Science teacher Tyler Ross and his two chemistry classes worked on a summative bunsen burner lab on Oct. 21. In this lab there were seven identified elements: Lithium, Copper, Sodium, Potassium, Strontium, Calcium, and Barium. These all show up as a different color once placed in a flame. There was also one unknown element that was the same as one of the identified ones. Students put this into the flame to see what color the flame would change to in order to figure out what the unknown element was.

Every science class includes labs to further students’ understanding of the topic by using real world applications. In this case, Ross’s chemistry classes were trying to understand more about the differences between the atoms that were used in the flames and color theory. These labs can span from the physics classes throwing balls from the balcony to the ecology and conservation classes dissecting fish.

Students interested in taking a chemistry class should talk to Ross or science teacher Angela Johnson for more information.