Chemical magic

If you need to run an open evening and showcase your department it´s good to have a selection of experiments and demos that will leave the audience speechless. I have already discussed the classic ammonium dichromate volcano (click here) and today I would like to share some chemical magic. This simple to set up experiment when paired up with a bit of acting can easily surprise your audience as you turn water into wine:

Then wine into water:

and lastly water into milk:

I tested it in beakers but for your "official" demo I suggest following the instructions and use wine glasses and a glass milk bottle.

If not used as a demo, you could use it in your lessons to discuss phenolphthalein as a narrow range indicator. Furthermore, it could be used in precipitation reactions lesson.

I wish you great lessons!

Karolina

Let YouTube help you teach Science #7

I think every single chemistry teacher has done the ammonium dichromate volcano at least once in their career. It's a show stopper at open evenings and the audience is always wowed by it. I came across this great video from the Royal Society of Chemistry showing a different way of doing this experiment which allows you to clean afterwards much easily. All is also done according to the guidance from CLEAPSS.

Which topic/s could you use this video with?
- chemical vs. physical change
- exothermic reactions
- oxidation states

Key words: ammonium dichromate (VI), disposal, safety

I wish you great lessons!

Karolina