8 minute read
SCIENCE
WAKEFIELD WHERE GIRLS HAVE SPARK
National Coal Mining Museum
Over the 25th and 28th of June, all of Year 9 attended the National Coal Mining Museum to learn about potable water.
To start off the day we travelled down the mines with a guide who had previously worked down the mine. This gave us a great insight into how conditions were down the mine. We were all shocked to find out how terrible the conditions were especially for children and ponies some of which never made it out. Travelling through the mine we saw a variety of equipment which was used in the mine and also saw how the equipment evolved.
After a sing-a-long travelling up the lift we moved to a classroom to learn about filtering water. As the mine still pollutes water, the staff had to put things in place to filter water and make it potable. After receiving information about potable water we travelled outside to measure the levels of chemicals in the water. We travelled along the whole process of filtering water taking in data as we went.Once receiving all our data we tested it to find out whether the levels at the end of the filtering process were low enough for it to be potable which they were. This concluded our trip to the mining museum.
We would like to thank all the staff who made the trip possible as we all enjoyed it and it really enhanced our learning of the topic of potable water.
Betty Chamberlain
Science Reading Challenge 2020
Students have been busy reading for the 2020 Science Reading Challenges, here are some of their book reviews
The Emperor of all Maladies
I found this book exceptionally useful as an introduction into the field of oncology. As I am hoping to study medicine in September it has given me a basic understanding of the drugs and treatments of various types of cancers, as well as an insight into the thoughts and processes of professionals. This was particularly prevalent in Mukherjee’s own story, which runs parallel to the biography, describing the treatment of Carla. It also served as a fantastic long term example of fundamental scientific principles of using experiments to prove (or disprove) a particular theory through the uses of clinical trials, statistical analysis and more objective methods such as surveys. It highlighted the refusal of scientists to reassess a particular treatment when all the data is suggesting it is not as efficient as they want to believe and the importance of developing and understanding before an attempt to solve an issue. This is shown through the pronounced developments in cancer treatment following an understanding of genetics and therefore cancers causes, which meant specific drugs could be developed and targeted.
Reviewed by Alex Middleton - Year 13
The Universe versus Alex Woods
This book had an emphasis on neurology and astrophysics, which are areas of science I definitely researched on whilst reading this novel. It definitely helped me understand more about meteoroids and what they really are and the difference between a meteoroid, a meteor, and a meteorite. It also helped me gain more of an understanding of epilepsy and the different types, what causes them and how they affect people’s daily lives.
I definitely would recommend this book to others because it was one that covers an array of topics such as the hard hitting topic of assisted death, as well as making me feel many emotions since it made me laugh out loud many times, but also made me cry many times. This book was something I read which included everything I am really interested in from areas of major ethical debate to elements of all sciences in one book.
Reviewed by Mariam Mubeen - Year 12
Headstrong: 52 Women who Astrophysics for young
changed science and the world
This book shows the amazing female scientists from the past that have changed science for the better from Mary Putnam Jacobi to Helen Taussig from Alice Ball to Jane Wright this book has scientists that have done incredible scientific things in their lifetime. One of my favourites was Mary Putnam Jacobi. Mary was a medical physician, teacher, writer, scientist and suffragist. She was the first woman to have studied at the University of Paris. She is a very inspirational woman and this book shows 52 women who have achieved great things in life and it reminds me that if these women can do it and were not afraid why should I not try.
Reviewed by Mallory Wigglesworth - Year 7
people in a hurry
This book is all about how we came into this world and about all the different forces and how the planets and stars were created. Astrophysics for young people in a hurry has really helped me understand the basics of astrophysics with the why’s and how’s on how the planets, moons, solar system and the sun were created from one tiny star to a solar system and why humans and animals evolved on the planet and how we adapted, why everything started with the big bang and how some micro dust of the bang will be inside us, we are living stardust.
Reviewed by Zara Akhtar - Year 8
The Chemistry Department runs a Year 13 trip to ‘Chemistry Live’ each year where the students listen to a series of lectures from chemists who are passionate about their subject and who are at the cutting edge of research. Our Sixth Form chemists learn about a variety of chemistry related topics in more depth and breath whilst also benefiting from the examiner sessions threaded throughout the day. I would like to thank Jasmine Kaur and Tarynn McWilliam for writing about their experiences of the day, the Year 13 students we took, who were particularly enthusiastic and also Mrs Baldwin who accompanied us on the trip.
Dr Duerden-Brown - Head of Chemistry
During our final year of A Level Chemistry, as Year 13 chemists we had the opportunity to attend the A Level Science live: Chemistry event at the Whitworth Hall in Manchester. It was a day where we were given lectures from a range of vastly different scientists of chemistry. This trip was a fantastic way for us to develop our knowledge of several aspects of the chemistry world, including points beyond our syllabus. On behalf of all the students I think that we would all agree that all the lecturers were informative and intriguing. Some of the talks that we were given on the day included Dr Suze Kundu, who began by telling us about why she was inspired to become a nanochemist at the University of Surrey. It was a great experience to learn about the ways in which nature will inspire nano science to develop in the future. We were also able to further enhance our understanding on the topic of Carbon materials, such as the material of graphene, her research more specifically was focused on the materials which capture solar energy which can further be used to split water to make the element hydrogen.
As a group, we were also fascinated by the talk on the chemistry of water by Dr Philip Ball, as it was really interesting to learn about the various ways in which water breaks the rules of what we consider chemically to be a liquid, and just how water makes life on earth possible. Water is a hydride of oxygen, and at room temperature, is known to be a liquid. However, many similar hydrides are gases at this same temperature, and Dr Ball explained that this difference is due to the presence of hydrogenbonding between water molecules, which isn’t seen in the other Group 6 hydrides. He also further developed our knowledge on how ice floats on water, due to the water molecules forming a 6 membered ring due to the tetrahedral arrangement caused by hydrogen bonds, meaning that the molecules are spread further apart, and so ice has a lower density than water. Dr Ball then went on to talk about the potential for human life on other planets, notably Europa due the water found on its surface. He ultimately concluded that for even the simplest organisms on earth, many of their molecular interactions are facilitated by water in an incredibly intricate way, that any other solvent would struggle to replicate. We were also fortunate to have two exam sessions with a current A Level Chemistry examiner where we learnt many useful tips in preparation for our exams.
Jasmine Kaur and Taryn McWilliams - Year 13
International Year of the Periodic Table
To celebrate the year of the Periodic Table in 2019, the Chemistry Department ran a competition with Year 9 to create something based on the Elements of the Periodic table. There were a variety of high-quality entries including poems, quizzes, cakes, songs and TikTok dances. The competition was won by Mariella Shuttleworth in Year 9, who created a Periodic Table wall hanging.
WINNING ENTRY
Here’s a selection of some of the amazing entries from Year 9
