Allan Hancock College’s Friday Night Science is back, and this time the experiments are so big and the explosions so loud, that the science department is providing earplugs free of charge.
The first of two Friday Night Science events will take place on Nov. 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., starting in room M-310 on the college’s Santa Maria campus.
Chemistry instructor Dustin Nouri will begin with a demonstration of unusual chemical reactions, as well as a few experiments of his own invention, including the “screaming gummy bear,” the “carbide cannon,” and bottle rockets.
“Chemistry is simply matter changing composition, and sometimes that can be a violent change,” Nouri explained in a press release.
The Friday Night Science series is a continuation of last year’s events, which were attended by more than 1,500 students and community members. The second event in the series will be held on May 4, 2012.
At each Friday Night Science event, attendees watch a demonstration of scientific principles before taking part in dozens of hands-on experiments set up throughout the science building. Experiments range from simple chemical reactions to more advanced experiments for high school and college students.
“The event was such a success last year that we wanted to take the best parts of that and add new and fun aspects as well,” physics instructor and series creator Rob Jorstad said in the release.
Jorstad received funding, which covered materials, for Friday Night Science from a federal grant designed to entice more kids to attend college. A group of more than 100 Hancock students helps design, build, and test all of the experiments and demonstrations.
For more information about the Friday Night Science series, contact the college’s life and physical sciences department at 922-6966, Ext. 3202, or e-mail lmetaxas@hancockcollege.edu.
This article appears in Nov 3-9, 2011.
