Scissorum-In-Memoriam

Weekly Newsletter 09 September 2022

This Week Merchant Taylors’

Cambridge Chemistry Challenge On 9th June, 30 Lower Sixth chemists sat the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, otherwise known as the C3L6. This was a challenging 90-minute paper which required the application of A Level concepts in a logical way to solve complex problems. The results for these were awarded at the end of last term. Matthew Lurie, Moses Ng, Aran Sasitharan and George Wilkinson received a Gold Award – placing them in the top 10% of chemistry students nationally. writes Matthew Lurie (U6th): However, it became clear on progressing through the second question that the first was really designed to lull the participant into a false sense of security. It focused on a range of chemistry associated with the element aluminium, which displays a number of unexpected properties. Here the paper took a very mathematical turn. Submerged in a mixture of bond enthalpies, moles and equilibria, this question demanded an amalgamation of all the inorganic chemistry we had learned over the year. In doing this we could explore how aluminium chemistry has cropped up in outlandish places such as astronomy, highlighting the bizarre nature of the element.

Sitting this year's C3L6 was truly an emotional rollercoaster condensed into the space of ninety minutes. The paper was split into two questions, one for each of organic and inorganic chemistry, with the first question on organic providing a smooth transition into the paper. This question focused primarily on the identification of different compound structures using various data provided. The compounds included: digitalis, a poison associated with foxglove; croconic acid, a dye used in biological research; and the aptly-named cubane, a key component in some complex syntheses. It was a challenging yet enjoyable task, requiring us to marry our prior knowledge of analytical chemistry with our logic and spatial visualization.

Although some parts of the paper made me question everything I thought I knew about chemistry, it was a thoroughly enjoyable challenge. The questions were designed to not only test our foundations in the subject, but also educate us about fascinating areas within it. The preparation provided by the department was, as always, exceptionable. Our extension lessons played an integral part in the success throughout the year group, as well as providing a great deal of fun and discussion. Thank you very much to the department, and I wish this year's Year 12 the best of luck with the 2023 challenge.

September 29 2017

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