CATALYZER4 THE FOURTH ISSUE OF CATALYZER MAGAZINE 22/07/2018 The initial Olympic bustle has passed and hopefully everyone has fully recovered from jet lag by now, because the actual competition is finally starting. PRAGUE © UCT THE FUN ENDS; THE REAL FUN BEGINS Today, you will learn about the “It started with a drizzle, which But there can be many other turned out to be unfounded: The available lab instrumentation soon turned into a strong challenges. A particularly inno- practical tasks that summer and its safe use—a small warm- thunderstorm. It lasted one vative approach to practical took part in brand new labora- up before tomorrow, when the whole day and one whole night,” tasks was demonstrated by the tories, built and furnished with practical part of IChO 2018 remembered a participant, Petra organization committee for the amazing speed and quality. starts in full. This is the part all Ménová. “From the dormitory Cambridge (UK) Olympiad in those bitten by the chemistry windows, we saw how a river 2009. For one task, students did A year later in Tbilisi, Georgia, bug like the most. changed within a few hours not get a full laboratory, but only some members of the Steering from a peaceful stream to a wild a conductivity meter, a glass Committee wanted to try out So, what can you expect tomor- river, flooding the surround- and a few other simple tools. the practical tasks themselves, row? In the first of a total of ing areas. Tree branches and They were then asked to use the to really put themselves in the three tasks, you will need to be banana tree leaves were carried provided tools to find the critical shoes of soon-to-be competi- patient, because you are going to away by the strong wind,” Petra micelle concentration of a sur- tors. The results weren't made prepare…well, wouldn't you like added. The accompanying factant. Creative improvisation public, but the rumours say to know? Unfortunately, as the programme had to be cancelled. just like in the MacGyver series, they were less than stellar. As famous Smrťák, a Czech version Don’t worry though, this is very isn't it? Even better, because it one of the committee members of the Grim Reaper, says: We unlikely to occur in Slovakia. was completely real. jokingly told the editorial staff: can't tell you, we can't even give “Looked like some of us weren't a hint. But what we CAN do is You will likely not be threatened The surprises aren't only for in an actual lab for a long, long reveal a few interesting facts by malaria, as was the case the students, though. In January time.” from previous Olympiads. in 2014, in Vietnam. Although 2015, the Steering Committee the risk in Hanoi was relatively arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan, to As the given examples illustrate, For example, Taiwan in 2005. small, it is difficult to judge check their readiness for IChO, the practical part of IChO can The day before the practical how the students were feeling taking place there in just a few be full of surprises, and every exams, the competitors had inside during the practical task months. When they saw that year has its own unique tasks, to stay in their dorms due to while they were synthesizing an the planned laboratories were experiences and overall flavour. the threat of a typhoon. When artemisinin derivative. Anyway, rooms with nothing but bare We hope to continue this tradi- the eye of the typhoon passed the formula of this antimalarial walls, they were starting to tion. Wishing you all the best for Taiwan, mentors were just drug made it to the backside of worry despite the assurances tomorrow! translating the practical exams. the Olympic medals. of the organizers. The worries Michal Janovský INTERNATIONAL CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD MAGAZINE / SLOVAKIA & CZECH REPUBLIC, 2018 ABOVE GROUND AND UNDER GROUND Short report from the trip to Banská Štiavnica After getting on board of one of the eight On the way to the Open-Air Mining Museum, buses, we had the feeling of being in a ghost the teams stopped for lunch in Banská town. Every single passenger fell asleep Štiavnica to recharge their batteries, make with their breakfast bags in their laps short- friends, or to take a short nap. Museum staff ly after leaving the dorms. Waking up in gave the students well fitting—though out of Svätý Anton, the zombies transformed into fashion—coats and helmets. Ready for their the students we had known from before and mining mission, they continued their journey took a guided tour of a local palace, where to the underground mines. The Catalyzer they learned about the life of noble