Experiences

Date: 2014.10.11

Posted by Graciela Alvarez (Spain)

It would have been more interesting to make perfume using essential oils, but given the problems that can make working with these products are dangerous because they can be corrosive and cause burns to the skin, we decided to opt for simpler alternatives. Therefore, we conducted a simple based perfumes without security problems method: oil flowers. The experiment was to select flowers without stem (only the corollas) than there are for the environment, and put them to macerate on a base oil in an airtight jar for two weeks. After this time, pour the contents of the containers in small glass bottles we had purchased to store perfumes. The work was done in groups. Previously, they had already performed individual tests in small quantities with different proportions of flowers, and select what we think could have better acceptance. The aim was to motivate students to perform an experiment of chemistry integrated in the cultural week of center, and also by selling perfumes extra income for the final journey. Customers were teachers, parents and learners center buying the product as a way to collaborate. This experience did some years ago, but I think it was interesting and motivating for my students.

Date: 2014.09.30

Posted by Elena Margheri (Italy)

I think that suggesting this kind of experience to students is very important to rise their interest and motivation: they work for a purpose, which is to collect money for an activity, to prepare something near their everyday life and so on.
This is why I would like to have more information about your experimental work: which kind of reaction did you perform? Which instruments did you use? How did you work in safety? Did students work alone or in group, and which were the amount of reagents and products obtained? How did you purify your products? Was selling your substances easy or did you find any problems?