Raters of Reaction with a Colourimeter

GCSE Chemistry working out the reaction rates with changes of concentration using the @pascoscientific colourimeter to plot out the transmittance of red light against time, showing how sulfur appears with the reaction of HCl and Sodium Thiosulfate.

 

Spirometer

 Using the @pascoscientific spirometer to measure tidal breathing volume and vital capacity in my students (and myself!). Comparing lung sizes between an athlete and a non-athlete to see how chest size impacts breathing efficiency. #Science #Biology

Understanding Logarithms: A Journey from Log Tables to Modern Mathematics

Understanding Logarithms: A Journey from Log Tables to Modern Mathematics

I was born and went to school in the era BC—Before Calculators. Back then, if we needed to multiply large numbers, divide, or calculate sines and cosines, we didn’t have the luxury of simply pressing a few buttons. Instead, we turned to logarithm tables—dense pages of pre-calculated values that made complex calculations manageable. While these tables have mostly disappeared from classrooms, the mathematical concepts behind them remain as relevant as ever.

Why Were Logarithms So Important?

Before electronic calculators, performing calculations with large numbers was slow and prone to error. Logarithms provided a clever shortcut: they transformed multiplication into addition, division into subtraction, and exponents into simple multiplications. This was particularly useful in physics, engineering, and navigation.

For example, to multiply 245 by 689, you could look up the logarithms of each number in a log table, add them together, and then find the antilogarithm (the reverse process) to get the answer. This method was essential for students, scientists, and engineers alike.

How Log Tables Worked

A logarithm is simply the power to which a number (the base) must be raised to obtain another number. The most common base in school mathematics is 10, meaning that:

• log(100) = 2 because 10² = 100

• log(1000) = 3 because 10³ = 1000

• log(500) is about 2.7 because 10^2.7 is roughly 500

Logarithm tables provided a list of these values, allowing students to quickly find logs and antilogs (the reverse process). Alongside log tables, students also used slide rules—mechanical analogue calculators based on logarithmic scales—to speed up calculations.

From Log Tables to Calculators

With the advent of electronic calculators, logarithm tables became obsolete almost overnight. By the late 20th century, students no longer needed to manually look up logs and antilogs; they could just punch numbers into a scientific calculator and get an instant result.

But while the calculation method has changed, the underlying principles of logarithms remain essential. Logarithms still play a crucial role in:

• Science and Engineering – They simplify complex physics, chemistry, and electrical engineering equations.

• Computer Science – Logarithmic functions are used in algorithms, data compression, and machine learning.

• Finance – Interest rates and economic models often involve logarithmic growth.

• Sound and Earthquakes – Decibels (dB) and the Richter scale both use logarithms to represent vast numerical differences in a manageable way.

Teaching Logarithms Today

Even though students today rarely need to look up values in a log table, understanding logarithms deeply is still crucial. Many struggle to see why they matter because they don’t experience their practical use like previous generations did.

That’s why I make a point of teaching students both the history and modern applications of logarithms. When they see how logs were once indispensable for calculations, they better appreciate their power in modern mathematics. More importantly, learning about logarithms helps students develop number sense, estimation skills, and intuition for exponential growth—something particularly relevant in today’s world of data science and technology.

Final Thoughts

While I no longer need to flip through pages of log tables to complete a calculation, I’m grateful for the experience of using them. It gave me a real understanding of logarithms, why they work, and how they fit into broader mathematical concepts. And now, I pass that knowledge on to my students—helping them bridge the gap between historical methods and modern problem-solving.

So the next time you press the log button on your calculator, take a moment to appreciate the ingenuity of logarithms and their role in making mathematics more accessible long before the digital age!

Capacitators

A Level Physics: ​Exploring the world of capacitors, how to make them, how they charge and discharge and how we measure the rate of charging and discharging so that the exam questions become a breeze.

 

4 types of Pathogen

The four types of pathogens are protists, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. All can cause infectious diseases, some deadly. While we have drugs to fight them, one group is notoriously harder to destroy. Do you know which pathogen is the toughest to kill?

