Australia's Science Forum

G'day Noona, Sorry to hear about your accident and your hearing. Just listening to the radio the other day when they were talking about the loss of hearing in our younger generations because of the ipods, etc..... The commentators gave out a phone number where you could check your hearing over the t...

G'day Sue,
It is the emergency shut down switch that I am wanting. In my past school and the current one, in the other science room, it shuts everything down....electricity, lights and gas. So, it's not a gas valve. I need to explain myself better!
Maree

I understand where you are all coming from. However, the builder stated that there was only request for one, and of course this is in the other room. It also shuts off this science room. So I asked my local Health and Safety rep. for the Department (Victoria) of Education what was current thinking. ...

I have been at this school, full time, since the start of the year and have only last month noticed that one laboratory does not have an emergency stop button. Maintenance have come to me asking to provide documentation that this expensive item needs to be installed. It is not their fault. I have me...

Science Supply Australia, Victoria, sell Alum at 3 kg for $48.00 if that helps Wendy.
Maree

If the bottom layer is super important try and find some tar. I am sure that some oil companies will have some.
Maree

Like everyone else I never get crucibles fully clean and so I use them for reactions that destroy the crucible. I do any thermite demonstration in the 'old' ceramic crucibles. What difference does it make using an old one? None. I am sure that there are other reactions that they could be used for. I...

I have thawed brains in the past and afterwards used them for dissection.

Soaking the brains in a saturated salt solution for 9 days (turning daily, don't worry about weekends) makes the brains firm without losing their distinctive parts. They are then superb to slice.

Maree

Thank you all for that information.

Maree

I am about to prepare for DNA extraction and have not used the "meat tenderiser" practical before. What is 'meat tenderiser' (powdered kind) and where can I buy it? Thank you for any help.
Maree

It all looks fantastic! However, I do not like the white benches; unless they are marble I wonder how their pristine colour will last. But, I looove the ceramic sinks, so much better than stainless steel.
Maree

Sometimes I wonder if I should act as stupid as they believe I am. This is a case in point. Why not just give the teacher the jar of potassium, the tin/ribbon/granules/powder of magnesium, etc........ The look on a teacher's face after this would surely be priceless!!!! My common saying to staff is,...

No!
NH3 is Ammonia (Base) and HNO3 is Nitric Acid (Acid).
Maree

You are right Rosalie. Ninemsn have quickly taken it off their website. Anyhow, here is the guardian newspaper article.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/mar/2 ... -car-death

I hope you get there.

Maree

Chemicals in Cars........... Yes we do it when buy our own needs for home but we should never do it for work especially if they are flammable. Check out ninemsn as it has a story on a young hairdresser whose life is over because of hydrogen peroxide, smoking and being in the car. Accidents do happen...

I currently have vinegar in them. They are called Stull dropping bottles.
I also like the dropping eyedrop bottles. They are great for food colourings and other chemicals.
Maree

Where I have worked the office staff have always done it. And as all the facilities are situated next to the offices, I think that is where first aid should be done. This is not meant to be a criticism of Estelle. She is doing it because she finds value in it. I do not like to be away from my prepar...

G'day Narelle, I know that feeling. I have come to a school where all the dropper bottles were glass and I detest them. So it has taken me a while to change them over. I would make up new solutions. Keep your unused chemicals in amber bottles with a date made up as part of your chemical label. I thi...

Well Kel, if you have a balance that measure in milligrams, then the answer is 1mg/100ml. Pretty hard to do! Your best bet is to make up the 10mg/L and only use 100ml. Sorry about that. Maybe 1g.10ml, then 10ml of this + 90 ml water = 0.01g/100ml, then 10ml of this + 90ml of water = 10mg/L. I think ...

Sorry! I forgot. Our cleaners have a uniform but not name badges. What? Because they are contract workers and therefore "not part of us". Our office staff and maintenance men also have uniforms but also name badges. You know why!
Maree