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The Magic of Chemistry

A collection of Chemistry Demonstrations

CHEMISTRY DEMONSTRATIONS
INTRODUCTION Time spent setting up Chemistry demonstrations is well spent. I have put on a number of shows over the years for years 9 13 students and it has proved to have universal appeal and scientifically stimulating to young and old alike. chemistry show is not !ust entertainment. I have found that these demonstrations can be used... at the beginning of a chemistry unit to help foster interest in the sub!ect to draw ideas"e#planations"hypotheses from a class before a topic is covered as a reinforcement"e#tension after a topic is completed as an e#citing way to demonstrate physical and chemical changes to demonstrate different types of reactions The secret to a successful show is to be well organised. The key to this is to try out the demonstrations beforehand to make sure that they work. The display could be organises in a variety of ways with a variety of props. It could be done as a continuous series of reactions with a $uestion time at the end %or in the ne#t follow&up period' or it could be done in an interactive way bit by bit. (emember the sky is the limit as to how the show may be presented you can put as much pomp and flair into the demonstration as you like its over to you. I have also done the show using students in pairs or as individuals and they have performed the demonstrations themselves and had to e#plain to the rest of the class what was the science involved. SAFETY REQUIREMENTS It)s over to you to investigate the ha*ardous nature of the substances and e$uipment you are dealing with. +efore doing any demonstrations, refer to the -aboratory Code of .ractice and /010 in your school. ll students should be wearing safety glasses and lab coats and in e#periments involving cryogenic substances gloves should be worn.

COLOURS
!U!!"IN# CO"UMNS $hat to do% 2ill two tall gas !ars with water. To one, add about 1 g potassium chromate, 34Cr56 and to the other a few small crystals of potassium permanganate, 3/n56. 7ow add some dry ice, C54 to each cylinder. This can be added at the beginning of the show for the first visual effect. rapid bubbling is observed from the bottom of each cylinder. variation on this would be to use a dilute sodium hydro#ide solution containing phenolphthalein indicator & the pink solution would turn colourless. & $E"COME 'OSTER 0olution 8 9.1 mol -&1 ammonium thiocyanate, 7:60C7 %9.; g"l99 m-' 0olution +8 9.1 mol -&1 potassium he#acyanoferrate It %potassium ferrocyanide', 362e%C7'<.3:45 %6.4 g" 199 m-' & must be freshly made= 0olution C8 9.1 mol -&1 iron III chloride, 2eCl3 %1<.4 g"199 m-' $hat to do% .aint your poster with solution %turns red' and solution + %turns blue'. llow to dry %hair dryer for $uick result' and apply a fine spray of solution C when re$uired. +est results are obtained if solution + is not applied too soon before the show as its colour darkens with time. 2e3> > 0C7& 2e0C74> %red' 2e3> > 2e%C7'< 2e%2e%C7'<' %.russian blue' () IODINE C"OC* 0olution 8 9.1? g potassium iodate in 199 m- water 0olution +8 9.@ g sodium sulfite, 7a4053, 4.@ m- 3 mol -&1 sulfuric acid, :4056 and 69 m- 1A starch %1 g starch in 99 m- hot water' in ?19 m- water. 0olution + must be freshly made= $hat to do% /i# e$ual parts %e.g. @9 m-' of solutions and + $uickly, cover if desired and wait for the formation of the blue&black reaction comple# after some time. (eaction times are affected by temperature and the concentration of reagents and + and can be ad!usted accordingly. I53& > 30534& I& > 30564& @I& > I53& > <:> 3:45 > 3I4 I4 > starch blue&black comple# + MYSTERY ,U# 0olution 8 dissolve @ g iron III ammonium sulfate in @99 m- of water .lace about 9.1 g of each of the following substances in separate 199 m- beakers and dissolve each in a few drops of water. The beakers should appear to be empty to the audience. 1. potassium thiocyanate %red' 4. potassium ferrocyanide %blue' 3. barium chloride %white' 6. tartaric acid %green' @. sodium hydro#ide %amber' $hat to do% .lace about @9 m- of solution into each of the beakers. #O"DEN RAIN 2inely grind about @ g lead nitrate and @ g potassium iodide separately and place in two separate capped containers. $hat to do% .lace each of the solids in a container cap and throw simultaneously into a large beaker of water.

