I am researching a phenomenon plaguing the physical chemistry scene since experiments performed to make chemical gardens were a thing. Though niche, it could answer questions regarding deep-sea structures as old as the earth’s formation. My research deals with finding the chemical composition of gas bubbles that are formed in chemical gardens. A chemical garden is a structure that forms in a solution of water and silicate with only a grain of any kind of salt. This salt forms an upward tube tower, producing a gas bubble. However, what exactly this gas is, is still a mystery. As a whole, we know there is a link between these chemical gardens and deep-sea structures like underwater vents. These vents are known to be home to many microorganisms and even have their own biome for these creatures. By recreating the homes of these microbes, we would be able to closer understand how life formed when the Earth began.
Since this topic is very niche, there are not a lot of academic papers on what these gases are. This means the experiment must start from scratch. Because I am taking over this experiment from a friend, I, thankfully, am not starting from complete scratch. My friend was able to leave me with her findings, so I was able to continue with the research. After these months of experimenting, I would be able to hand over my findings to her and she would be able to continue with the research. Along with this, my research mentor has been waiting for a continuation of this experiment since my friend dropped it. After picking it up, he seemed more and more enthusiastic about me getting closer to this phenomenon’s answer. In the grand scheme of things, I hope to at least scrape the iceberg of what this gas is. It would be a big step in the physical chemistry community and would make my research mentor very proud.
As a present and future researcher, I hope that this project and every project I take part in is able to impact others, even on the smallest scale. Whether I am just writing an article or performing chemical reactions, I hope that whatever I contribute to the lab is able to one day create a breakthrough in the grandiose questions of life. Even if I don’t, I know that the research that I take part in now will both help my friend and at least keep my research mentor at ease.
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