Year 10 Science

Last week, Mrs Hoskin’s Year 10 Science class received an interesting package in their letterbox. There was a Ziplock bag containing some red cabbage, disposable pipettes, blue and red Litmus paper, and a practical experiment instruction sheet.

Year 10’s at the Mooroopna Campus are currently completing a Chemistry unit in their Core Science classes. Students have been introduced to chemical reactions and balancing chemical equations. 

It has been challenging, during remote learning, to have students take part in interesting experiments, so the delivery of ‘Prac Packs’ meant that students could complete experiments at home as part of their Learning Task.

As an introduction to Acids and Bases, students were required to carry out a practical activity called the Red Cabbage Experiment. Students were to boil the red cabbage, extract the purple juice and use this as an indicator.

When various household substances are added to red cabbage juice, there is a colour change, depending on whether the substance added is an acid or a base (alkaline). If the red cabbage liquid turns from a shade of purple to a pink/reddish colour, this indicates that the substance added was an acid. If it turns a shade of green, the substance must have been a base. Suggested substances were things like lemon juice, bicarb soda, water, sugar and vinegar.

Once they had carried out the experiment, students were required to write and submit a practical report, showing their findings and demonstrating their understanding of the concepts being taught.

Students could also use the Litmus paper to dip these in various substances to test whether they were acids or bases. The blue paper turns red when dipped in acids, and the red paper turns blue when dipped in bases.

Students also received a chocolate frog, as an added bonus, in their packs, and many households were filled with the aroma of cooked cabbage as a reminder of the joys of learning from home! 😊. 

Kylie Hoskin

Science 

Mooroopna Campus