.) MYSTERY $RITIN# $hat to do% /ake a slightly alkaline solution using ammonia and add several drops of phenolphthalein. Bse this to write on the whiteboard. The pink colour of the phenolphthalein will fade. If concentrated ammonia solution is wafted near the writing it will reappear. / !"UE !OTT"E Clucose %an aldehyde' in an alkaline solution is slowly o#idised by o#ygen, forming gluconic acid8 In the presence of sodium hydro#ide gluconic acid is converted to sodium gluconate. /ethylene blue speeds up the reaction, acting as an o#ygen transfer agent. +y o#idising glucose methylene blue itself is reduced and becomes colourless %formation of leucomethylene blue'8 If there is a sufficient air in the system, leucomethylene blue is $uickly re&o#idised and the blue colour of solution is restored. 5n standing glucose reduces the dye and the colour of the solution disappears. In dilute solutions the reaction takes place at 69 & <9 oC. In more concentrated solutions %as used here by us' the process occurs at room temperature. 're0aration) Two one&litre Drlenmeyer flasks are half filled with tap water. 4.@ g of glucose are dissolved in one of the flasks %flask ', and @ g of glucose in another %flask +'. $hat to do% Eust prior to the show 4.@ g of sodium hydro#ide %7a5:' are dissolved in flask and @ g of 7a5: in the flask +. 1uring the presentation appro#imately 1 ml of 9.1A solution of methylene blue is added into each flask and flasks are stoppered and shaken to dissolve the dye. The flasks are then set aside, and the blue colour of the solutions gradually disappears as glucose is o#idised by the dissolved o#ygen. fter the solutions became colourless the blue colour can be restored by shaking the flasks. This e#periment can be FrevisitedG several times during the show. 1 2A""O$EEN REACTION The demonstration is known as the H5ld 7assau (eactionI, a clock reaction which turns orange and then black %and has therefore also been named the H:alloween (eactionI' 're0aration) The following three solutions need to be prepared. . /ake a paste of 6 g of soluble starch with a few ml of water. .our onto this @99 ml of boiling water and stir. Cool to room temperature, add 13.? g of sodium metabisulphite %7a4045@' and make up to 1 - with water. +. 1issolve 3 g of mercury %II' chloride in water and make the solution up to 1 - with water. C. 1issolve 1@ g of potassium iodate %3I53' in water and make the solution up to 1 - with water. $hat to do% /i# @9 ml of solution with @9 ml of solution +. Then pour into this mi#ture into @9 ml of solution C. fter about @ seconds the mi#ture will turn an opa$ue orange colour as insoluble mercury iodide precipitates. fter further @ seconds the mi#ture suddenly turns blue& black as a starch&iodine comple# is formed. The second colour change %orange to black' is not normally e#pected by the audience and comes as a real surprise. 3 OSCI""ATIN# REACTION 're0aration. .repare three solutions as follows. 0olution . .our 699 ml of distilled water into a 4 litre beaker. Jearing gloves pour 619 ml of 39A hydrogen pero#ide into the water. 1ilute the solution to one litre with distilled water. 0olution +. .lace 63 g of potassium iodate %3I53' and appro#imately ;99 ml of distilled water in the second 4&litre beaker. dd 6.3 ml of concentrated :4056 to this mi#ture. Jarm and stir the mi#ture until the potassium iodate dissolves. 1ilute the solution to one litre with distilled water. 0olution C. 1issolve 1< g of malonic acid and 3.6 g of manganese sulfate %hydrate' in appro#imately @99 ml of distilled water in the third 4 litre beaker. In the 199&ml beaker heat @9 ml of distilled water to boiling. In a separate beaker mi# 3 g of soluble starch with about 19 ml of water and stir the mi#ture to form a slurry %or the starch can be suspended in a little alcohol but in this case e#tra care must be e#ercised when pouring into the boiling water'. .our the slurry into the

