‘Spectroscopy in a Suitcase’

Year 13 Chemists were treated to a problem solving workshop run by Chemists from Southampton University. Our students had the opportunity to have a go at using an infra-red spectrometer that cost over £16,000. Alongside the results from this, students also completed a series of problem solving exercises to identify eight unknown chemicals. A real highlight of the afternoon was using the spectrometer to analyse a sample of aspirin that the Sixth Formers had made earlier in the term. Comparison with a sample of pure aspirin showed that the student sample was of high purity too.