The ninth edition of the Challenge for Chemists competition attracted 24 teams from 15 primary schools in the Central Bohemian Region this year. The project thus reaffirmed that chemistry is not only educational for pupils, but also fun and full of exciting experiences. The popular competition, aimed at pupils in the second stage of primary school and the lower years of multi-year grammar schools, culminated in the final round at Spolana. Of all the competitors, the team ‘Molar Delusion’ from Seifertova Primary School in Mělník performed best. The talent-based science competition for young chemists is organised annually by Spolana in Neratovice in collaboration with the Central Bohemian Region Fire and Rescue Service, the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation and the Václav Třebízský Grammar School in Slaný. The aim is to introduce pupils to the world of chemistry in an entertaining way and to encourage their interest in the natural sciences.
“I am delighted that the ‘Challenge for a Chemist’ competition has become so popular among children. We have long been striving to show that chemistry is not just about textbook theory, but that it also has a firm place in practice and everyday life. I consider linking knowledge to real-life tasks and experiences to be key, as it helps children understand the subject better and remember it. I congratulate the winners and would also like to thank all the participants who took part in this year’s competition,” says Piotr Tomiło, Executive Director of Spolana.
The competition is divided into two rounds. In the first round, participants take an online test focusing on chemical knowledge and logical thinking. The best teams then progress to the second practical round, which is full of experiments, teamwork and physical challenges. The practical round featured five varied stations where pupils tried their hand at working with chemical substances and practised the skills required during interventions by the integrated rescue system.
The station run by the Central Bohemian Region Fire and Rescue Service attracted a great deal of interest, where competitors identified an unknown substance using a special kit for determining hazardous properties. The substance under investigation was acetone, and the students also had the opportunity to see firsthand how far away a heat source (igniter) can be from the chemical before it ignites. “Through hands-on testing, children gain a better understanding of the properties of hazardous substances and the principles governing their behavior. Such an experience is irreplaceable and can be decisive in situations involving fires involving flammable organic substances,” said Col. RNDr. Tomáš Holec, Head of the Civil Protection and Crisis Management Department at the Central Bohemian Region Fire and Rescue Service.
At the next station, the teams completed a task inspired by detective work, in which they used chemical reactions to determine the composition and origin of unknown substances. Representatives from Spolana’s laboratories prepared a task focused on determining the concentration of food-grade vinegar, during which the pupils practised working with molar mass, density and other parameters. There were also dynamic disciplines, where competitors extinguished a mixture of petrol and diesel using a fire extinguisher against the clock and tested their physical fitness on the firefighting course.
This year’s Chemist’s Challenge once again offered the children practical tasks and extraordinary experiences. At the end, they were able to ride a fire engine’s aerial platform up to a height of 27 metres, from where they could see the entire site at a glance. The combination of theory and practice, experiences and learning, and chemistry with real-life situations once again demonstrated how it can motivate pupils and spark their interest in the natural sciences.
SPOLANA s.r.o. is one of the leading chemical companies in the Czech Republic, producing sulphuric acid. It currently employs over 160 people. Since 2016, Spolana has been owned by the ORLEN Unipetrol Group, which is the largest refining and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. It focuses on oil processing and the production, distribution and sale of fuels and petrochemical products – particularly plastics and fertilisers. In all these areas, it is a major player on both the Czech and Central European markets. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group comprises refineries and production plants in Litvínov and Kralupy nad Vltavou, the Paramo company in Pardubice, the Spolana company in Neratovice, and a research centre in Brno. ORLEN Unipetrol also operates a network of ORLEN petrol stations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. ORLEN Unipetrol is one of the largest companies in the Czech Republic in terms of turnover. It employs more than 3, 300 people. In addition to business development, ORLEN Unipetrol prides itself on being a socially responsible company. It therefore devotes equal attention to initiatives focused on fostering and supporting sustainable development, education, local communities and the environment. In 2005, ORLEN Unipetrol became part of the ORLEN Group, which is the largest energy company in Central Europe.
Contact: Pavel Kaidl,
spokesperson, telephone: +420 736 502 520, e-mail: pavel.kaidl@orlenunipetrol.cz