boiling water and continue heating and stirring the mi#ture until the starch has dissolved %1&4 minutes'. .our this starch solution into the solution of malonic acid and manganese sulphate and dilute the mi#ture with distilled water to one litre. $hat to do% 0et a 1.@&litre beaker on the magnetic stirrer and place the stirring bar into the beaker. .our @99 ml of solution and @99 ml of the solution + into the beaker and ad!ust the stirring rate to produce a large vorte# in the mi#ture. Then pour @99 ml of solution C into the beaker. The initially colourless solution will become amber almost immediately. Then it will suddenly turn blue&black. The blue&black will fade to colourless, and the cycle will repeat several times with a period which initially lasts about 1@ seconds but gradually lengthens. fter a few minutes the solution will remain blue&black. 4 RAIN!O$ TEST TU!ES $hat to do% .lace a series of test tubes K filled with water in a test tube rack. dd a few drops of universal indicator to each test tube. dd dilute :Cl or dilute 7a5: to the test tubes to produce a spectrum of colours. RED CA!!A#E INDICATOR $hat to do% Chop the cabbage into small pieces until you have about 4 cups of chopped cabbage. .lace the cabbage in a large beaker or other glass container and add boiling water to cover the cabbage. llow at least ten minutes for the colour to leach out of the cabbage. % lternatively, you can place about 4 cups of cabbage in a blender, cover it with boiling water, and blend it.' 2ilter out the plant material to obtain a red&purple&bluish coloured li$uid. This li$uid is at about p: ?. %The e#act colour you get depends on the p: of the water.' .our about @9 & 199 m- of your red cabbage indicator into each 4@9 m- beaker. dd various household solutions to your indicator until a colour change is obtained. Bse separate containers for each household solution & you donIt want to mi# chemicals that donIt go well together=
& SI"5ER MIRRORS $hat to do% 1issolve about 1 teaspoon glucose in 199 m- water. .lace about 49 m- 9.1 mol- &1 g753 in a clean boiling tube or small round bottomed flask. dd 1 drop 7a5: and then sufficient 7:3 solution to dissolve the grey ppt. dd about @ ml of the glucose solution and warm in a hot water bath ( 'RETTY CO"OURS $hat to do% 1issolve about 3.@ g (ochelle salt %sodium potassium tartrate' in 39 m- water :eat to about 99oC dd 19 m- of 49 vol hydrogen pero#ide soln note no reaction. dd enough CoCl 4 solution to make solution distinctly pink + 'RETTY CO"OURS & $hat to do% /ake a pale orange solution of potassium dichromate. dd a few m- sulfuric acid. dd a few drops hydrogen pero#ide and stir $INE TO $ATER $hat to do% /ake a weak solution of potassium permanganate. dd a few m- : 4056. dd a few m- hydrogen pero#ide and stir . $ATER TO MI"* $hat to do% 1issolve ?.@ g hypo %sodium thiosulfate' in 1@9 m- water. .lace about @9 ml of the hypo solution in a conical flask. dd about @ m- of hydrochloric acid. .lace the flask on a cross drawn of a piece of white paper. Time how long it takes for the cross to disappear.

/ #ENIE OUT OF T2E !OTT"E .(51BCD0 754 & /B0T +D 157D I7 2B/D CB.+5 (1 5( 5BT0I1D .lace about 19 g sodium thiosulfate in a large conical flask. dd enough concentrated nitric acid to cover the crystals. 0tand back. (eaction takes a few seconds to start. Jhen the reaction is complete carefully tip the li$uid contents out of the flask. dd several lots of water to wash e#cess nitric acid of the lump of spongy sulfur which remains in the flask.

