Favorite home experiments

[GCM]

Ok not really a home experiment unless you can get the stuff at home...but take some HCl (nothing super concentrated...I forget what molar works fine sorry) and put it and some aluminum in a decent sized Erlenmeyer flask. Cork the top with a tube running out of it and into a bucket with soapy water. The reaction produces hydrogen gas which is what the soap bubbles will be filled with. Light a candle. Run your hand under some water, scoop up the bubbles, and stick your hand over the flame. FOOM! your hand "burns". But thanks to the specific heat of water, at the most your hand will feel a bit of warmth

That looks scary. But awesome! I've got to try this!*

Not my own home experiment but some people I know put some random stuff in a microwave with varying results

Fun with Microwaves

My (physics) teacher told me about putting a cup of distilled water in a microwave for a couple minutes. Nothing happens to it, but one you put some form of impurity in it (dust, coffee powder suggested), it blows up. I've never tried, because my microwave isn't expendable, but can anyone confirm this?

Also, is tesla coil considered a home experiment? (Project, more like.) I've been wanting to build one for a while, but my grades would probably suffer.

Other than that, I don't know... but I like to play with fire! Get matches and contruct things out of them, and light it. Also tried some other things, like paper, thread, wood. There was also this one kind of tissue that gave out a more bluish fire (never buying that brand again.)

[BlackSails]

My (physics) teacher told me about putting a cup of distilled water in a microwave for a couple minutes. Nothing happens to it, but one you put some form of impurity in it (dust, coffee powder suggested), it blows up. I've never tried, because my microwave isn't expendable, but can anyone confirm this?

It wont really explode as much as all boil at once. But dont do this as if you take a cupful of superheated steam in the face you will not be happy.

[GCM]

My (physics) teacher told me about putting a cup of distilled water in a microwave for a couple minutes. Nothing happens to it, but one you put some form of impurity in it (dust, coffee powder suggested), it blows up. I've never tried, because my microwave isn't expendable, but can anyone confirm this?

It wont really explode as much as all boil at once. But dont do this as if you take a cupful of superheated steam in the face you will not be happy.

Not like it hasn't happened before.

Not that I'm willing to, by the way.

[gmalivuk]

It wont really explode as much as all boil at once.

Any significant amount of water all boiling at once sounds rather like an explosion, actually...

[BlackSails]

It wont really explode as much as all boil at once.

Any significant amount of water all boiling at once sounds rather like an explosion, actually...

Well, he made it sound like he expected it to blow his microwave into tiny bits.

[Razer4229]

Hi everyone, been reading the comic/blag/forums for a while now, but I only reistered today (tonight actually, but never mind).
Anyways, I noticed a lack of acid-related fun and indeed, profit.

I guess the materials required for this "experiment" (read: mischief) is not what you'll find in most houses but so are dry ice and LN2 so go figure.

1. Dehydrating Sugar
I learnt this one at a school open-day last year.

Materials:

Suphuric Acid (pretty concentrated, can't remember the molar, should be oily)
Sugar (plain, white)
A container (glass, something you're prepared to throw away afterwards)
Goggles+gloves

A outdoor space


Put a 1/3 volume of sugar in the container and pour a 2/3 volume of acid over.

The sugar will turn darker and darker until suddenly (if everything is right) it will open like a little volcano releasing a plume of steam and begin to rise up
out of the container in a column of solid (very hot) carbon
(Note: I said outdoors because if the proportions of acid/sugar are out, the mix will rise out of the container, in the form of a hot, sticky, acidic tar-like substance, not fun to clean)
The carbon block, when cooled, is remarkably hard and is like a carbon foam.

Done correctly, this has a high wow factor.

Enjoy!

[drumbum99]

Materials:

Suphuric Acid (pretty concentrated, can't remember the molar, should be oily)
Sugar (plain, white)
A container (glass, something you're prepared to throw away afterwards)
Goggles+gloves

My chem teacher did that the other week. Looks pretty cool. He was like "This is pretty much what happens if you get this on your skin", needless to say we were extra carful that lesson.

[BlackSails]

My chem teacher did that the other week. Looks pretty cool. He was like "This is pretty much what happens if you get this on your skin", needless to say we were extra carful that lesson.

You teacher is a liar. Sulfuric acid is not something you want on your skin, but your skin is not made of sugar. Ive gotten 10M H2SO4 on myself, and I didnt start to smoke and carbonize.

[Razer4229]

Yeah, I've done that too- It's really annoying how you don't feel the acid until it really starts to burn your skin.
Anyone know if my acid/sugar ratio was right?- I haven't done it in a while so I couldn't remember the exact amounts.
I wonder what it would look like with much larger quantities (e.g liters of acid with kilograms of sugar)?

