In this activity from the Institution of Engineering and Technology, students investigate the properties of different categories of smart materials and decide which kinds of materials might offer the best prospects for a financial investment. Students work in teams and...

A Catalyst article looking at what matter is made of. Snooker balls, plum puddings and solar systems have all featured in descriptive models of atoms. The article explores how people’s ideas about atomic structure have changed over the years by using specific examples of scientific study.

This article is...

The Department of Education resource Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning Secondary SEAL – A Quick Guide looks to define SEAL and its key elements, and well as offering a six-step approach on how to get started with SEAL.

Two worksheet based activities that can be used to identify the impacts of technology upon people to sustain their communities in the future. The first activity considers the social impact upon sustainability with key questions to research and the second task is an analysis activity looking at cultural, economic,...

In this video from the Teachers TV series Demonstrating Chemistry, Professor Hal Sosabowski demonstrates a solid...

A Catalyst article about the organisms which live in soil. Many, such as worms and mycorrhizal fungi, are vital for keeping soil healthy and productive. An adventurous biologist could once bank on finding new species by simply travelling to some part of the world little known to science. Darwin’s famous voyage...

Produced by Solar Spark, this is a simple practical activity that can be used to show how a solar photovoltaic cell works. During a 45-60 minute session, students make solar cells out of cheap and readily accessible materials. The mechanism behind the solar cell is similar to that used in a dye-sensitised solar...

This Catalyst article investigates the development of better, more energy-efficient solar cells. Every minute enough sunlight strikes the Earth to power our civilisation for a year, yet less than 1% of global energy generation is provided by solar energy. Solar cells convert sunshine directly to electricity, but to...

Produced by Solar Spark, this activity looks at the relationship between light and absorption in solar cells. Using a photovoltaic cell and different colour acetate sheets, it demonstrates the ability of solar cells to absorb at different wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum and shows how the more it can...

Reliance on unsafe drinking water is a significant problem in many areas of the world. This Catalyst article looks at the method of solar disinfection to provide safe drinking water.

UVA from the sun causes a breakdown in cellular functions, and combined with the increased temperature of the water from a...

This resource contains three activities and accompanying teachers’ notes.

Picking out the details
Using images from the...