In early September, both our Grade 8 and Grade 10 classes visited the BASF School Laboratories in Ludwigshafen.

The Grade 10 students took part in a laboratory session about cosmetics. They learned about the basic chemistry of lotions, what they are composed of and why they can last for such a long time. Lotions are mainly made up of water, oil and emulsifiers, along with preservatives and other ingredients. The students had the opportunity to make their own lotions, test different sunscreens for their effectiveness and understand why it is important to protect our skin from the sun. They also tested the pH of a range of cosmetics, developing their understanding of acids and bases and how they relate to products used on our skin.

The Grade 8 students took part in a laboratory session exploring different materials. They investigated properties such as solubility and pH, as well as fermentation capacity and even did some flame tests. At the end of the day, they also had the opportunity to take home a small item that they had made themselves.

It was an excellent experience for the students to gain hands-on experience of working in a laboratory. By the end of the day, many were quite exhausted after spending so much time standing and carrying out experimental work! However, the experience gave them a valuable insight into what life as a scientist working in a laboratory can be like on a daily basis.

We would like to thank BASF and their laboratory staff who worked with the students in offering these fantastic opportunities to schools through their school laboratories. We look forward to future visits with other classes.