January 2011 • Volume 48 •n umber 1 www.rsc.org/eic entropy Illustrating the abstract ISSN 0013-1350 Really cheesy Water – a global chemistry experiment cover_January 2011.indd 1 17/12/2010 10:01:54 advert for publication1.pdf 1 19/11/2010 12:19 What bright spark uses this? C M get online to answer: C L6.org Y 3 CM MY CY CMY Start the International Year of Chemistry with a new challenge! K This new competition is designed to enthuse students interested in chemistry. Set by an experienced team of school teachers and university lecturers, it will provide a valuable resource for study. Each month there will be an online chemistry challenge which anyone can enter, students and teachers alike! If you can solve all five levels, you will appear on the C3L6 Honours Board. The main competition will take place in schools in June and is only for Year 12 (Lower 6th) students or below. Students doing well will be sent certificates of achievement, and those who perform best will win an invitation to a residential camp at the University of Cambridge at the end of August. C L 3 6 Cambridge Chemistry Challenge Lower 6th for more information please visit: www.C3L6.org cover_January 2011.indd 2 17/12/2010 10:08:55 JANUARY 2011 • VOLUME 48 • NUMBER 1 www.rsc.org/eic CONTENTSJANUARY 2011 • VOLUME 48 • NUMBER 1 Entropy Illustrating the abstract LAUREL LATTO / WWW.LATTOARTS.COM / LATTO LAUREL COLUMN 2 Spotlight on scotland; Bill Bryson science prize; Diamond Light; Nobel news; Soundbite molecules LETTERS 8 Arsenical wallpaper; Grants for schools; Marie Curie; Quinine ISSN 0013-1350 Really cheesy Water – a global chemistry experiment and mauvine Entropy – see page 25 DISTILLATES 9 11. Cheese John Parkinson The chemistry behind the huge Education in Chemistry variety of cheeses is the only magazine in the UK aimed at EXHIBITION CHEMISTRY 10 teachers of chemistry at all levels. It is Adrian Guy written by its readers for its readers, and covers the whole spectrum of chemistry teaching from balanced science in secondary schools to the fi nal stages of FEATURES undergraduate courses. Really cheesy chemistry 11 Acting Editor Laura Howes Simon Cotton Assistant Editor David Sait Design and layout Carolyn Knighton A sinister side to a synthetic sex hormone 16 Publisher Bibiana Campos-Seijo Alan Dronsfi eld, Pete Ellis and Alan-Shaun Wilkinson EDITORIAL BOARD Water - a chemical solution 21 16. Stilboestrol John Dexter, Chair, Trinity RC School Tony Wright and Javier Garcia Martinez The story of a synthetic hormone Wendy Pitt, The King’s School, Ely and its devastating legacy Stuart Walker, McAuley Catholic High Entropy 25 School, Doncaster Peter Atkins Keith Taber, University of Cambridge David Smith, University of York Hal Sosabowski, University of Brighton THE ELEMENTS 29 John Emsley Eleanor Crabb, Open University David Read, University of Southampton Editorial and subscription information, REVIEWS 30 advertising enquiries, members orders and claims: The Royal Society of Chemistry, Thomas Graham 2010 INDEX 31 House, Science Park, Milton Road, Cambridge CB4 0WF; 01223 420066.; e-mail: [email protected]; 21. Water www.rsc.org/eic ENDPOINT 32 A global experiment for the Non-members orders and claims: David Phillips International Year of Chemistry RSC Distribution Services, c/o Portland Customer Services, Commerce Way, Colchester CO2 8HP; 01206 226050; e-mail: [email protected] INFOCHEM © The Royal Society of Chemistry, 2011. In this month’s pupil supplement: Rare earth metals; Breath Published six times a year. testing; A day in the life of a BP chemist; Prize puzzles Education in Chemistry (ISSN 0013-1350) is published six times a year by the Royal Society of Chemistry, Burlington House, Piccadilly, London W1J 0BA, UK. Registered Charity No. 207890. All orders accompanied with payment in advance and changes of address should be sent to RSC Distribution Services, c/o Portland Customer Services, Commerce Way, Colchester CO2 8HP, UK. 2011 annual subscription rate (print) UK and EC £264.00, USA $494.00, UNITED NATIONS; DREAMSTIME; ISTOCK PHOTOS ISTOCK DREAMSTIME; NATIONS; UNITED Rest of World £264.00; (online) £238.00, $445.00. Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, NJ. Air freight and mailing in Education in Chemistry is printed the USA by Mercury Airfreight International Ltd Inc., 365 Blair Road, Avenel, New Jersey, NJ 07001, US, and at on 100% recycled paper additional mailing offi ces. USA Postmaster: send address changes to: Education in Chemistry, c/o Mercury Airfreight International Ltd Inc., 365 Blair Road, Avenel, New Jersey, NJ 07001. January | EDUCATION IN CHEMISTRY | pp000_Contents_2011.indd 1 17/12/2010 10:00:28 Columnnews round-up Teaching – our life, our future As the International year of chemistry begins, acting editor Laura Howes reflects on what’s to come. Welcome back, I hope you had a University of Reading in January; he wants to Changes for us all good break and that you haven’t yet broken hear your views as much as I do. There’s been a lot of news about funding and too many New Year’s resolutions. The fees over the last few months for teachers International Year of Chemistry (IYC 2011) Changes for EiC and their students to take in, and I’m sure has now begun, with the theme ‘Chemistry While EiC will still be working as hard as ever more will come. – our life, our future’ and over the next 12 to support you, there are some changes that In Endpoint this issue, David Phillips has months I hope that Education in Chemistry you will notice. Infochem, our student taken the opportunity to think about how can help you to teach your pupils and supplement, has had a revamp. You may not these changes could be embraced and used students just how vital and relevant chemistry be the target audience, but judging from the to instigate reform of teaching chemical still is. number of entries we receive for the prize science at all levels. However, I don’t just want this to be a one puzzles each issue, the pupils definitely read Whether you agree or you disagree with way communication. If we publish something it. Again, we’d love feedback. his conclusions, the idea of creating you like, tell us. If you disagree with our views, We’ll also be adjusting our issue schedule something positive from what we are told is write a letter. As the landscape of teaching slightly, to try and fit better with the school a necessity is perhaps the best way I could changes, EiC will have to change with it. We terms. It seems foolish to deliver a magazine think of to finish this issue.n have to continue to support you and more to a closed school over the summer holidays, than ever we as a community need to work so we won’t. EiC has entered the whirl of social media. You together. At the end of this editorial is a list of Your next issue will arrive at the beginning can like us on Facebook, tweet us @RSC_EiC ways in which you can interact with us, and in of March as usual, but issue 3 will appear at and join our readers-space on MyRSC. the next issue we will be publishing a readers’ the end of April. Issues 4, 5 and 6 will be However, phone, post and e-mail work just as survey. The assistant editor David will be delivered at the start of June, early September well (see the contents page for details). attending the ASE conference at the and November as normal. 2010 RSC Bill Bryson Science Communication Prize In October, Bill Bryson and RSC Ry President Professor David Phillips in brief… presented the winners of the 2010 RSC Bill Cash prize for new Bryson Science Communication Prize with their prizes at a special event at the Palace students of Westminster. The 2011 Corti Science Prize is now open. chemist of society Royal The overall winners were Hannah Taylor, Currently in its fourth year, the Corti Science Thomas Earl, Lucy Upot and Charlotte Prize aims to promote the study of science in Norris of Aberdour School, Surrey, for their higher education by awarding a cash prize to animation entitled “Our Thirsty World”, new university students studying an which was about issues around water supply engineering, maths or science-based degree. and quality. Phoebe Devonshire, from West competition. The closing date is the 31st of To be in with a chance to win the prize of Hill Park School, won the prize in the March and this year celebrates the £2000, entrants must write an essay explaining Primary category for her writing about the International Year of Chemistry by sharing a historical scientific experiment or theory, and chemistry of rocket propulsion and Emma its theme for the competition: “Chemistry– describing its impact on society. Hopkins claimed the Secondary prize for our life, our future”. In addition, there will Applicants must be 21 or under and starting her entry about HIV. Bryson said the entries be a new category for entries from schools an eligible degree in 2011. Deadline for entries had been of “unprecedented quality”. outside the UK. is the 31st of March and tips, entry forms Copies of all the winning entries can be More information can be found at and teacher’s packs are available at found on the RSC website along with www.rsc.org/billbrysonprize www.cortiscienceprize.org. details of how to enter this year’s Laura Howes 2 | EduCation in ChEmiStRy | January 2011 pp000_Column_2011.indd 2 17/12/2010 10:30:48 Nobel Distillates Entropy A spotlight on the Recent chemical A masterclass by 2010 prizes education research Peter Atkins p6 p9 p25 iN briEf… Diamond Light Source IYC 2011 Art ExhIbItIon In November, 32 RSC ChemNet electron beam into x-rays before the x-rays The RSC will be running an international art members visited Diamond Light Source in are filtered and focused before they reach exhibition as one of its IYC 2011 events.