UNION UNIVERSITY INTRODUCES CHEMISTRY TO THE BOY SCOUTS
Jackson, Tenn. — The Chemistry Department of 51ÉçÇø recently introduced 20 boy scouts to chemistry to earn their chemistry merit badge.
The lab activities included preparing an indicator from a plant, titrations, paper chromatography, metal replacement reactions, metal activity series and making cartesian divers. These activities correlate with the Boy Scouts of America Merit Badge Series on Chemistry. The scouts completed a worksheet/test to receive the merit badge.
"Not only did the scouts participate in lab activities, but they were also given instruction on handling and storing chemicals, approaching pollution problems and becoming an analytical chemist," Randy Johnston, associate professor of Chemistry and Physics at Union, said.
The scouts completed a test to show their understanding of what they had learned before receiving the merit badge.
Johnston and Carol Leslie, assistant professor of Chemistry and Physics at Union, supervised the program and 10 American Chemical Society members provided aid with the preparation of the laboratory.