O S AND !AN"S
1 2YDRO#EN !A""OONS $hat to do% 2ill medium to large balloons with hydrogen gas %cylinder' shortly before each performance. I prefer to tie them down to a retort ring on a retort stand. That way, students are not so sure whatIs in the balloons. burning candle tied to the end of a stick %at least 1 m long' is used to e#plode them at convenient points during the show, preferably in a darkened room. 4:4 > 54 4:45 > energy 3 CO""A'SIN# CO*E CANS $hat to do% .lace a few m- of water in an empty aluminium soft drink can. :eat the can over a +unsen burner until the water is boiling. :olding the can in tongs $uickly invert the can and K submerge in icy water

CRYO"ENICS
&4 "IQUID NITRO#EN 2ill a 4 - wide&mouthed 1ewar flask about two&thirds full with li$uid nitrogen. This is the basis for a number of cryogenic demonstrations. :ere are some suggestions8 %a' + 7 7 : //D(8 2ree*e a banana on a meat skewer for at least 1 minute, then holding it with insulated gloves, use it to nail %e.g. galvanised clouts' the Lwelcome) poster onto a piece of softboard %etc'. t the point the poster can be sprayed with the iron III chloride solution %a used !a# bottle is an ideal to produce a fine spray'. %b' + --55708 +efore the show, condense some balloons into the nitrogen and leave them sitting on the bottom. 1uring the performance some more can be added and then all can be removed with tongs. It is particularly effective to remove a large, tied and twisted figure balloon. %c' (B++D( T:I7C08 .lace the end of a piece of hollow rubber tubing and an old s$uash ball on a string into the nitrogen and free*e. Bse these to demonstrate changing physical properties. %d' 2-5JD(8 2ree*e a flower such as a rose, chrysanthemum or carnation and shatter it in your hands. %e' /D(CB(M8 2ree*e about one&third of a stoppered test tube of mercury %m.p. &39NC'. (emove and invert. %f' J TD( & .our some li$uid nitrogen into a beaker of water. Mou can add colour to the water first if you like to increase the effect. %g' DCC & Crack an egg in a fry pan and add the li$uid nitrogen. %h' +B7CID 7 I- Cut a tapered end on a piece of bungie cord about @ cm long. 2ree*e the cord which can then be hammered into a piece of soft wood.

#IRES AND #LAMES


& ) !OI"IN# $ATER IN A 'A'ER !A# $hat to do% pply your 5rigami skills to construct a paper boat in the shape of a cuboid. .lace on a tripod stand with gau*e, fill with enough water to cover the bottom and a few centimetres up the sides and heat underneath with a +unsen burner on a blue flame. piece of white ;9 gsm photocopy paper should be ideal for the !ob. &&) !URNIN# 2AN*Y 0olution 8 /i# @9 m- 9@A ethanol and @9 m- water. $hat to do% Thoroughly soak a cotton handkerchief in solution . :old the hanky in tongs, ignite it, allow to burn in a darkened room for 39 s. D#tinguish the flame %fire e#tinguisher or suffocation', and note that the hanky is undamaged. &() #REEN S'ONTANEOUS FIRE 0ubstance 8 Jeigh 6 g *inc dust into a dry phial. 0ubstance +8 Jeigh 6 g ammonium nitrate, 7:6753, 1 g ammonium chloride, 7:6CI and 9.@ g barium nitrate, +a%753', into a separate dry phial. $hat to do% Jhen needed %and not before', pour into the phial containing +, cap it and shake vigorously to mi#. .our the grey mi#ture onto a fibrolite %etc' mat. Jhen wet fingers are shaken onto the pile, a green spontaneous fire erupts. +est observed in a darkened room. .roduces a dense smoke, so best left to the end of the show. &+) 5O"CANO $hat to do% /ake a conical pile of powdered ammonium dichromate on a fibrolite %etc' mat. (oll up a small piece of filter paper to serve as a wick %about @ cm long'. 0oak the wick in ethanol and insert into the centre of the cone. In a darken room, light the wick which will ignite the orange powder. 7ote that the green reaction product %chromium III o#ide' is potentially carcinogenic. This demo should not be carried out in the open classroom, although it may be done in a fume cupboard. &MA#IC FIRE 6 $hat to do% .lace about @ g Cr53 in a mortar and grind to a fine powder. 1rip ethanol onto the powder. The ethanol spontaneously catches fire. &. MA#IC FIRE 6 & $hat to do% /ake a small pile of 3/n56 on a heat proof surface. dd a few drops of glycerol or glycol. fter a few minutes the pile will start to smoke and will catch fire. &/ !URNIN# MET2S !OTT"E $hat to do% .lace a few ml of ethanol in a large plastic bottle. (inse the ethanol around inside the bottle and tip out e#cess li$uid. Turn off the lights and place a match near the mouth of the bottle. blue flame accompanied by a roaring sound will slowly travel down inside the bottle. &1 CANNED 2EAT $hat to do% /ake 199 m- of a saturated solution of calcium acetate. Jhen this is poured into ethanol a precipitate forms. The precipitate can be s$uee*ed dry to remove most of the water. It can then be ignited.

