BT Science & Technology Exhibition 2012

Congratulations to Mr. Askin and his students; Donnachadh Barry, Luke Benson & Paul McDonagh (AKA Team SAP Ireland) on winning the Google Trailblazer Award for groups and coming second overall in the senior technology category. Their project was entitled "iCollapse app" which is a very innovative mobile phone application which uses the accelerometer built into the smartphone to detect when a person collapses.

Should a person collapse, an alarm will sound encouraging a passer-by to remove the user’s phone and call the enlisted help contact(s) which will be displayed on screen. It also includes instructions telling the passer-by as to how best to help the user recover. The app locates the person using Google Maps and it is hoped a live service will be possible whereby an SMS will automatically be sent to the help contacts or emergency services giving the necessary details of the user and their location.

Team SAP have decided that this application should be free to everyone!  

For more information you can find Team SAP Ireland at http://teamsapireland.com 

Recrystallisation of Benzoic Acid & Determination of its Melting Point

Recrystallisation of a Sample of Benzoic Acid and Determination of its Melting Point

Image From "Leaving Certificate Rapid Revision Chemistry."

By using a the Buchner funnel and flask to rapidly filter the solution, with the aid of a suction pump, there is a lower possibility of the substance crystallizing out on the filter paper or funnel.

If crystallization is slow to take place, either of the following steps can be taken to speed it up:

(a) Evaporate off some of the solvent and allow the solution to cool again, or 

(b) "seed" the solution by adding a crystal of the pure compound into the solution.

The crystals can be dried by pressing them between two dry sheets of filter paper and then placing them in a desiccator.

Melting Point Determination

The crystals are placed in a capillary tube and then heated in an aluminium block. The temperature at which the crystals melt is noted. The process is then repeated and the average value is taken as the melting point.

The melting point can tell us whether the substance if pure or just slightly impure. If the substance melts sharply at 122 degrees Celsius,  then we know that it is pure. But if the sample melts over prolonged temperatures then we know that the substance is slightly impure and it will melt at lower temperatures that the pure sample.

By Niall Fahey & Stephen Garavan Class 5A1

Making Crystals

                        

Blue crystals of Hydrated Copper Sulphate

Crystals are formed when a hot saturated solution is cooled. First we made a saturated solution of Copper Sulphate. We ground up the copper sulphate into a fine powder and added it slowly to 50mls of water at 60 degrees celsius, stirring all the time until it dissolved.We kept adding more until it wouldn’t dissolve. We checked the temputure regularly using a thermometer. We tied string to a pen and put the string dangling in the blue stuff. We covered it with paper towel using a rubber band and then put it on the shelf, where it cooled slowly for a few days. 

After a few days small crystals were formed on the string. We took the best crystal and used it to seed the next saturated solution of copper sulphate. 
After a few days this small seed crystal had grown into a large crystal of copper sulphate that you can see in the photograph.


By Finnian Martin & David McNicholas 2A3

BT Science & Technology Exhibition 2012

This year the exhibition will be held from the 10^th to the 14^th of January 2012 at the RDS in Dublin. Our students are busy at the moment putting together their one page proposals and completing all entry forms. Entry forms, including the one page proposal outlining the project idea must be fully completed and submitted to Mr. Daly by Wednesday the 28^th of September. The competition is open to second level students from Ireland, North & South, who are aged between 12 & 19years on 31^st October 2011. Best of luck to all students entering the competition. 

Illegal toxic waste spotted from space

Today's environmental detectives can use radar, helicopters and even satellite images to help them spot illegal toxic waste dumps and help to catch those responsible.
               
Ironically, the tightening of the restrictions on waste disposal and the enforcement of new recycling laws have made illegal dumping more likely, turning into big business for the criminals involved.

The trouble is digging up suspect dumps to investigate their contents can release toxins into local water supplies.

But with new remote sensing techniques, such as ground-penetrating radar you can find toxic trash without disturbing the soil.


By Ryan McDonnell and Jordan McCormick

Junior Cert Ecology Survey

2A4: Stephen, Saulius & Gary
Collecting Insect specimens from trees

1st & 2nd year students have just completed the practical aspect of their survey of the Lough Lannagh habitat. There was 2 sections to the project:

1. Qualitative Survey:

• Identify 5 plant and 5 animal species
• Assess water quality by testing for pH, dissolved oxygen content, foam content & temperature 
• Assess Soil quality by testing for pH, moisture & humus content

      2. Quantitative Survey of the plant and animal species by measuring the % frequency of species

      

Students worked in small groups of 3 to 4 to carry out the various tasks in the field. Groups then      collaborated in the lab to identify all species collected, take photographs and share data obtained. 

This project will form a significant portion of the students assessment this term as it directly covers objectives OB59 - OB63 of the Junior Certificate Science Syllabus. Check out the photographs taken by the students by clicking on the slideshow in the sidebar.

Junior Cert - Coursework B Titles

Biology: 

Carry out an investigation to study the anaerobic respiration of yeast with particular reference to:

(i) The change of temperature with time
(ii) The evolution of density with time

Chemistry:

Carry out an investigation to study the pH changes that take place when neutralisation reactions occur between two named acids and a named base.

Physics:

Investigate the factors that determine the force of friction between a wooden block and the surface on which it is resting.