[drumbum99]

My chem teacher did that the other week. Looks pretty cool. He was like "This is pretty much what happens if you get this on your skin", needless to say we were extra carful that lesson.

You teacher is a liar. Sulfuric acid is not something you want on your skin, but your skin is not made of sugar. Ive gotten 10M H2SO4 on myself, and I didnt start to smoke and carbonize.

Well yer he didn't say it was exactly what would happen, but dammit it made us more careful so i guess he did his job in a sort of twisted way?

[GCM]

Well, he made it sound like he expected it to blow his microwave into tiny bits.

Naw, naw. I was thinking more like bringing the cup somewhere safe first. Like in my neighbors car, or a gas station, or a library. Guess I shoulda said it.

Yeah, I've done that too- It's really annoying how you don't feel the acid until it really starts to burn your skin.

That happened before? I had a friend who had "acid"* on his skin, and it was a bit hot. When he washed it off there was a black mark.

*No, I don't think it was acid, but he said so.

Anyone know if my acid/sugar ratio was right?- I haven't done it in a while so I couldn't remember the exact amounts.
I wonder what it would look like with much larger quantities (e.g liters of acid with kilograms of sugar)?

If science has taught us anything, it's that more stuff = more results. I.e. more acid & sugar = more "volcano".

Thus I deduce that the centre of the earth has vast quantities of sugar and H₂SO₄!! Science. It works, bitches! Ahahahahaha!!

[Razer4229]

Yeah, I've done that too- It's really annoying how you don't feel the acid until it really starts to burn your skin.

That happened before? I had a friend who had "acid"* on his skin, and it was a bit hot. When he washed it off there was a black mark.

*No, I don't think it was acid, but he said so.

Hmm... must have been a weak acid or just a irritant. You don't notice strong acid/alkali burns initially due to the layer of the dead cells on your skin. When it hits your nerve endings however, you definitely know about it- think bee sting + burning sensation.
Needless to say, it's pretty painful.

That's why I recommend gloves.

[Tahlas]

Hmm... must have been a weak acid or just a irritant. You don't notice strong acid/alkali burns initially due to the layer of the dead cells on your skin. When it hits your nerve endings however, you definitely know about it- think bee sting + burning sensation.
Needless to say, it's pretty painful.

That's why I recommend gloves.

That depends on a lot of stuff, i've gotten different kinds of acids on my hands a couple of times, one time I dropped some concentrated sulphuric acid on my finger.
I immediately went to wash it off, but already while I was on my way to the sink I noticed that my finger got warm.

I suspect that I had wet hands and that it was the water and not my finger that created the heat, but nevertheless there was heat, and it's doesn't seem impossible that sulphuric acids should leave darkish spots.

[psyck0]

Gloves aren't so good when they trap whatever's burning you, rather than keeping it out. Like concentrated bromine solutions. Nasty.

[zaqwithaq]

Ok firstly I wish to apologize for not finishing reading this whole forum before posting this but it was too cool to pass up...also I apologize for this being my 1st post so I will post everything as opposed to a link..

Our own [Eliot] dug this one up from the grave. While the recipe has been online for a while, do you know many 10 year olds who made their own Aerogel, that wonderful insulator that's essentially gelled air? [William] made some(cache) for his science project in 2002. He started with Silbond H5, a combination of ethyl alcohol and ethyl polysilicate. You can get the MSDS after a painless email registration on the Silbond website. After the gel is formed you have to soak it in an alcohol bath to make sure all water has been removed from the structure. Then the gel is placed in a drying chamber. Liquid CO2 is forced into the chamber to displace all the alcohol in the chamber and the structure. Once the the alcohol is gone the supercritical drying phase begins. The temperature is raised to 90degF and the pressure is regulated to 1050psi. At this point the liquid CO2 in the gel structure takes on gas properties (looses surface tension) and leaves the silica structure. All that remains in the chamber is your new Aerogel which is 99% empty space and 1000 times less dense than glass.

Of course, if you're lazy, you can buy some here.

kind of big but if you are to trust me on this http://www.hackaday.com/2008/03/23/make ... n-aerogel/

...I'm sorry i just felt bad about not sharing this earlier

and no...i haven't done this I've been wanting to since they posted it..

[morrock]

This thread is great, everything I know has been mentioned. There is one fun experiment I know, but I don't remember the ingredients... In my Chemistry class our teacher made a smoke bomb out of potassium something, and another chemical (no it wasn't Potassium Nitrate and sugar) He lit it with a magnesium rod, and yellow smoke and sparks flew everywhere.

The real reason for this post though, with all the talk of mentos in the first page, has anyone tried mixing 3 Musketeers and (diet) Coke? II've never tried, but one time I was choking on a piece of 3 Musketeers, and washed it down with half a can of Coke. Fizz poured out of my mouth.

