out-do yourself

NUS - Bristol Chemistry workshop day 2
Today is slightly better than yesterday.

First experiment was making an azo dye called Orange II.
Yea, jus mixing up chemicals because I was told to do so.
There is a part when the solution look like orange ice tea in a conical flask.
Little did I know that the dye stained my right thumb orange.
And it is still a little orangy right now.

Second experiment was making the 'oil of winter green'
Basically it is esterification of salicyclic acid wif methanol.
Finally something I am familiar with.
After heating under reflux for 40 min, our solution looks different from the rest.
We got a clear solution while others get some cloudy mixture.
I thought that since ester is insoluble, this experiment will be yet another failure =(
But surprisingly, we obtained a molten substance after cooling it down.
And we managed to obtain the oil, which smells like root beer.
I swear that the smell is addictive.
This session seems to be the best practical session.
In conclusion, practical session should not be held in isolation without theory.

Lecture in the afternoon was even better.
We had got live demonstrations in the LT.
Fun wif N2(l), H2O2, CO2(s), combustion of H2 balloons and CH3OH
Why can't lectures in MJ be like this?
Right, lack of budget from MOE.

However, this is still not worth S$267.50
And this was reflected in my feedback form =D