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When offered extra credit to blow things up, chemistry students jumped at the opportunity.
Students gathered on the McPherson Laboratory lawn Tuesday for a meeting with Dr. Rosemary Loza. During the meeting, students witnessed liquid explosions when Mentos breath mints were added to two-liter bottles of Coca-Cola.
Students were asked to volunteer in a variety of experiments, including lighting bubbles of hydrogen with an oversized match, causing it to explode and a glowing pickle attached to electric volts, making it maintain a bright yellow glow in the dark.
“I just came to get extra credit, but I learned so much just through demos,” said Leah Kaba, a junior in finance and accounting.
Students with majors in chemistry, along with their advisors and instructors, are attempting to form a chapter of the American Chemical Society at Ohio State.
“I knew I wanted to do something to get it started,” said Loza, a chemistry instructor. “There are so many opportunities in the field of chemistry and since we are such a big university I couldn’t think of a better place to start something for students.”
Loza said that during her undergraduate studies she was very close with her instructors, who gave her the confidence to pursue chemistry.
“A lot of students are afraid to ask questions, so this could really do a lot for them,” Loza said. “My professors did this kind of thing for me and I probably wouldn’t be here right now if it weren’t for them.”
Students held their first meeting Tuesday which included demos featuring loud explosions, experiments, and glowing pickles. There will be two more meetings during spring quarter in order for those currently involved to gain more support.
Molly Willis, a sophomore in chemistry, said she wanted to become involved to participate in fun activities and build her resume for the future.
“I want to start to make plans for the future and this can really help,” Willis said. “If people would just happen to see us conducting demos on the Oval, it might draw their attention to our group.”
Loza said she was concerned that job competition is fierce.
“I think this is a great opportunity for students to become involved, especially during the spring. I would love to see some of these kids get summer jobs related to chemistry because something that happened during the meetings made them more interested.”
Mandy Still, a senior in chemistry, said she wanted to recruit people who were not just interested in seeing things explode but also wanted to go into chemistry or medicine.
“Chemistry is fun, but this group also serves as a great opportunity,” Still said.
Loza stressed the lack of interest she sees within many of her students.
“My professors made chemistry human,” Loza said. ” I feel that we get a bad rap when it comes to chemistry. We have 4,000 students who take chemistry and they don’t say a lot of nice things so I want to change that.”
Sara Clifford can be reached at [email protected].
