Year 11 Chemistry and Year 12 Physics excursion

The Year 11 Chemistry and Year 12 Physics classes, along with Mr Hodges and Mrs Millikin, made the trip to Wollongong on Thursday 15 June to have an Inside Industry tour of the steelworks plant. The tour offered insight into the process, scale, history and career opportunities that exist at Port Kembla Steelworks.

Students observed the steel-making process from obtaining the correct PPE for entering the site, at the visitor centre, right through to the robotic testing stage of the steel-making process. The students were treated to the excitement of the charging process. This allowed students to watch over 80 tonnes of scrap steel be incorporated into the ladle with molten iron and the subsequent reaction that occurred. They then moved on to watching it be poured into slab form and cut into 12 metre lengths. Some of the students commented on how hot it was in the factory at this stage! Students then watched the process of rolling the steel to make it into sheet metal for either transfer to the adjacent site for painting or rolled into steel for other customers. At the end of the tour, students were able to observe the quality and control testing that occurs in a large-scale process.

The biggest misconception that was raised was the plum of “smoke” that is seen from the steelworks when travelling past. This is in fact water vapour, which was a surprise for the students. They were able to observe just how water is used in the plant to cool the 1500 degree Celsius steel at certain stages in the process.

The students stayed overnight at Metro Miranda and were able to travel via train into Circular Quay for the evening. Taking in the breathtaking views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House with the VIVID light display whilst enjoying dinner in the city.

The following day, Friday 16June, students attended the only nuclear reactor facility in Australia: ANSTO at Lucas Heights. This consisted of a tour of the facility; seeing where the 80kg of uranium radioactive source is located, the production line of Technectium-99m (a widely used radioisotope for medical imaging), how waste products are stored and the particle accelerator. The physicists in the group were right in their element! The tour was followed by a presentation and practical investigation. Many of the students were able to participate in the practical investigation of determining the effect of distance on radioactivity, along with how radioactivity can be measured.

A phenomenal 2 days of science allowed the students to see what science beyond school is all about.