[Mabus_Zero]

I always like the ones that blow off people's fingers, like alcohol and bromine.

[BlackSails]

. All that remains in the chamber is your new Aerogel which is 99% empty space

Lead is 99% empty space.

I always like the ones that blow off people's fingers, like alcohol and bromine.

Bromine and Acetone makes alpha-Bromoacetone which is a powerful (and mildly toxic) tear gas

[drumbum99]

I always like the ones that blow off people's fingers

Experiments that go bang are the best ones, untill like sum1 dies...

[quintopia]

0.5mm graphite pencil lead in a high voltage circuit. fun!

BTW, does anyone here know what is in those gel packs that get hot and crystalize when you pop the little metal disk inside?

[GCM]

0.5mm graphite pencil lead in a high voltage circuit. fun!

BTW, does anyone here know what is in those gel packs that get hot and crystalize when you pop the little metal disk inside?

Oh yes! There's nothing safer than digging up ice on a frozen rock hurdling through space at a million miles per hour. Whoossshhhh!! Safe!

Um, what gel packs now?

[Baza210]

• Half-fill your sink with water.
  
• Get 200cm³ Cyclohexane in a beaker.
  
• Ignite the Cycloxehane. A match will do fine.
  
• Throw the contents of the beaker into the sink.
  
  Et voila- your sink is on fire.

[quintopia]

Um, what gel packs now?

I finally found it on the net:

http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Reusable- ... B000F3Q524

[ave_matthew]

BTW, does anyone here know what is in those gel packs that get hot and crystalize when you pop the little metal disk inside?

not all of them, but many contain supersaturated sodium acetate : NaCH₃COO

which can be made as follows (not very pure, and pissed me of cause of the low yield)

vinaigre : CH₃COOH
baking soda : H₂CO₃

vinaigre + baking soda : CH₃COOH + H₂CO₃ => CO₂ + H₂O + NaCH₃COO_(aq)

then boil it till the water is gone. Then add whatever amount of water to make a super saturated solution and heat it up till it's liquid again. If all the crystals melted all the way it will remain liquid despite cooling. but the introduction a crystal (via the shock from the metal plate) will cause the sodium acetate to drop out of solution releasing a fair bit of heat.

two experiments in one!

[quintopia]

As written it was difficult to balance. Fix'd:

7CH₃COOH + 8NaH₂CO₃ => 6CO₂ + 10H₂O + 8NaCH₃COO_(aq)

The yield looks decent to me. Must be the dilution of the vinegar that hurts it.

[oxoiron]

As written it was difficult to balance. Fix'd:

7CH₃COOH + 8NaH₂CO₃ => 6CO₂ + 10H₂O + 8NaCH₃COO_(aq)

That is a joke, right? I assume you meant to write this...

CH₃COOH_(aq) + NaHCO_{3 (aq)} --> CH₃COONa_(aq) + H₂O_(l) + CO_{2 (g)}

[quintopia]

No, of course not, I meant to write:

7CH₃COOH + 8NaHCO_{3 (s)} => 8CH₃COONa _(aq) + 10H₂O + 6CO₂

I'm obviously not going to give the states of the obvious ones.

[oxoiron]

7CH₃COOH + 8NaHCO_{3 (s)} => 8CH₃COONa _(aq) + 10H₂O + 6CO₂

You are converting carbonate to acetate and making hydrogen appear out of nowhere?

[quintopia]

i copied yours, put in the coefficients and took out the obvious states of matter. what could the issue possibly be?

[ave_matthew]

First of all.
Sorry I put H₂CO₃ in stead of NaHCO₃, at least you understood.

now

7CH₃COOH + 8NaHCO₃ => 8 NaCH₃COO+ 10H₂O + 6CO₂

Left
C: 2*7+1*8=14+8=24
H: 4*7+1*8=28+8=36
O: 2*7+3*8=14+24=38
Na : 8*1=8
Right
C: 2*8+6*1=16+6=22
H: 8*3+2*10=24+20=44
O: 2*8+10*1+6*2=16+10+12=38
Na : 8*1=8

So that's what's wrong with it. C and H are not conserved.
Did you just put 8Na and say it was balanced?

And yes, the vinaigre's concentration was the problem, and evaporating acetaty water does NOT smell good

[masher]

7CH₃COOH + 8NaHCO₃ => 8 NaCH₃COO+ 10H₂O + 6CO₂

CH₃COOH + NaHCO₃ => NaCH₃COO+ H₂O + CO₂

is balanced.

in:
1 x CH₃COO
2 x H
1 x Na
1 x CO₂
1 x O

out:
1 x Na
1 x CH₃COO
1 x CO₂
2 x H
1 x O


If you can, don't balance individual elements, balance groups.

