Chemistry Merit Badge

[RebeccaB]

I am leading a workshop on the chemistry merit badge. One of the requirements for it is to cook and taste onions. However, standard laboratory safety rules dictate that there is no eating in the lab so the university at which the workshop will be held will not allow us to complete that requirement. Is there an alternative activity that abides by lab safety rules that can be done instead?

[wagionvigil]

Could you take the group out side and do this?

[scubascout]

is one of the requirments still to find something that will mix water and oil, i never found that possible. does anybody know what mixes them

[Quailman]

Describe how you would separate sand from water, table salt from water, oil from water, and gasoline from motor oil. Name the practical processes that require these kinds of separations.

You do not need to mix them; you need to describe how to separate them.

[scubascout]

i guess i miss read read the requirment thanks

[scoutaholic]

I am leading a workshop on the chemistry merit badge. One of the requirements for it is to cook and taste onions. However, standard laboratory safety rules dictate that there is no eating in the lab so the university at which the workshop will be held will not allow us to complete that requirement. Is there an alternative activity that abides by lab safety rules that can be done instead?

I imagine that the no eating rule exists to help keep the lab clean, and not mix chemicals and foods.
You may be able to get an exemption to the rule if you go to the lab administrators and explain what you are doing, and why.
If not, you could always just go out into the hall to eat the onion.

[Mrw]

As a chemist by trade, I would agree with the lab manager that will not allow you to cook and eat the onion in the lab. Once you take it into the lab, it is no longer food!

This is to keep people from inadvertently ingesting something the might be contaminated and is one of those unbendable rules.

[Quailman]

Most scouts have a kitchen at home. You could make this the only prerequisite for them to complete prior to the workshop.

[mhjacobson]

It is BSA policy that one can not substitute one activity for another in a merit badge for another, unless the option is expressly given in the requirements (i.e., do two of the following four requirements). This is done to ensure that tere is some uniformity in the skill sets being measured in the awarding of the merit badge.

[PaulSWolf]

It is BSA policy that one can not substitute one activity for another in a merit badge for another, unless the option is expressly given in the requirements (i.e., do two of the following four requirements). This is done to ensure that tere is some uniformity in the skill sets being measured in the awarding of the merit badge.

There is nothing in the requirement, quoted below, that says "do this in a lab", so doing it in the kitchen, at home, is perfectly legitimate.

4. Do EACH of the following activities:

a. Cut a round onion into small chunks. Separate the onion chunks into three equal portions. Leave the first portion raw. Cook the second portion of onion chunks until the pieces are translucent. Cook the third portion until the onions are caramelized, or brown in color. Taste each type of onion. Describe the taste of raw onion versus partially cooked onion versus caramelized onion. Explain what happens to molecules in the onion during the cooking process.

[mhjacobson]

You are correct Paul -- I was responding to a prior post in this section where someone asked if this could be substituted for another requirement.

I am a counselor for Chemistry, and most of the other science merit badges, and can state that im most cases scouts complete this merit badge through demonstrating the skills in places other than labs.