Budding young scientists battled it out in the island heat of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Top of the Bench competition.
The competition, for students aged 13 to 16, saw students identify and prepare a series of chemicals in a practical test in the laboratory, design a poster describing the application of chemistry in an everyday situation of their choice, and complete a multiple choice paper.
Topics included touch screen displays, nanotechnology, extraction and the use of iron, and the structure of crystals.
The heat was run and sponsored by the RSC’s Liverpool local section.
Benevolent fund volunteer visitor Keith Wilson said: ‘All this represented an arduous day but they approached it with enthusiasm, imagination and interest.’
King William’s College won the overall team competition with Seth Aycock winning the year 11 individual competition.
Xifong Christian and Joseph Reaney, both from Ballakermeen, won the individual competition for years 9 and 10. Each winner and the runners-up received certificates and a small prize.
Further heats will be held in Liverpool and the Wirral that will decide who represents the RSC’s North West region in the national final to be held early next year.
All senior schools on the island were invited to send a team to the event. This year teams from Ballakermeen, Castle Rushen, Queen Elizabeth II and King William’s College took part.