‘The world of Science

‘Sodium reacts vigorously with cold water to form….’, our science teacher was teaching us at our school Science Lab.

She added the explanation, ‘The reaction of sodium metal with water is highly heat producing due to which the hydrogen gas formed during the reaction catches fire and burns causing little explosions.’

“Pour it a little”, “Pour it this much”,she instructed us consistently throughout the 40 minutes of our lab duration.

Doing a practical class in the chemistry lab was interesting, also equally risky. The effects can be unexpected. I was so thrilled by the changing effects that I wanted to see the reactions. I wanted to see the reactions by trying out myself. But I did not have the courage.

I thought, “Let me read the theory first”. Reading my chemistry text book, I got to know that there will be a chemical formula for each chemical matter. Thus lead my curiosity wild.

‘Each chemical formula is a combination of other chemicals ‘, I jot down in my diary. I was maintaining a diary of events. I got in my tiny brain while studying chemical reactions.

Na + H2O –>NaOH

Na + Cl –>NaCl

It was the first day of our School Sports Meet. I did not know what I was going to do at school because I was not much interested in participating in any sports.

All went smoothly. The teachers conducted the events, our sports incharge had assigned various jobs to all the NCC students. They helped in all the arrangements of the sports’ events. In one such situation, the store room key was hanging to its lock at the store room door. My angel said no for me to touch the key but my other side woke up and said ‘Just once!’. And I did not realise but my legs walked me towards the storeroom door and my hands took out the key from the lock, leaving the lock dangling on the hook. 

‘I got the key to the lab!”, my smirk said it all. 

‘BOOM!!’.

My eyes started burning. I covered my eyes with my palms and ran out of the lab. My teachers and other students came running to the third floor. Seeing me lying on my knees, eyes covered by my palms and hearing me groan they realised it was something serious. A few consoled me, held me by my arms and then took me to the school nurse. The others rushed inside the lab to cease the fire. It was a blast due to the sodium mix. I had copied the formula wrong.

It created havoc in the whole school. I was immediately taken to the hospital where the nurse dressed the wounds. The doctor declared ‘You brought him on time otherwise there was a risk of him losing his eyesight.

“I was wrong”, I said to my science teacher. “It didn’t turn out the way I had anticipated” and tears rolled down my cheeks.

Patting my back,”Life gives us opportunities. Opportunity allows individuals to explore new experiences and develop their potential. People make mistakes. Acknowledge your mistakes. When you make a mistake, try to admit it as soon as you can, and apologize if necessary”.

I broke in tears.

But this incident taught a lesson on to ask for what we don’t know.