Mix and Match

Israel’s Chemistry Tournament finals were recently hosted at the Davidson Institute of Science Education. The competition, now in its third year, challenges teams of students to create a mixture of chemicals and then try to identify the chemical components of the opposing teams’ mixtures using a range of chemical analytical methods such as color reaction, burning, neutralization and oxidization.

 

During a pre-tournament seminar held at the Weizmann Institute, the participants were taught how to use advanced and sophisticated techniques including chromatography, mass spectroscopy and nuclear agnetic resonance. Most of the teams identified the components by mastering these methods.

 

This year, a total of 15 teams from 11 high schools throughout Israel took part. First prize went to a team from ORT Ronson High School, Isfiya; second place was awarded to students from Hadera High School; and third place to Jaljulia High School. A monetary prize was awarded to each of the three winning teams and the top eight teams were also awarded 100 points for their chemistry lab matriculation.