The Protist

Fungi

Bacteria

Virus

 

Why are UK children so unhappy?

 A-Level Sociology: UK children rank among the unhappiest in developed nations. Key factors include exam stress, social media pressures, appearance anxiety, rising living costs, and family breakdowns. How do these social issues shape their well-being? #Sociology #Wellbeing

Raspberry Pi

Showing students the power of a £100 Raspberry Pi! From building web servers and streaming video to creating file servers and even using word processors, it proves you don't need a pricey computer to achieve big things. #RaspberryPi #TechEducation

Cleaning equipment

 While teaching a student an electrolysis experiment series, I realised it was their first time ever washing lab equipment. Cleaning between experiments isn't just a chore—it's a fundamental scientific skill that bridges technique and professional practice.

# Beyond the Experiment: The Critical Art of Lab Equipment Maintenance

Scientific practice extends far beyond the moment of experimentation. One of the most overlooked yet crucial skills in laboratory work is the meticulous process of cleaning and preparing equipment. This fundamental practice is not just about tidiness—it's about scientific integrity, precision, and professional development.

## Why Cleaning Matters

Equipment preparation is more than a mundane task. It directly impacts:

1. **Experimental Accuracy**: Residual substances from previous experiments can contaminate new tests, leading to skewed or invalid results. Thorough cleaning ensures each experiment starts with a clean slate.

2. **Instrument Longevity**: Regular maintenance prevents chemical buildup, corrosion, and degradation of expensive scientific equipment. Proper cleaning extends the useful life of laboratory tools.

3. **Safety Protocols**: Cleaning reduces chemical residue risks, preventing potential reactions or exposure to hazardous materials during subsequent experiments.

## Learning Beyond the Technique

For students and early-career scientists, equipment maintenance represents a critical professional skill:

- It teaches discipline and attention to detail

- Demonstrates respect for scientific methodology

- Develops habitual precision that translates across all scientific disciplines

## Best Practices for Equipment Cleaning

Effective cleaning involves:

- Using appropriate solvents for different types of chemical residues

- Understanding material compatibility

- Following systematic cleaning protocols

- Proper drying and storage techniques

## Educational Implications

Educators play a crucial role in embedding these practices. It's not enough to teach experimental techniques—we must also instill the foundational skills of equipment preparation and maintenance.

By treating cleaning as an integral part of scientific practice rather than a peripheral chore, we cultivate more rigorous, professional, and thoughtful scientists.

The seemingly simple act of washing equipment between experiments is, in fact, a profound lesson in scientific methodology, precision, and professional conduct.

Temperature Measurement

 Measuring the heating and cooling effect using @pascoscientific wireless thermometers. The experiment can be set up very quickly, and Capstone can record all the data and make it available in graphical form.

Rectangular Compass

 Drawing circles using two pencils and a rectangular-shaped compass. Placing pencils in different holes, circles of various sizes can be created. Many of the students found this easier than using a regular compass.

Looking at Stress

Exploring how stress lines appear in an acrylic shape under polarised light when squeezed. The pressure points were clear and vivid! Ultrasonics can also reveal stress in other materials. Fascinating physics in action!

Antiseptics

Teaching GCSE Biology: Diving into the world of antiseptics! Exploring how they stop the growth of microbes, their history (thank you, Joseph Lister!), and their everyday use—from cleaning wounds to hospital hygiene.  #GCSEBiology #Science

Banking

Business is all about money and banking! We dive into the key differences between commercial and personal bank accounts. #BusinessBasics #Finance101

Backups

 Teaching the art of backups: striking the balance between frequency and efficiency. Backup too often, and it may slow your workflow; not often enough, and you risk repeating lost work. Prevent data loss, work smarter!

