Class 10 - 12 (Bibra Lake Campus)
Class 12 BioChemistry Main Lesson
The Class 12's have this week started looking into the exciting world of biochemistry; the application of chemistry to the study of biological processes at the cellular or molecular level. This study of living matter is applied in scientific and medical discovery and used in many fields including pharmaceuticals, forensics and nutrition.
After recapping their years of chemistry Main Lessons, the Class 12 students have taken a deeper look into the formation and use of fossil fuels, human metabolism and some of the ways that the liver detoxifies harmful substances in the body.
In one experiment, a lambs liver was used to show how hydrogen peroxide (a naturally occurring toxic by-product of metabolism in the body) is quickly broken down into it’s non-harmful parts; water and oxygen.
Suzie Moore
High School Science Teacher
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Class 12 Projects
Amelia Jordan
Once upon a time, a long, long time ago (as in 4 years ago) I competed in a Khanacross, my first motorsport event. A Khanacross involves driving a car round a gravel track, one at a time, competing for the fastest time.
From this point I was hooked and as a result dad and I went out and bought a Ford Laser to race and a trailer to tow it. My involvement grew to competing as a co-driver in state gravel rallies and then tarmac events. I hope to one day be driving in the state gravel rallies, however I first need to win the lotto a few times.
From the time I started competing I wanted rallying to be the topic of my year 12 Project. Finding a suitable focal point that grabbed me was challenging. Initially I wanted it to stem from the practical of converting my 2007 Mitsubishi Lancer into a rally car, however due to time constraints, and finding out that building my own rollcage would not be possible, I had to change my ideas. It was through my interest in the origins and history of rallying, particularly with Group B rally cars, that I came up with my question:
“What is the history of the evolution of rally cars, and what is required to ensure the long-term continuation and relevance of the sport?”
Through my research I have learnt that the first ‘rally’ was held in 1894, as a horseless carriage race from Paris to Rouen. Though this race was not specifically called a rally, it included many features that we recognise in rallies today. However, instead of being judged on the fastest time, the event was won by the vehicle that was deemed to be the safest, easiest to handle, and most economical. Since then, cars have evolved dramatically, to be faster but also safer. The current top competing cars in the World Rally Championship (WRC) are hybrid cars. These cars cost ~1,600,000 AUD to make. Due to these unaffordable prices only three manufacturers currently compete in the WRC, Toyota, Hyundai, and M Sport (Ford). To try and attract more manufacturers to compete, hybrid cars will be abandoned as the top competing cars in the WRC in 2026, replaced by a new set of regulations, with the intention of a separate electric category to be introduced at the earliest opportunity.
My practical is still evolving, but my aim is to create an awareness of rallying and what it involves and show that it is easier to get involved in the sport than some people may first suspect.
I hope to be able to use it as an opportunity to share the thrill, fun and accessibility of rally car driving with others.