By Samuel Andrade
For the past two or so years, labs at IHS have needed to adapt to the restrictions of pandemic. However, now that many restrictions are being lifted, labs are going back to normal.
One science class that had been severely affected is Chemistry. Since labs include many hands-on activities, it was very hard to include normal procedures during pandemic restrictions.
A recent lab that was done in Chemistry was the Bunsen Burner Lab. In this experiment, students test to see what portion of the flame was the hottest. This was done by measuring the temperatures of a beaker of water that was being heated by a flame.
This lab included many hands-on activities such as gathering materials, lighting the flame, and measuring the temperature. Additionally, this lab was done in groups of three in which people came into close contact.
Overall, lots of things that might not have been allowed years prior are now being allowed, and it has positively affected the way labs are being used. Students are now allowed more freedom in experimenting, which has allowed for a greater grasp of lab safety.
Arya Bose, a Chemistry Honors student at IHS stated, “In past years, labs weren’t as meaningful. We still had them, but being able to do the procedures without restrictions has improved the overall experience of labs.”
Chemistry is not the only class being affected by less restrictions since labs in Biology and Earth Science have been improved as well.
With labs going back to normal, it will be interesting to see the changes that are made to improve the quality and effectiveness of them. After all, labs are a crucial part of science classes since it allows students to absorb information visually.
