Perhaps hoping that the days of social distancing were long behind them, members of the Year 11 Colloquium were reintroduced to the phenomenon but in a very different context, the molecular arrangements in 3D space.
Using some helpful plastic atoms and bonds Mr Harry Hawkridge, Head of Chemistry explained how it is that the relative position of hydrogen atoms in an ethane molecule (C2H6 ) can change; the importance of the models is that the students need to think in terms of 3D space. And why should their positions change? It is all to do with the relative energy of the particular molecular arrangements.
Having grasped the essentials of this process, the students the began to study some 2D representations of these molecules in different conformations before attempting to tackle some decidedly tricky questions about methylbutane (C5H12). Social distancing in evidence, of a different but similarly taxing manner.
These levels of investigation go way beyond the demands of even the A level syllabus so well done to the students for coping so well with them.
