Young students playing with Chemistry
Disseminating the wonders of chemistry among the younger generation is a fundamental responsibility for a chemical company deeply rooted in its community for over a century.
For the third consecutive year, we've organized an educational initiative at Instituto Comprensivo Dante in Gallarate, Italy, aimed at promoting STEM disciplines among students. Collaborating closely with the teachers, our program focused on the concept of pH and its practical applications.
Cristina Demarchi, our Albizzate Quality Control Manager, explained the significance of pH and its measurement techniques.
Each student was engaged in two titration experiments: the first involved titrating a lemon soft drink with a diluted soda solution using red cabbage extract as an indicator, while the second experiment featured dish soap titrated with vinegar and the same indicator.
In a lively competition, students meticulously counted the drops required to reach the endpoint, and the most precise students earned sweets and candies.
The second experiment was meticulously prepared in advance with invaluable assistance from the students and teachers across various disciplines. During literature classes, students created a short poem celebrating the legacy of Marie Curie, while technical and artistic lessons were dedicated to preparing stencils for each letter of the poem.
During our lessons, we helped the students in preparing a printing paste, which thickened upon changing the pH from alkaline to week acidic.
Each student personalized their paste with food-grade colorants, using it to print a letter onto cotton fabric.
Once dried, these vibrant letters were skillfully stitched together to compose a moving tribute.
"In the laboratory, with fervor, she embraced the challanges. Amidst rays and test tubes,
her brillance radiated. With unwavering passion, she unraveled the secrets of the atoms.
A woman of valor, of heart and of intellect. Marie Curie, the beacon of Science,
your illustious name dhines with unparalleled authority".
The second year students of Istituto Dante middle school class
We thank Cristina, Luca, Maurizio, the Teachers and all the Students for their enthusiastic contribution