If a CH₃COO goes through unaltered, then balance that as a whole.

[quintopia]

sorry, i must have miscopied the equation into my equation balancer .₂

Anyway, it's a moot point, since I knew going in that you'd get as much sodium acetate out as you put in baking soda, and that's all that matters (assuming you have enough of the other ingredients).

EDIT: Ah, the problem was that I used NaH₂CO₃ instead of NaHCO₃. Which is retarded because the former would have a positive charge.

[oxoiron]

Ah, the problem was that I used NaH₂CO₃ instead of NaHCO₃. Which is retarded would be really cool because the former would have a positive charge be neat as all hell if you could make it.

Fixed.

It wouldn't have a positive charge if it were a radical, but it would explosively decompose if you managed to form a significant amount of the stuff. Explosive decomposition is always cool.

[ducksan]

That would be an odd radical. If the molecule/formula unit (in an ionic compound, of course) had zero net charge, it'd have...some sort of Na covalent bond? Or Na+ and a carbonic acid molecule with an extra electron...somehow. I don't even want to think about what structure it could take. A co-crystallization of Na and carbonic acid, maybe, but that couldn't be stable, could it? The Na would probably be oxidized by the carbonic acid, because it's oxidized by pretty much anything, but I don't know at all.
If you could make it, yeah, it might have a rather powerful decomposition...but into what, and could you make enough for a sizable explosion? Doubtful =/

Also, yeah, reaction of bicarbonate and acetic acid = very simple indeed. I firmly second the notion of not making things too confusing, just balance it as an acid-base reaction. There will always be an acetate on both sides, whether it's a functional group bonded to a hydrogen (acetic acid) or the counteranion of Na+ doesn't matter, and because acetate is basic the products will still smell like vinegar. =P

[oxoiron]

That would be an odd radical*....If you could make it, yeah, it might would have a rather powerful decomposition...but into what, and could you make enough for a sizable explosion? Doubtful =/

Fixed.

Under anything approaching normal conditions, it would be impossible to synthesize, since the following reaction would be impossible to prevent:

2 Na + 2 HOAc ---> 2 NaOAc + H₂ + lots of heat

This is why I said it would be really cool if one could make it, but the conditions under which that could be done could only be described as 'unusual'. If you did make a substantial amount and removed the magical stabilizing field, it would explosively decompose as shown above.

* All radicals are odd.

HA HA HA HA HA -- [SLAP!] -- OUCH!

I deserved that.

[ave_matthew]

I do apologize for the long complicated balancing, I had already done it the acid base way in my head. I just figured it's harder to argue with the individual element method than the acid base method, was I wrong?
And it does smell like acetate, not quite like vinaigre I though, probably almost as bad though

[Aluminus]

I should add that sodium acetate is rather tasty.

Sodium acetate is the chemical that gives salt and vinegar chips (crisps) their flavor. It may also be added to foods as a preservative; in this application it is usually written as "sodium diacetate" and labeled E262.

[GCM]

I should add that sodium acetate is rather tasty.

Sodium acetate is the chemical that gives salt and vinegar chips (crisps) their flavor. It may also be added to foods as a preservative; in this application it is usually written as "sodium diacetate" and labeled E262.

Lots of sodiums are delicious. Also unhealthy. Just like dolomite, except it's not unhealthy because it's got calcium!! Whee!!!

It's dolomite, baby!

[drumbum99]

Does anyone have a home experiment that makes a bang. Also that is a gom eexperiemtn so you can get ahold of the stuff easily and it is not illegal =P

[oxoiron]

Does anyone have a home experiment that makes a bang. Also that is a gom eexperiemtn so you can get ahold of the stuff easily and it is not illegal =P

I won't vouch for the legality in your neighborhood, but the reagents for this are readily available and it will go 'bang'!

THIS IS DANGEROUS, SO DON'T KILL YOURSELF!

1) Put some aluminum foil into an empty plastic pop bottle (start with a small one (e.g. 16 oz.) until you have an idea of how much damage these can do).

2) Add a little HCl (available as Limeaway, CLR, etc.)

DO NOT SCREW ON THE CAP YET!

3) Swirl the acid around to wet the aluminum.

4) Quickly screw on the cap tightly enough to seal.

5) GET AWAY FROM THE BOTTLE!

6) Cover your ears and wait for the explosion.

7) Repeat as desired.


The reaction that produces the explosion:

2 Al_(s) + 6 HCl_(aq) ---> 2 AlCl_{3 (aq)} + 3 H_{2 (g)}

The gas produced during the reaction builds up pressure until the bottle explodes.