Declan Fleming
Declan Fleming is a chemistry teacher and author of our Exhibition Chemistry column.
Declan has taught for nine years in comprehensive, grammar and international schools in the UK and Austria. In 2011 he was appointed as a School Teacher Fellow to the University of Bath, UK, by the Royal Society of Chemistry where he worked on projects to increase the recruitment and retention of undergraduate chemists. During this time he took on the regular Exhibition Chemistry column for Education in Chemistry and he continues to contribute to a wide range of science communication projects. He has a keen interest in photography and loves being outdoors, preferably at cloud base under his paraglider.
Image © Declan Fleming/Matthew Lord
Exhibition chemistryDemonstrate electrochemistry with a gravity cell
Video, kit list and teaching tips to set up a one-beaker copper–zinc voltaic cell to explore redox reactions
Exhibition chemistryExperiment with surface tension and convection currents
Use this demonstration when teaching concentration gradients, diffusion and convection at 11–16
Exhibition chemistryDissolve coloured sweets to create a rainbow
Demonstrate diffusion, density and the particle model to your 14–16 learners in this easy experiment
Exhibition chemistryDemonstrations with dry ice
Explore changes of state and neutralisation reactions with this trio of demonstrations using solid carbon dioxide
Exhibition chemistryNon-burning paper: investigate the fire triangle and conditions for combustion
Use this reworking of the classic non-burning £5 note demonstration to explore combustion with learners aged 11–16 years
Exhibition chemistryIllustrate polymer properties with a self-siphoning solution
Demonstrate the tubeless siphon with poly(ethylene glycol) and highlight the polymer’s viscoelasticity to your 11–16 learners
Exhibition chemistryDemonstrate concentration and density with a transition metal colloid cell
Boost 11–14 learners’ understanding of diffusion and transition metal chemistry
Exhibition chemistryHighlight transition metal chemistry with an oscillating luminol reaction
Light up your 16–18 learners’ interest in catalysis and transition metal properties with this chemiluminescent reaction
Exhibition chemistryReversible reactions with transition metal complexes
Use this copper-based, colour-changing demonstration to introduce your 14–16 learners to reversible reactions
Exhibition chemistryDemonstrate changes of state using volume differences
Use this demonstration to reinforce the differences between states of matter with your 11–14 learners
Exhibition chemistryCreating a supersaturated gas evolving oscillator
Use this fizzy practical for a kinetic and thermodynamic showdown in class
Exhibition chemistryDemonstrate intermolecular forces with colourful separations
Layer intermolecular interactions into your practical lessons with these chromatic experiments
Exhibition chemistryBrew up interest in redox with this quick reduction
Use this fresh, fast approach to demonstrate the colourful oxidation states of vanadium
Exhibition chemistryDemonstrating the chameleon redox reaction with a lollipop
Give your students a sweet treat with this colourful manganate(VII) reaction demo
Exhibition chemistryDemonstrating the importance of surface area to rates of reaction
Use a combustible powder demo to engage students and teach them about safety in the lab
Exhibition chemistryThe production and combustion of nitrocellulose
Get your students engaged in a flash with this impressive demo
Exhibition chemistryDemonstrating the heating curve of tert-butanol
Use this to effectively show your students two changes of state in one experiment
Exhibition chemistryThe reaction between sodium and chlorine
Use this to demonstrate this classic and spectacular chemistry experiment
Exhibition chemistryShocking revelations 2: neutralisation reactions
Use this experiment to demonstrate the different behaviours of weak and strong acids
Exhibition chemistryShocking revelations: a conductometric titration
Strengthen students’ mental models of particles reacting in solution