Celebrate the pure joy of chemistry during National Chemistry Week starting Sunday, Oct. 17 and running through Saturday, Oct. 23.
“How?” you might ask?
Take the advice of Linda Ford, a retired chemistry teacher and American Chemical Society, opens a new window volunteer. “Be ready to be amazed,” she said. “Be ready to ask questions. Be ready to learn new ways to search for answers.”
This week continues a more than 20-year partnership between the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library and the Cincinnati Section of the American Chemical Society. Every year their volunteers share hands-on experiments and demonstrations to bring chemistry alive for kids.
Sue Buescher, a chemist at Procter & Gamble, has some suggestions to get you started. “Grab some vinegar and baking soda and make a volcano. Go outside and drop some Mentos in a bottle of soda. Place a cracker on your tongue and wait until the enzymes in your mouth change the salty crisp into a sugary melt. Ask just one question about why something happens and then look up the answer. All of these things involve experimentation and inquiry and are at the heart of chemistry.”
Need a little more inspiration? Ed Escudero, a retired chemistry teacher, shares his love of chemistry with several virtual demonstrations on the Library’s YouTube Channel.
Be amazed as he turns three clear liquids into a silver mirror, creates a tower of salt from a supersaturated liquid, and more.
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