Celebrate National Chemistry Week (NCW) - October 18-24, 2015
The National Chemistry Week 2015 theme is "Chemistry Colors Our World", focusing on the chemistry of
food colors and fireworks, rainbows, natural dyes and pigments, and more! NCW encourages students
to build awareness of chemistry with a common goal: to promote the value of chemistry in everyday life.
Research & Poster Project
Step 1. Choose a topic from the list below or choose a chemistry of color-related topic that has special
significance to you.
Step 2. Research information about the topic. There are 2 required research categories and you may
choose one or more additional categories.
Required Categories:
a. Chemistry behind color: What chemical reactions are involved in producing colors in your topic?
What is the color made of? What particles/process gives this color its particular properties? How are the
particles arranged? Describe what the color looks like and the chemical properties behind it.
b. Importance of color: Explain why color is an important property for your topic. What would your
chosen topic be like without color? Is this type of color reproducible? How would you see the world
differently if there was no color, as related to your topic?
Choose one or more additional categories (as related to your chosen topic):
c. How is the color produced?
d. What makes this color special/unique?
e. History of the production of color?
f. Your choice - what is interesting to you?
Step 3. Make a poster. You must use a Lucid Press poster in your NPS google doc. The poster must be
shared with me and printed in color. Your poster must include:
a. Title
b. Your name and block.
c. The research categories – put a heading on each
d. Pictures, graphics, or hand drawn images that correspond to each research category (at least
3 pictures). Write a caption (1 sentence) for each picture. Include a citation for each graphic in
the bibliography.
e. Bibliography (to be placed on the back) - cite all sources you used in your research including
graphics. Check the library website for proper bibliography formats.
http://nshslibrary.newton.k12.ma.us/home
Topic Choices and Suggested Resources
Watch these videos and click on the provided websites about the chemistry behind colors that you see
around you. These are just a start - once you have chosen a topic of interest, go online and find out
more!
Topic Choices
About Color
Visible Spectrum, Absorption/Reflection, Rainbows
Food Colors
Natural Dyes and Pigments
Fireworks
Chemistry and Art
*For additional NCW Electronic Resources - Make sure you choose "HS - High School" material ONLY!
http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/outreach/ncw/educational-resources/2015.html
Suggested Resources
1. ChemMatters article on food coloring
http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/20152016/october-2015/food-colorings.html
2. Ask a Biologist: Seeing Color - "How do we see color?"
https://askabiologist.asu.edu/explore/seeing-color
3. WebExhibits: "What Causes Color?"
http://www.webexhibits.org/causesofcolor/index.html
4. PBS Learning: "Light and Color"
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/lsps07.sci.phys.energy.lightcolor/light-and-color/
5. American Chemical Society: "Fireworks: The Chemistry in Color"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpzEWQK7pOU
6. ACS: "The Chemistry of Fireworks"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPHegSulI_M
7. ACS: "How Do Blue Jeans Get Blue?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiMBFKwnxzI
8. ACS: "Why Do Leaves Change Color?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0nWmTeQPfo
9. CEN: "Chem-Lapsed: Tomato Juice Rainbow"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZorUIR9ApU