families, team never saw them again :). regional history, and hunting. They also got Elizabeth Lensmith, Marek Lanč to see an exhibition of stuffed Slovak ani- mals and admired the collection of knives, rifles, and shotguns. Resurrected by a short safety demonstra- tion of emergency exits provided by a crew- member on the bus, students walked up to the top edge of Šobov Quarry. In the quarry, they were equipped with geology shovels and spread all over the area to take the chance to dig the ground for some quartz crystals. One of the Venezuelan participants was lucky to find a neat piece of crystal: “Seeking for crystals is fun, but I would not trade geology for chemistry,” he said. O TEAM h O TEAM h © IC © IC O TEAM O TEAM h h © IC © IC PAGE 2–3 © T. BELLOŇ © T. BYE BYE, DEAR MENTORS! After only two days of adapting in Brati- slava, your mentors have already turned on their working mode, meaning they have already inspected the IChO 2018 laborato- ries yesterday to ensure everything is ready for exams. Then they took a train to Prague. And it indeed was a special train, with 16 railcars, the longest one ever to be dispatched from Bratislava Train Station! Now they have the first night in Prague behind them and they are going to meet with the authors of the Olympiad tasks in the next few days. They will be discussing, negotiating, and translating the final prob- lems of the theoretical and practical tasks to customize them for each team. Because the test questions remain top secret, you won't be able to get in touch with your mentors until Wednesday at the Summer IChO Party in Prague. But not to worry, your mentors won't be working all the time. A tempting programme is prepared for them as well. During their stay in the Czech Republic, they will discov- er Kutná Hora, the Vltava River, and other interesting sights. Elizabeth Lensmith, Marek Lanč BELLOŇ © T. CATALYZER4 INTERNATIONAL CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD MAGAZINE / SLOVAKIA & CZECH REPUBLIC, 2018 O TEAM O TEAM h h © IC © IC SLOVENIA SAUDI ARABIA 1 Performing diff erent stages of a ski jump. 1 We are wearing our traditional dress, it consists of 2 In a small country like ours, we still have over 4 main pieces: Ghutrah, Agal, Thawb, Tagia. 50 dialects. Unlike other Slavic countries, we have 2 The capital of Islam, the city of Mecca, has the largest the word “love” in our name. clock in the world: Abraj Al Bait Towers Clock. IChO NATIONAL TEAMS GREECE THAILAND 1 Showing us their national dance, sirtaki. 1 Thaibox pose. 2 Every place is within 100 km 2 One of our favourite foods is a soup, of the sea and we also have the Tom Yum Kung. It is a shrimp soup southernmost place in Europe. with hot and sour spices. O TEAM O TEAM h h © IC © IC PAGE 4–5 O TEAM O TEAM h h © IC © IC THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA VIETNAM 1 Showing Taekwondo, a Korean martial art. 1 Imitating a symbol from their fl ag, a fi ve-pointed star. 2 Soju, a hard liquor, mixed with beer, makes a cocktail 2 Every Monday we dress more formally in our traditional called somaek. We like to drink it with food...or even clothing. Ao dai nam for men, Ao dai for women, and without :). a fl ag salute. 1 We asked teams to snap an original, fun photo and explain it. We also asked: What's something about your country others 2 usually do not know? USA AUSTRALIA 1 Posing as an eagle. 1 Quitely awaiting the Opening Ceremony. 2 The national bird was supposed 2 Eating spaghetti on toast? to be a turkey. Seems normal to us. O TEAM O TEAM h h © IC © IC CATALYZER4 INTERNATIONAL CHEMISTRY OLYMPIAD MAGAZINE / SLOVAKIA & CZECH REPUBLIC, 2018 O h When you say the word “Olympiad”, everyone imagines medals and the Olympic circles. The International Chemistry Olympiad started in 1968 and its symbolism emerged gradually throughout the following decades. IChO now has its own fl a g , each year has its own logo, and a slogan. Just like with sports, medals are awarded. fi nal positions were given out. At the very The fl ag features the acronym “IChO” and beginnings, even the ranking was not the fi ve Olympic fl ames representing the announced; later it was only the fi rst three, Olympic circles, as well as the fl ame. A and since the 5th IChO in Sofi a, Bulgaria, chemist will recognise the characteristic more fi rst, second, and third places started colours of the fl ame-tests of compounds of being awarded. It was only in 1977 at the 9th thallium (green), calcium (orange), sodium IChO in Bratislava, when real bronze, silver, (yellow), copper (blue-green), and strontium and gold medals were manufactured and (red).