MICHELLE KOWALSK
Boy Scouts and students oohed and aahed as balloons exploded in flames and chemicals magically changed colors at Chemical Magic.
BYU's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry held a chemical magic show Wednesday night for students of all ages. Luther D. Giddings, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said he hopes the show, in accordance with National Chemistry Week, helps the public appreciate the role of chemistry.
'The response has been overwhelming,' said a secretary in the Chemistry Department. An extra show was added to accommodate the large number of people wanting to attend and was quickly filled.
The magic show opened with Giddings welcoming the audience and referring to the ancient custom of sacrifice. Instead of sacrificing animals, as in olden times, he would start the presentation with the sacrifice of a gummy bear. The bear was dropped into a boiling solution that exploded into bright, purple sparks flying around the counter.
The audience consisted of Boy Scout troops, high school students and others interested in science. 'We get a real mix,' Giddings said. 'It's pretty well attended.'
Chris Hrynyshyn, an elementary student from Orem, said he liked the exploding balloons and the loud noises. Chris' little brother, David, agreed. Their mother said she liked the presentation because it was very visual.
Alchemy was one of the demonstrations shown to the audience. Giddings said chemists had a way to make ends meet as he turned copper pennies silver, and then gold.
A series of clock reactions allowed viewers to see clear, colorless liquids change to orange, green, pink and blue. One of the experiments, called an oscillating reaction, changed a clear liquid orange to blue and then continued to change between the two colors for ten minutes.
Children's cries of, 'Again! Again!' filled the air with the exploding balloons of the grand finale.
Shannon Henry/Daily Universe
SWEET SACRIFICE: Luther D. Giddings, chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, sacrifices a gummi bear at the chemistry magic show celebrating National Chemistry Week in the Benson Building