MEMBERS ACTIVITIES in `SET95'
In 1994 the Minister for Science, William Waldegrave, gave funding for aweek of scientific activities for the general public, known as 'Set7'. This was highly successful, and prompted the BCA to offer a 'Design an Exhibit' prize to encourage young visitors in 'hands on' science centres to learn more about some aspect of crystallography. In 1995 funding was again allocated for a national science week, 'Set95', organised by the British Association for the Advancement of Science; this was even more successful so there is to be another in March next year, 'Set 96'. (Details are in the list of Forthcoming meetings at the back of this issue.)The winner of the 'Design an Exhibit' competition was Moreton Moore, who suggested some 'building blocks' in novel shapes, such as the rhombicdodecahedron and the cuboctahedron, shown in the diagram (coming soon). During the past year we have commissioned two suppliers to make prototype examples of the exhibit which we plan to loan to science centres or take to primary schools. In addition to a number of 'blocks' each shape has two bases consisting of half blocks in different orientations on which to build a tower. One is made in bright yellow plastic from 'Polydron' pieces, the other hand crafted in plywood. The idea is that children move blocks from one tower to make the other, and discover that cubes or rectangular bricks are not the only polyhedra which will completely fill space.
Professor R.Catlow of the Royal Institution, gave an entertaining lecture at the Rutherford Appleton laboratory on the topic of 'Chemistry, Crystals and how things change'. His audience of Oxfordshire school children, tried out our 'blocks' before and after the lecture, and appeared to greatly enjoy them. We also brought the blocks to the Cardiff meeting for members to try out for themselves. We are now looking for a children's toy manufacturer who already sells plastic blocks, and who might be interested in producing these blocks in quantity. We also wondered whether they might make an educational'executive toy' so we are looking for a manufacturer of smaller, possibly metal blocks. Please suggest possible names to the editor.
While building towers of blocks at Cardiff I talked to other members who had been active in Set 95. Dr P.K.Bryant and colleagues from the Wellcombe Foundation had been asked by a local primary school to explain diffraction of Xrays by crystals, so they made some mats with molecular 'ball and stick' diagrams drawn on them, stood a child on each atom, with a coloured cap made of 'velcro' like material to represent the atom type. The X-rays were represented by foam balls thrown by the other children, the idea being to see how many foam 'Xrays' would collide with the 'atoms' and bounce off.
Dr. D. Dyson, of the Industrial group had been making up scientific quizzes and taking them to schools; we hope to get some examples for you to try, and perhaps take to your local schools in 'Set96'.
Page last updated 19 May 1995
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