Chemistry students’ skills solve baking puzzles in Schools’ Analyst Competition

Students tackled baking-themed challenges as they took part in the Royal Society of Chemistry’s annual Schools’ Analyst Competition.

Lower Sixth students from four schools – Tonbridge, Judd, Weald of Kent and Sevenoaks – worked in teams of three during the south-east regional heat, which took place on Tuesday 6 June.

The contest gives students the chance to apply their Chemistry knowledge in a fun and rewarding way, with this year’s theme being ‘Who is sabotaging entries at The County Bake Off?’

A total of ten teams had to use their skills to investigate what was causing the buns to burst and the cakes to collapse.

Students completed three tests, including identifying unknown white solids, determining the bicarbonate of soda content of cake extract, and finding out who ‘wrote the note’.

The winning team from each school will receive a certificate to recognise its achievement, and will also be entered into a second round for the chance to be crowned champions. The regional winners, to be announced at the end of June, also receive prizes for themselves and for their school. Tonbridge won the regional contest in 2021.

Lisa Alford, Tonbridge’s Science Coordinator, said: “It was highly encouraging to observe students applying their chemical knowledge and successfully carrying out the set tests. There was a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction throughout the event, as well as the element of competition.”

Students are pictured using the Chemistry labs, in the School’s Barton Science Centre, during the RSC Competition.