Year 11 get a taste of the A level sciences with beetroot, tennis balls and mirrors!

Year 11 scientists enjoyed performing A level practical activities as part of their A level taster lessons.

The week before our Sixth Form Information Evening, Year 11 scientists had a taste of the many subjects we offer at A Level. In Science, pupils joined A Level taster lessons in Biology, Physics and Chemistry by performing 3 experiments that explored different aspects of the A level courses. In Biology we looked at cell membranes and how complex their structures are and what factors can disrupt them. We used beetroot to see what effect temperature and detergents would have on the integrity of the membranes and we were able to use colorimeters to obtain quantitative results. For Physics we measured the time taken to drop different sports balls from the second to ground floor, being careful the balls did not hit anyone! We used this data to work out the acceleration of free fall. Finally, in Chemistry we performed a test for the organic compounds called aldehydes, which resulted in a silver mirror forming around the test tubes as a positive result. All the activities were great fun and showed how A level builds on our GCSE knowledge and the equipment and skills required for key stage 5.

Amelia G