a National Chemistry Week event. Aimed at getting kids interested in the sciences, the event was attended by nearly 500 students and parents ranging from Kindergarten to 12 grade.

National Chemistry Week is a community based program of the American Chemical Society uniting local chapters, businesses, schools and individuals to participate in events which communicate the importance of chemistry in our everyday lives.  In order to display this importance, demonstrations led by the UD presenters provided students with practical experiments using commonplace objects showing the differential densities of liquids and chromatographic properties of colored M & M shells. 

In the first of two demonstrations, UD presenters created a density stacker, pouring corn syrup, vegetable oil and water into a single container and allowing each liquid to separate according to its particular density. Following this separation process, the UD presenters then allowed students to place objects in the liquids and observe the level at which they rested. Much to the surprise of the students, they often observed objects suspended in the liquid between two different liquid density levels.

The second of these demonstrations displayed the chromatographic properties of M & M shells using a simple separating technique based on absorption and solubility properties of colored dyes. After dissolving the colored shell of the M & M in a beaker of water, presenters directed students to apply their now colored solution onto the edges of a coffee filter. Dissolving this coffee filter into a solution of 5% sodium chloride, students then observed as the composite colored dyes separated into a series of different color bands according to their chromatographic properties.

Presenting these demonstrations were 5 chemistry majors and members within the ACS-Student Affiliation- senior and president of the affiliate Andrea Passarelli, senior Kaitlyn Kenney, senior Jennifer Schnitkey, junior Kristin Nuzzio, and sophomore Tyler Bazzoli. 

Also attending the event were local universities and chemical corporations including Widener University, Wesley College, AstraZeneca pharmaceuticals and DuPont.  

This was the first year that the UD chapter of the ACS-Student Affiliation attended the event. Encouraged by student responses, the chapter plans to return next year to further their participation in the local community.

The ACS-Student Affiliation provides students with a common interest to explore further career options while equipping them with the knowledge of how to enter these areas. Advised by Burnaby Munson, Professor of Analytical and Physical Chemistry, it also concentrates on serving the community by maintaining a close relationship with various local organizations in order to expand interest in scientific fields.

For further information on the University of Delaware chapter of the ACS-Student Affiliation, visit [http://copland.udel.edu/stu-org/udacs/index.html]

Article by Graham Silk-Eglit