Storm troopers ain't got nothing on this chemist
Tom Kuntzleman | Wed, 08/05/2015 - 08:24
Build a propane gun for your students! Construction is inexpensive, easy, and the effects are spectacular.
Demonstrations
My First Day Demonstration
Michael Morgan | Fri, 07/31/2015 - 19:23
Michael Morgan has used this demo for over 25 years! His students from 20 years ago still remember the first day of chemistry!
Solution to Chemical Mystery #5: How to Burn Water
Tom Kuntzleman | Thu, 07/16/2015 - 14:16
In Chemical Mystery #5, I used chemistry to give the illusion that water can be lit on fire. Here is the solution to that mystery.
Chemical Mystery #5: How to burn water
Tom Kuntzleman | Sat, 07/11/2015 - 14:00
The video displays a neat trick you can do for your students. What do you suppose is the secret behind this trick? Hint: It has to do with chemistry!
So You Think You Can Demo Semifinalists
Deanna Cullen | Thu, 06/25/2015 - 12:18
View the semifinalist videos for the ChemEd 2015 "So You Think You Can Demo" contest.
Participate in our Unofficial Vote for your favorite!
Harry Potter and the Elephant Toothpaste Potion
Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 04/28/2015 - 16:45
The “Elephant Toothpaste” experiment is a very popular, albeit messy chemistry demonstration. To carry out this experiment, place a 250 mL graduated cylinder on something that you wouldn’t mind getting messy.
How Does an Orange Peel Pop a Balloon? Chemistry, of Course!
Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 03/24/2015 - 15:15
Some orange peels can cause balloons to pop. The compound in orange peels called limonene is responsible for this effect. Limonene is responsible for the wonderful smell of oranges, and it is a liquid at room temperature.
Demonstrating the Colors of Transition Metal Complex Ions
Lowell Thomson | Tue, 02/24/2015 - 08:15
Just the other day within my IB Chemistry HL classes, we were discussing the color of transition metal complex ions in solution. It's a bit imperfect, because they are not yet dissolved, but I set up a number of metal chloride salts in order to help students see the pattern. They are arranged according to the position of the metal in the periodic table. It ends up being quite obvious to the students that the only metal salts with color are in the d-block. I'm now in the process of ordering more chloride salts so I can complete the pattern even more the next time I teach this topic.
Solution to Chemical Mystery #4: The Case of the Misbehaving Balloon
Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 02/17/2015 - 10:05
Check out the solution to Chemical Mystery #4: The Case of the Misbehaving Balloon!
Chemical Mystery #4: The Case of the Misbehaving Balloon
Tom Kuntzleman | Tue, 02/03/2015 - 11:19
Conducting experiments with liquid nitrogen experiments is a sure-fire way to energize many chemistry lessons. Check out the Misbehaving Balloon demo!