Social Distancing for Molecules
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 arrangement of molecules in 3D space.
Using some helpful plastic atoms and bonds, Mr Hawkridge, Head of Science, 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 arrangements.
Having grasped the essentials of this process, the students then 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 and the interesting questions they asked.
