Year 7A: A Separation Challenge

This term the boys from 7A have been studying the topic of water. Preliminary work has focused on the themes of water as a limited yet essential resource, the molecular structure of water, mixtures, solutions and separation techniques.

To date, the boys have completed a range of activities including collaborative research related to how mixtures can be separated and practical experiments focusing on the effects of temperature on solubility and how to separate soluble and insoluble substances.

Currently, the boys have been given the challenge of separating 'a sample of biological evidence from a crime scene for the purposes of solving a crime'. Their goal is to separate a mixture of sand, iron filings, sawdust and salt into 4 separate substances (so that each sample is as pure as possible). Working in small groups, the boys need to design a method to separate the substances, then perform the procedure and finally, evaluate their level of success.

The strong emphasis on practical activities within this unit certainly help the boys to both understand and identify the applications of science in the real world.

Mr Andrew Arbuckle

7.4A Homeroom Teacher