&3 DEAT2 TO ,E""Y !A!IES $hat to do% :eat about 4cm of potassium chlorate in a clean boiling tube behind a safety shield. Jhen the potassium chlorate is all melted, turn off the burner. 1rop in 1 !elly baby or similar and stand back. .otassium chlorate is a prohibited substance for use in school laboratories.

MISCE""ANEOUS (4) NY"ON RO'E 0olution 8 .lace @.; g 1,<&diaminohe#ane and 4 g sodium hydro#ide in 199 m- water. 0olution +8 1ilute 4.3 g he#anedioyl chloride, ClC5%C:4'6C5Cl, to @9 m- with cyclohe#ane. $hat to do% .our 4@ m- solution into a 199 m- beaker and then carefully pour in 4@ msolution + down the side of the beaker. +e sure that the layers do not mi#. Bsing a pair of twee*ers or copper wire carefully draw out the nylon film which forms at the interface of the two layers and wrap it around a piece of wood or cardboard. 3eep winding the nylon thread onto the wood"cardboard until it runs out. single strand up to about 14 m can be e#tracted. ( ) !"AC* FOAM 7 SU#AR MONSTER $hat to do% 2ill a 199 m- beaker about one&third full with powdered sucrose %table sugar', C11:44511 and dampen it with water until a thick slurry is obtained. Then add about 19 m- concentrated sulfuric acid. black foam %solid' is produced which rises several centimetres above the top of the beaker. 7ote that sulfur dio#ide may also be produced in this reaction. (&) CO"D !OI"IN# $ATER $hat to do% .lace about 199 m- cold or lukewarm water into a @99 m- +uchner flask and stopper the flask. ttach the flask using pressure tubing to a water vacuum pump and lower the pressure in the flask. fter some time, bubbles will appear on the bottom of the flask and the water will boil even though the water is cool or only warm to touch. (( FOAMIN# SNA*ES 0olutions of hydrogen pero#ide are unstable and the :454 present in them slowly decomposes forming o#ygen gas and water, $hat to do% .lace about 49 ml of 39A %199 vol.' hydrogen pero#ide into 199 m- measuring cylinder. The add a couple of s$uirts of any washing&up li$uid %using a small pipette'. .lace the cylinder in a large trough and drop some solid potassium iodide %appro#. 1 g' into the li$uid using a spatula. The solution begins vigorously to decompose and the froth of escaping o#ygen can be seen rising in the cylinder. s the reaction progresses it also speeds up and soon the froth is pouring out of the !ar. The reaction is e#othermic and steam coming out the mi#ture is clearly visible. The colour of the froth is light brown because some potassium iodide is o#idised during the reaction with the formation of iodine. Coloured foams can be produced easily by using food coloring. (+ #"O$IN# #ER*INS $hat to do% .lace a pickled gherkin between two electrodes. Turn off the lights and switch the power to the gherkin on. Mou can use different vegetables fresh or pickled (FI"M CAN 'O''ER Bse a barbe$ue pie**o sparker to make a spark between 4 bared wires in a plastic film canister. (inse the film canister with a few drops of meths. The lid will pop off when the mi#ture is ignited.

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