The Chemistry Lab

by Tom Conally

The chemistry lab is a place with myriad bad smells and chemicals which, used correctly, can show all of the laws, principles, and theories in the textbook. It is overrun with students who really don't want to be there but always show up, don their safety glasses and rubber aprons, ready for the next experiment on the schedule. They can never follow directions, always have to have individual help and finish without completing all of the questions at the end of the experiment. There is always a really bright student who does the whole experiment for his group and they blindly copy and submit it. Almost always during the semester comes the inevitable question: "Can we blow something up?" I reach into my briefcase, pull out a balloon and hand it to the questioner as the whole class titters.

6S

Tom Conally, author of The Funny Papers, has a picture gallery.