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Cover your ears, open your minds to chemistry, profs say
April 18, 2008
The group of about 100 students had been fidgeting a bit as Craig Fryhle, chemistry department chair, explained specifically how a hydrogen-power car works.
But the students, largely from nearby Washington and Spanaway high schools and a private Federal Way elementary school, stopped chatting and texting when the car started driving itself around the table, with an apparent mind of its own. Then chemistry professors Dean Waldow and Paul Davis told everyone they were going to start setting things on fire and blowing up objects. That really got everyone’s attention.
Fryhle, Waldow and Davis, as well as professors Cotten and Yakelis,were participating in the fifth annual Chemistry Department Desserts and Demos Event. While waiting for the students to arrive last Wednesday evening at the Rieke Science Center, Fryhle said that the event was to promote PLU’s chemistry department, but also to encourage students to think about chemistry as a career.
“We want to show (the students) that chemistry is fun and exciting, even spectacular sometimes,” Fryhle said. “It’s not as scary a subject to study as people think, and explains so much of the world around us. It’s also fundamental to finding solutions to our world’s problems.”
It’s also not a bad way to make ice cream.
Chemistry Club members were making ice cream via liquid nitrogen, while brownies were arranged to simulate the periodic table.
After being warned to cover their ears, students watched Waldow recreate the Hindenburg explosion (on a smaller scale, of course) and Davis “burn” money. Then students got a chance at creating their own chemistry magic, as they created nylon, lava lamps and imploded cans, with the help of PLU’s Chemistry Club.
“This is great,” said Natalie Ward, a fourth grader from Seabury School in Federal Way, as she buried her hands in a gooey substance made of corn starch and water.
Does she now want to be a chemist? No. An actress. But she now loves chemistry.
University Communications staff writer Barbara Clements compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 7427 or at clemenba@plu.edu. Photo by University Photographer Jordan Hartman.
Fryhle, Waldow and Davis, as well as professors Cotten and Yakelis,were participating in the fifth annual Chemistry Department Desserts and Demos Event. While waiting for the students to arrive last Wednesday evening at the Rieke Science Center, Fryhle said that the event was to promote PLU’s chemistry department, but also to encourage students to think about chemistry as a career.
“We want to show (the students) that chemistry is fun and exciting, even spectacular sometimes,” Fryhle said. “It’s not as scary a subject to study as people think, and explains so much of the world around us. It’s also fundamental to finding solutions to our world’s problems.”
It’s also not a bad way to make ice cream.
Chemistry Club members were making ice cream via liquid nitrogen, while brownies were arranged to simulate the periodic table.
After being warned to cover their ears, students watched Waldow recreate the Hindenburg explosion (on a smaller scale, of course) and Davis “burn” money. Then students got a chance at creating their own chemistry magic, as they created nylon, lava lamps and imploded cans, with the help of PLU’s Chemistry Club.
“This is great,” said Natalie Ward, a fourth grader from Seabury School in Federal Way, as she buried her hands in a gooey substance made of corn starch and water.
Does she now want to be a chemist? No. An actress. But she now loves chemistry.
University Communications staff writer Barbara Clements compiled this report. Comments, questions, ideas? Please contact her at ext. 7427 or at clemenba@plu.edu. Photo by University Photographer Jordan Hartman.