• Question: What was the first practical experiment you did?

    Asked by KoopaTroopa to Alison, Hannah, Jonny, MarthaNari, Paul on 23 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Jonny Brooks-Bartlett

      Jonny Brooks-Bartlett answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      I can’t remember my first ever practical experiment because it was a long time ago.

      The first one I can remember since I started at Oxford University was one where I had to take bacteria from my cheek and put it on a plate filled with nutrients for the bacteria. Because you don’t want the bacteria being contaminated with other stuff you have to do everything near a fire. But my friend got too close and burn some of his hair whilst leaning over. It was scary at the time but it’s pretty funny now.

    • Photo: Hannah Greenwood

      Hannah Greenwood answered on 23 Jun 2015:

      I think it was the clock out of some electrical wires and a potato (!) when I was in primary school. Can’t say I really understood a great deal but I thought it was super cool!

    • Photo: Paul Brack

      Paul Brack answered on 24 Jun 2015:

      The first practical I remember doing involved heating something up on a Bunsen burner, but I can’t remember what it was. It’s funny how at school you always use Bunsen burners, because in university chemistry labs Bunsen burners are banned as there’s too much danger of them setting solvents on fire. I haven’t used a Bunsen burner since I was 18!

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