Vicky Staikopoulos, CNBP Research Fellow, was talking all things science at a recent outreach event at Alberton Primary School in Adelaide.
Invited to discuss how chemistry, physics and biology come together in the human body, Vicky’s focus was on light (physics), taste & digestion (chemistry) and how they affect the body (biology).
An interested and inquisitive group of 7-12 year olds, got to see what happens when food is ingested and digested via a video from YouTube, followed by a demonstration of what happens when food is placed into hydrochloric acid (the main acid in the stomach).
To understand how differing chemicals interact with the tongue for taste, the students participated in a paper testing experiment, where three children were given the same paper with a specific chemical and asked to describe their tasting experience. This also helped explain the differences, between people’s ability to sense and perceive chemicals.
Additionally, there was discussion about light and how it affects the human body (UV exposure on the skin and the production of vitamin D) and how people and other living organisms, see in differing wavelengths.
The session was judged to have been highly successful with feedback from the teacher noting much additional discussion from the students, on what they had seen and heard from this interactive outreach activity.