‘Spectroscopy in a Suitcase’
- Feb 29, 2024
- 1 min read
The Chemistry Department was busy on Friday 23.2.24 as Newcastle University STEM Outreach team visited the school to deliver interactive workshops to students in Year 13 and 14. Dr Peter Hoare covered two analytical techniques, which are required for the A2 course, with our 32 Year 14 students and developed students’ ability to analyse spectra - a key skill required for the A2 examinations. The students were able to prepare samples for IR and use expensive instruments that they otherwise would not come into contact with (£25,000 of kit all packed into a suitcase!). They were also able to do a quick revision of the technique on interpreting NMR spectra. In the Year 13 workshop, our 28 AS pupils completed an introduction to Infra-red Spectroscopy before working in groups to analyse 6 different samples and match their 'chemical fingerprint' to a spectrum from a database of samples - an important skill required for their AS course. We are grateful to the Newcastle University Outreach team and Dr Peter Hoare for making these difficult topics at AS and A2 so accessible to our students.
I enjoyed reading this post because it shows how hands-on science activities can make learning more exciting and help students understand complex ideas. It reminded me of taking part in a school experiment where seeing science in action made the lesson much more memorable. During that busy semester, I also used help with engineering assignments while managing my coursework. It made me realize that practical learning and the right support can build confidence and deepen understanding.
This sounded like a great way to help students understand chemistry because using real equipment makes difficult topics much easier to remember. Reading about the instruments reminded me of a small electronics project I worked on while exploring ac transformer manufacturers to better understand how different components support testing equipment and lab setups. It made me appreciate how science and engineering often connect in practical ways. Hands on learning like this can leave a much stronger impression than classroom lessons alone.