Nuffield Foundation

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  Colourful electrolysis

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  An interesting introduction to the electrolysis of brine (sodium chloride solution). Students use Universal Indicator to help them follow what is happening during the reaction.

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  The equilibrium between two coloured cobalt species

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Watch as the equilibrium between cobalt species Co(H₂O)₆²⁺ and CoCl₄^2- is disturbed – with an accompanying colour change predicted by Le Chatelier’s principle.

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  Turning copper coins into 'silver' and 'gold'

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Perform something close to alchemy by dipping a ‘copper’ coin into a solution of sodium zincate in contact with zinc to make it appear silver, before holding it in a Bunsen flame for a few seconds to form an alloy of brass making it appear gold.

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  Extracting iron from breakfast cereal

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Separate food grade metallic iron from fortified breakfast cereals by using powerful Neodymium magnets.

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  Energy values of food

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  In this experiment various foods are tested to find how much energy they contain.

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  Detecting starch in food on a microscale

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  In this experiment you will be testing various foods to see whether they contain starch.

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  Using indigestion tablets to neutralise an acid

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Indigestion is caused by excess acid in the stomach. Indigestion tablets neutralise some of this acid. This experiment shows how you can measure the amount of hydrochloric acid neutralised by one tablet. This is one measure of the effectiveness of the tablet.

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  Acid or alkali? Acidic or alkaline?

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Get your pupils to test a variety of substances to see if they are acidic or alkaline, using litmus paper as the indicator.

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  Separating sand and salt

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  In this experiment students separate a mixture of sand and salt. This illustrates the fundamental meaning of separating an insoluble material from one which is soluble.

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  Money to burn

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Surprise your students by soaking a piece of paper (or an old £5 or £10 note) in a mixture of ethanol and water and igniting it. Watch as the ethanol burns… but the paper does not.

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  Exploding bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Produce a small explosion in your classroom by electrolysing water then re-combining the hydrogen and oxygen gas.

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  Chemiluminescence of luminol: a cold light experiment

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Show how the energy of a chemical reaction can be given out as light by revealing how a solution of sodium chlorate(I) oxidises an aqueous solution of luminol (3-aminophthalhydrazide) to produce a blue chemiluminescent glow – without any increase in temperature.

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  Cracking hydrocarbons in liquid paraffin with a catalyst

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Model the industrial process of cracking larger hydrocarbons to produce smaller alkanes that can be converted into petrol. 

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  Iron and sulfur reaction

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  This demonstration or class experiment shows the exothermic reaction of two elements, iron and sulfur, to form the compound, iron sulfide. The two solids are mixed and heated in a test-tube (or ignition tube). The reaction can be used to illustrate elements, mixtures and compounds.

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  Turning 'red wine' into 'water'

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Pour a solution of acidified potassium permanganate into a set of glasses previously laced with small amounts of colourless solutions to turn the ‘red wine’ to ‘water’ – as well as ‘milk’, ‘raspberry milk shake’ and ‘fizzy lemonade’.

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  Heating Group 1 metals in air and in chlorine

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  This is a demonstration that shows the reactions of Group 1 metals in air and in chlorine.  It does not clearly show the trends in reactivity of Group 1 metals, which are better demonstrated by the reactions in water, which follow on well from this demonstration.

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  Ammonia fountain experiment

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Discover how the sol­u­bil­i­ty of am­mo­nia and the pow­er of at­mo­spher­ic pres­sure can make a minia­ture chem­i­cal foun­tain.

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  Determining relative molecular masses by weighing gases

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Demonstrate how different gases can be weighed in a gas syringe and their relative molecular masses determined using the ideal gas equation.

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  Electrolysis of molten zinc chloride

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  This demonstration shows that an ionic salt will conduct electricity when molten but not when solid. Zinc chloride is used - this will melt at Bunsen burner temperatures.

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  A giant silver mirror experiment

  In association with Nuffield Foundation

  Show your students how to make their own mirror with silver nitrate and glucose.

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