Year 12s sample University Science

On the 13 of February, the Year 12 Chemistry and Physics ATAR students were given the opportunity to visit the University of Western Australia campus to explore the wonderful world of science. Students got to see first-hand what the educational journey looks like outside of our traditional High School walls.

As we drove further and further away from our comfort zone, we eventually parked the bus up at the UWA campus. First up, Chemistry. We ditched our school jackets and nuzzled into some white lab coats to prepare for the task ahead. The goal, to successfully produce aspirin, a household pain killer, from nothing but some chemicals and a dream. We heightened the stakes, every scientist for themselves, as it was a competition to see who could produce the best crystals of aspirin. Soon enough we had been debriefed by the lovely chemist lab staff, and we were at our stations preparing our equipment. After three hours, all of the students had produced their own crystals. Some were immaculate, shimmering like diamonds against the light. Others, not so much. No matter the outcome, we all had learnt a lot about the world of Chemistry, and the many possibilities that can come from it.

Next up was Physics. The students shuffled into a room filled with a range of different gadgets and the physics gurus that controlled them. There were 5 different stations, all with a different topic that fit under the large umbrella that is Physics. The wonders of liquid nitrogen, the power of electromagnetic levitation, and so much more. We learnt that there is a lot to learn about the wonderfully whacky world in which we live. Is it magic? No. It's just Physics.

- Hayley Viska (Year 12 student)

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