Allotropes of Carbon

Teaching GCSE Chemistry? Bring carbon to life with 3D models of its allotropes and real examples! From diamond's brilliance to graphite's layers, fullerenes, and nanotubes, students can see and feel the structures that make carbon so versatile. #ScienceMadeFun #GCSEChemistry

 

Ideal Gas Law

 Exploring the ideal gas Law with the @pascoscientific Ideal Gas experiment with the chemistry sensor connected to a wireless module so we can measure both the temperature and the pressure. The temperature change can be recorded as the pressure is changed by moving the syringe.

The calculator Solver

 

​A-Level Maths students used the CG50 calculator solver to tackle sine and cosine rules. It simplifies the process, offering a clear and intuitive way to solve these problems effectively!

Archimedes Bucket and Cylinder

I measure the weight of a mass using a spring balance, then submerge it in water. The buoyant force reduces the weight, but adding the same mass of water to the bucket restores it. A simple and clever demonstration of how the displaced water equals the mass added!

 

Peptide Bond

​Exploring protein structure in A-Level Biology: Starting with simple amino acids like glycine and alanine, forming a peptide bond by removing water. Step by step, building the protein's primary structure. #Biology #ProteinSynthesis #STEM

Sugar added to food

 Exploring sweet taste preferences in A-Level Psychology: Evolutionary pressures associate sweetness with high energy and non-toxicity. Food companies exploit this by adding excessive sugar to products, appealing to our natural instincts. #Psychology #FoodScience

Building a Network

 A-Level Computing: Understanding networking theory is one thing, but building a network from scratch is a whole new challenge! Students configured devices to communicate, added resilience with a load balancer, and set up a firewall for security. #Networking #ComputingEducation

Optically active Glucose

 A-Level Chemistry: Viewing a glucose solution through two polarising filters. The light is initially extinguished, but glucose rotates it, allowing some to pass through. This is dextrose; laevose rotates the light in the opposite direction. #Chemistry #OpticalActivity

Galileo's Bells

 Using Galileo's Bells to demonstrate the square relationship of acceleration: With the @pascoscientific smartcart for precise data recording and a very inaccurate water clock for interval timing. A perfect blend of modern tech and historical methods! #Physics #STEM

Sum and Products of the roots of Polynomials

 Exploring the sum and product of polynomial roots: Teaching students how coefficients reveal the relationships between roots and equations. A key concept bridging algebra and deeper mathematical insight! #MathsEducation #Polynomials

Levers and Weighting machines

 How much does this weigh? Exploring different tools for measurement: a lever arm balance, a Newton meter, and a set of scales with their weights. Hands-on learning at its best! #Physics #Measurement

Understanding Protein Synthesis

 Getting to grips with protein synthesis in A-level Biology, from looking at the DNA structure to transcription to RNA and then translating the RNA sequence to a Protein in a Ribosome and seeing how the protein molecule folds to create an active protein.

Sociology Dependency Theory

In A-level sociology, we investigate how dependency theory explains development in different parts of the world and how the forces of a global capitalist society operate against and press the poorer countries that have yet to develop.

Computing projects nearly done

 This year's A-Level Computing projects are nearly complete! Building and getting them to work is just half the battle—documenting the process, including testing, meetings, and improvements, is where the real challenge lies. #ALevelComputing #ProjectWork

Ordering the reactivity of metals

Exploring the relative reactivity of metals with acid: Magnesium reacted vigorously, while copper showed no reaction. Differentiating zinc and iron was trickier but became clearer with cleaned surfaces. Reactivity order: Mg > Zn > Fe > Cu. #Chemistry #ScienceExperiment
 

Simple Pendulum

 Using @pascoscientific rotation sensor and Capstone to analyse a pendulum's motion: Comparing position, velocity, and acceleration to uncover patterns and relationships between them. A hands-on way to bring physics concepts to life! #Physics #STEMEducation

Geometry on the calculator

 Exploring geometry on the CG-50 calculator: Adding shapes to the screen can reveal amazing insights and uncover details that might not have been obvious before. A great tool for visualising concepts! #Maths #Geometry #TechInEducation