Students in Mrs. Gloria Martinez's class at Winn High used pumpkins to conduct the flame test lab.
As a pre-lab, students read about fireworks and how the vibrant colors are produced at the atomic level.
Students used dissolved metal salts, placed aluminum foil inside their personalized pumpkins, and added the salt solution and methanol to light up the flame. Students were able to see the different colors each metal salt gave off and at the end, they were able to identify an unknown mixture of two ions.
Of course, Mrs. Martinez always preps her students before a major lab, for this one, she showed them videos to teach them about the safe use of methanol and videos with examples of the traditional flame tests lab.
From these lessons, students took note of the color of light that each salt gave off to help them identify the salts when they did their own pumpkin lab.
As always, students in Mrs. Martinez's Chemistry classes were given the opportunity to put their knowledge to practice with fun hands on activities.
What better way is there to learn than by having fun?
Great job, Mrs. Martinez!
Go Mavericks!
submitted by J Mercer
