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Once upon a time, there was a lab in the Vic plain. It was a small, cozy space, surrounded by white furniture with many drawers, and it housed many dangerous substances.
Two girls with completely different personalities worked there. Gal·la was very friendly, responsible, and organized, while her coworker, Èlia, was the complete opposite. She was unfriendly, didn’t like company, and was very disorganized.
Their differences led to arguments while working. In the first experiment, they had to heat a sample of frozen water in a water bath. Gal·la wanted to change the designated container without consulting the teacher. Èlia protested, but neither listened to the other. The teacher stopped the experiment and explained that they should check the procedure together and use the correct equipment before starting.
In another experiment, they had to heat a sample in an oven. This time, Èlia chose a plastic container without checking if it could withstand the temperature. A classmate alerted the teacher before they put it in. The teacher reminded them that each material has its limits and that they should ask her if they had any doubts. Gal·la and Èlia blamed each other again instead of cooperating.
One ordinary Monday, the two girls carried out an experiment using a very strong and dangerous acid. At one point in the procedure, it said they had to pour acid into a beaker, but since it didn’t specify the type of material—glass or plastic—Gal·la and Èlia started arguing about which type to use for the experiment. In the middle of the argument, the glass beaker whispered to the plastic one:
“We have to stop arguing.”
“You’re right, my friend. If they keep arguing, nobody will learn anything.”
Gal·la and Èlia, who were so engrossed in their argument that they hadn’t noticed anything else, suddenly heard a very strange clinking and plop.
They looked at the beakers… and the beakers were looking at them.
“Hey!” said the glass beaker. “There’s no need to argue. Each of us is good for different things.”
“Exactly,” added the plastic beaker. “The important thing is to ask questions, listen, and work together.”
The two girls were speechless. No one had ever given them such clear advice… least of all a beaker!
Then the teacher appeared with a big smile and calmly explained which glass was the safest for this activity. Gal·la and Èlia nodded, somewhat embarrassed, but also relieved.
“I’m sorry,” said Gal·la.
“Yes, it’s better if we cooperate,” added Èlia.
At the end of the practice, both girls learned to work together, setting aside their differences to achieve a good result. Because when you work in a group, you learn more. Finally, besides being good classmates, they became friends, and that’s the end of the story.
Written by:
Aminata Diarra, Marta Gomez, and Erola Rotllant.
Institut de Vic
Chemistry Department
Academic year 2025-2026
QUD0 Laboratory for Analysis and Quality Control
