PROJECTS
in a
HIGH-SCHOOL CHEMISTRY COURSE R. C. LYANS
High School, Santa Barhara, California
HE making of projects is always an interesting part of a course in high-school chemistry. Book reports, charts, scrapbooks, flow sheets, and exhibits of materials used in manufacturing processes constitute the project work of many pupils in the local school, but some choose to make models. Some of the models have proved unusually interesting and are described in this paper for those instructors who are looking for suggestions for this type of work. Figures 1 and 2 show a hydrochloric acid factory. Parts of an old Erector set will be recognized, and a worn-out toy steam engine contributed the pipe and shut-off valve controlling the flow of water from the water tower. The absorption tower was once a vine-
T
gar bottle, while the three hombounes were originally peanut-butter jars (the family of the model-maker evidently heing fond of peanut butter). Figure 2 shows the manner of fitting the glass tubes which connect the hombonnes. A discarded Bunsen burner was repaired and given a side outlet, the open top end heing plugged. This furnishes the heat under the Florence flask containing the sodium chloride and sulfuric acid. The cooling coil is shown in the center foreground of Figure 1. This model works, which naturally makes it more interesting. Figure 3 is a photograph of a permntit water softener, another model which performs creditably and also clears up considerable mystery concerning the interiors
of the commercial softeners. The bottle was cut in two in order to insert the screen and then cemented together later. Pinchcocks are used for valves and all inlets and outlets bear labels to explain their functions. Figure 4 shows a model of an organic molecule made of rubber balls, wire, and beads. Figure 5 will be recognized as a sheet-metal worker's version of a Solvay soda plant. The various units are
all represented and, although this is not a workmg model, it is treasured as a worth-while addition to our visual aids in chemistry. The JOURNAL OR CHEMICAL EDUCATION has published descriptions of projects in the past and our copies of these issues attest by their worn condition their popularity with the chemistry students. The writer hopes to see more articles on the subject.
