Australia's Science Forum

Hi Sunray,
Where did you end up getting your pipette fillers from? (the ones that worked!)
Cheers, Ellice

Thanks for the suggestions. I like the idea of the Wallfile, and will suggest this for the new storage area.

Hi gang,
How do people store their charts? Ours are rolled up and sit on top of a flammable storage cupboard!
Ellice

Ordered some pipette fillers from Office max recently, the ones with the adjustable thumb wheel, and half of them are too stiff to turn the wheel, so they've been forced and the plunger thing inside has come away (broken). Is it worthwhile ordering from somewhere else, or is this problem a sign of t...

Hi Smiley, We just had a go using scotch fingers and adora cream wafers. What biscuits did you use? Also, I used ready bought frosting as it was a small class, but now some more people want to do it, and I'm thinking I'll have to make huge amounts of frosting!!?? But all up a huge hit, and once more...

I got rid of it when it WAS banned.

I do the same as Smiley. We had good results this year.
Ellice

Hi Kathryn,
I can remember doing this years ago using Elodea. I have some if you need it.
Cheers, Ellice

Hi Rosalie,
Are there still many vacancies for workshops? I wont get an application in until next term.
Cheers, Ellice.

We use 5% Barium Chloride and drops of conc HCl.
Just a further note to this , we used a method this year that added agar as a coagulant (I think I got the method from Chemtalk), and the results were really good.

Thanks Smiley. Should have done a search first.
Ellice.

Hi all in labbie land, I've had a look through most of the catalogues I have, and can't find anything on small goggles. We are always needing the odd pair for the odd small head that turns up. I've tried the 'rubber bands around the end' trick, but on some kids it's not successful. Any help would be...

I love it!! Thanks Dime.

Hi gang in lab land,
I am trying to make those heat conduction metal rod things with globs of wax on them, and can't get the wax to stay on the rods!!! Is there a trick to this?
Needed by last lesson today!!
Grateful for any help.
Ellice.

Hi Lada,
Yes, endothermic. I have found these alternatives in case anyone needs them in future;
sodium acetate, sodium nitrate, sodium thiosulfate.
Ellice.

Hi all,
We are doing the prac 'Measuring the Heat of Solution' which uses ammonium nitrate and sodium hydroxide, and I need an alternative for the ammonium nitrate. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
Ellice.

I wonder if you're leaving them too long in the metho. We leave only until metho turns green. Have the leaves been in the sun prior to picking? Freshly picked seems to work well.

Hi there, We have good success with this experiment, but our method may be a little different. We boil the leaves first in water, then place in a test tube with metho which is in a beaker of water on a hotplate. Remove the leaf, flood with iodine solution. Young, soft leaves work best. Try a paddle ...

Hi Lada, The kids here make their own standard Sodium carbonate, then use this to titrate against some hydrochloric that I provide. But I adjust the molarity, so it gives a good titration, and this involves titrating and standardising I guess. I do the same for another prac that involves vinegar and...

Thanks for all the suggestions. We are going with the lady from industry (who has actually worked in schools briefly), rather than the teacher/research chemist (who was a bit apprehensive about eyes, hearts, etc) The time management situation was mentioned, and the ability to juggle 10 people, 6 lab...