“Arts in Chemistry” Brings Schoolchildren to New College, and New College to a Local High school
Imagine, if you will, schoolchildren as young as eight years old—all the way up to graduating seniors—getting excited about chemistry. Chemistry! Surprised? Well, don’t be!
When students from New College—Florida’s four-year, liberal arts honors college—put their minds to the challenge of making chemistry hands-on, visually exciting and connected to everyday life, magic happens! In fact, one demonstration explained the science behind an age-old magic trick—creating invisible ink. And who knew all the ingredients for making invisible ink can be found in almost any household kitchen?
These secrets and more were explored by students from all around Sarasota and Bradenton through a series of “Arts in Chemistry” live presentations. At Sarasota Military Academy, about 60 students learned how limonene—a chemical found in orange peels—can actually pop balloons (because of similarities in their chemical structures). New College third-year students Jade, Piper and Cheyenne—who created the online resources—also demonstrated how chemicals in oranges can be harnessed to generate electricity. The students showed how the Maillard reaction—the same chemical reaction that gives meat and vegetables their golden hue and enhances flavors when cooked—can be used to reveal a secret message written in invisible ink.
The New College students conducted a similar live demonstration, again with lots of hands-on opportunities, in the chemistry lab of New College’s Heiser Natural Sciences Complex. About 30 children and parents from UnidosNow popped balloons with orange peels and illuminated LED lights powered with nothing but a piece of fruit. At press time, a group of students from Girls Inc. was scheduled to visit the New College campus for a third “Arts in Chemistry” demonstration.
