Redox Reactions

I teach Redox and Electrochemistry as the first topic in AP Chemistry¹.

Galinstan is the tradename for a liquid metal alloy that is comprised of three elements: gallium (68.5%), indium (21.5%), and tin (10%).¹ It behaves a lot like mercury but has significantly lower toxicity. Because of this, Galinstan is used as a replacement for mercury in a variety of applications.

Gentle Reader, forgive me if the title - Connecting Acid-Base and Redox Connections (CABARC) - is redundant, but the connections between acid-base and redox reactions already exist, and it is my hope that we as instructors can parlay these connections into easier, better, and deeper understanding of both topics.

Co-Authored by Tom Kuntzleman* and Grazyna Zreda** *Spring Arbor University, MI and **Tanque Verde HS, AZ

I have always wanted to try the mercury beating heart experiment, in which a drop of liquid mercury is made to throb like a beating heart.¹ However, I have never conducted this experiment due to the issues associated with mercury toxicity.

A recent publication in the Journal of Chemical Education caught my eye.¹ The article describes how lithium “coin” or “button” batteries can be used in the chemistry laboratory to teach students about stoichiometry.

In Chemical Mystery #18: Peek A Boo Blue,¹ Blue Powerade is observed to change to green, and then to a yellow color. When the yellow-colored solution is disturbed by pouring it, it shifts back to green or blue-green.

Deanna Cullen, Scott Milam, Doug Ragan, and I recently published an article, Rapid Formation of Copper Patinas: A Simple Chemical Demonstration of Why the Statue of Liberty Is Green, in the Journal of Chemical Education¹ that describes how to create a blue-green