Workshops

Holiday workshops: Colour chemistry (Year 7 - 9)

Explore the wonderful world of colour, from pigments, to light, to fire!

Image credit: Tim Mitchell

Students will explore how colours arise from pigments and light. They will harness lab skills to create and investigate the differences between natural and synthetic dyes. In the afternoon portion of the session, students will explore how coloured light can be produced during a flame test experiment. The workshop finishes with a colourful fire show from a UYSC presenter.

This workshop takes place in the Urenco Young Scientist Centre’s teaching laboratory, offering students a unique opportunity to experience working in a real lab environment. For safety reasons, all participants must wear closed-toe shoes, and anyone with long hair is required to tie it back.

Warning: this workshop contains demonstrations and activities involving bright lights and fire.

For children who have just completed Years 7, 8 or 9 this term - please book based on your child’s current/most recent school year, not their new year group from September. This typically corresponds to children aged around 11–14 years old. We reserve the right to refund or deny entry to those who are not in the correct year group.

This workshop will include a 30 minute lunch break. Students should bring their own lunch and a drink.

Refunds can only be issued for tickets cancelled at least two weeks (14 calendar days) in advance of the event date. Please note that this supersedes our normal event terms and conditions. Please also note that Eventbrite adds a small booking fee to the amount paid for each ticket option.

About the Urenco Young Scientist Centre

The Urenco Young Scientist Centre (UYSC) is an imaginative science laboratory in the Ri, where young people can experience and explore science outside of the classroom. 

In a UYSC workshop, students become a scientist for the day, exploring science through hands-on experiments. They are encouraged to engage in scientific discovery through curiosity-driven learning. In our workshops, students are encouraged to use a range of scientific skills including: making observations, collecting data, analysing results, in addition to teamwork and communication skills. Just as in the best research laboratories, students have access to advanced technology and techniques outside the normal school curriculum, making this a science trip to remember. 

For any queries regarding this workshop please get in touch by phone 020 7409 2992 or email events@ri.ac.uk.

Event terms and conditions