The
students tested a variety of commercial adhesives, mainly
epoxies, and prepared control samples in air on metal fixtures
suitable for strength testing at the community college where
students were enrolled in a Strength of Materials engineering
class. Adhesives were applied to rocks and to testing fixtures.
Adhesives were applied in air and under water. Samples were
deployed in seawater for life tests. The high school students
played the role of technicians and assisted the cadets, the
engineers, in the laboratory. The laboratory was held in a
chemistry lab, with an adjacent meeting room with chairs and
a blackboard. The students gathered first in the meeting room
to receive the lab instructions. The lab handouts are linked
above right. The students gathered again at the end of the
lab to discuss what they had done and what should be done
next. Sometimes there was a gathering after about an hour
in the lab to discuss procedures or solutions to a difficulty.
Neither the lab instructor or the students knew which adhesives
would work or what difficulties would occur in mixing or applying
them. |