Acid Base

Ramping Up the Disappearing Rainbow with the Assassin’s Water Bottle

Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 09/16/2025 - 09:44

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What happens when chemistry and illusion collide? In The Disappearing Rainbow, a simple acid–base demonstration transforms into a spellbinding performance. With a single pour, colorless liquids bloom into a vibrant rainbow—then vanish in an instant. Now, with the arrival of the “Assassin’s water bottle,” this classic demo gets a modern twist that makes the magic easier (and cleaner) than ever.

Three Turmeric Treats

Dean Campbell | Wed, 07/16/2025 - 08:32

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Curcumin, found in the spice turmeric, varies from yellow in acidic conditions to orange-red in basic conditions. This enables curcumin to be used in many acid-base demonstrations and incorporate ideas such as hidden messages and mechanochemistry.

The Value of Microtitrations

Michael Jansen | Sun, 06/22/2025 - 15:58

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Microtitrations can be used as a stand-alone lesson or as an introduction to more complex titrations. Done without expensive glassware and materials, this alternative to buret titrations is easy to implement in most classroom situations.

APTeach - Don't Let Acids Make You Salty

Shifra Yonis | Sun, 02/16/2025 - 13:32

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Join APTeach February 20th in discussing using particle diagrams, calculations, and titration curves to support student understanding of acids, bases, and buffers.

Picture Perfect Chemistry

Tom Kuntzleman | Sat, 10/19/2024 - 12:17

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A Picture-Perfect activity for National Chemistry Week 2024!

Mechanochemistry with Phenolphthalein and Base

Dean Campbell | Wed, 07/24/2024 - 17:11

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Grinding solid colorless phenolphthalein indicator and solid colorless magnesium hydroxide base can produce a reaction that causes the mixture to turn pink.

Bronsted-Lowry Balloon Blast Brain Break

Melissa Hemling | Mon, 06/03/2024 - 13:32

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Discover how a simple brain break activity, involving water balloon tosses, creatively reinforces the principles of Brønsted-Lowry acids and bases, making chemistry engaging and accessible for students.

How Alkaline is Alkaline Water?

Jim Webb | Tue, 05/07/2024 - 10:51

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Examine the properties of alkaline water with your students.

What are the molecular structures of sulfonphthalein acid-base indicators?

Iain Smellie | Wed, 04/17/2024 - 14:26

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This short article unpacks recent research on sulfonphthalein behavior in aqueous solutions, shedding light on pH-dependent structures with the hope of equipping educators with up-to-date interpretations of very familiar experimental observations, such as color changes in acid/base titrations.

Arrows Point the Way: Titrating inside of a Flowchart

Joseph Lomax | Fri, 04/05/2024 - 09:19

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Joe Lomax suggests that making your students into a flowchart can better teach them the titration process while you and your class will enjoy the process!