Chemical Mystery #11: Too hot to boil?!
Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 03/02/2018 - 11:04
What happens if you place metal that is glowing orange-hot into some water? Watch this video and find out!
Demonstrations
Temperature Experiments with the Scrub Daddy Sponge
Tom Kuntzleman | Wed, 02/21/2018 - 10:59
What happens if you cool a Scrub Daddy sponge in liquid nitrogen (or dry ice) and subsequently strike it with a hammer? Let's find out!
Scrub Daddy Science
Tom Kuntzleman | Wed, 01/03/2018 - 18:20
The science behind the incredibly popular Scrub Daddy sponge is investigated. Part of the appeal of the Scrub Daddy sponge is that it changes from soft to hard depending upon temperature. This allows a single sponge to be transformed into a hard scrubber or soft sponge, depending upon the temperature of water into which it is placed.
The Density Bottle Strikes Again
Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 12/01/2017 - 07:48
Density Bottles can be used to teach a variety of chemical concepts such as density, solubility, and polarity. In this post it is shown that Density Bottles can also be used to differentiate between heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures, and to explore light scattering.
Investigations of Pyrite Nugget Beads: An Experiment for National Chemistry Week, Part 2
Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 10/13/2017 - 17:17
Decorative beads are tested for the presence of iron pyrite, or FeS2, in an activity well-suited for the National Chemistry Week theme of "Chemistry Rocks!"
Investigations of Hematite Beads: An Experiment for National Chemistry Week
Tom Kuntzleman | Sun, 10/01/2017 - 19:32
I have been in the lab conducting tests on the chemical and physical properties of various geological samples. In my investigations I’ve found that hematite is a particular mineral that is easy to acquire and quite amenable to experimentation.
DIY Vapor Catalyzed Chemiluminescence
Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 07/11/2017 - 11:33
I recently watched a video in which a chemist (who goes by the nickname “NurdRage”) activated a chemiluminescent reaction by vapor deposition. I wanted to try it out for myself! Unfortunately, oxalyl chloride is toxic, corrosive, and a lachrymator. Thus, the experiment conducted by NurdRage needs to be conducted in a hood, and it is not particularly amenable to simple presentations. I began to wonder how I could create this vapor activated chemiluminescence using simple materials.
Solution to Chemical Mystery #10: Out of the Blue!
Tom Kuntzleman | Wed, 07/05/2017 - 09:30
In Chemical Mystery #10, plastic straws are observed to “magically” change color when waved in the air. Check out the explanation and the video.
Chemical Mystery #10: Out of the Blue!
Tom Kuntzleman | Fri, 06/30/2017 - 15:11
In this simple trick, colors are made to "magically" appear and disappear on a straw. This science experiment is very easy to do...if you know your chemistry!
Reduction of Permanganate Ion by Acids in Rhubarb, Apples, and Candy
Tom Kuntzleman | Mon, 06/05/2017 - 17:00
If rhubarb stem is placed in a solution of permanganate, the purple permanganate ion is reduced to the colorless Mn2+ ion. It is thought that the oxalic acid present in rhubarb causes this reduction. The investigations presented in this post provide evidence that this may not be the whole story...