June 29, 2004

NSLS Hosts More Than 100 Children on “Take Our Sons and Daughters to Work Day”

On April 24, more than 100 BNL daughters and sons learned about some of the scientific programs at the NSLS and even performed their own scientific experiments. The one-day visit was part of the national "Take our Daughters and Sons to Work Day."

At the NSLS, the children learned that the facility produces many types of light, from microwaves to x-rays, which have many applications in many fields, including computers, catalysis, microscopes, and medicine. Synchrotron light was contrasted with more familiar forms of light as the children played a game that tested their knowledge of everyday light sources, such as laser pointers, cell phones, radios, and TV remote controls.

The daughters and sons then toured the experimental floor, where NSLS Control Room Operator Gary Weiner explained how synchrotron light is made. NSLS scientists Marc Allaire, Lisa Miller, Cecilia Sanchez-Hanke, and Vivian Stojanoff then showed the students a few x-ray and infrared beamlines, where they discovered how synchrotron light is used to study the composition of rocks and minerals and, using protein crystallography, to develop new drugs.

After the tour, the daughters and sons had the chance to perform their own scientific experiments. Marc Allaire, NSLS student Tejas Telivala, and NSLS postdoc Adele Qi Wang demonstrated the refraction of light through a prism, and each child had the opportunity to test their skills with their own prism.

NSLS beamline scientist Randy Smith showed the students how a vacuum is created using a bell jar and vacuum pump. The children observed the effect of vacuum on balloons, a bell, a candle, and soda water. But perhaps the most memorable experiment was the effect of vacuum on marshmallow Peeps candies, which dramatically expanded under vacuum, but then shriveled to half their size when re-exposed to air. Regardless, the final product was still tasty.

ARTICLE BY: Lisa Miller