Practical resources

Resources and inspiration for practical work and demonstrations. See our standard health and safety guidance.

Practical videos

Practical videos | 14–16 students

Videos of core practical experiments for remote learning, flipped learning or revision.

Practical videos | 16–18 students

Videos of key practical techniques and apparatus for revision, flipped learning or remote teaching.

Simulations

Support practical chemistry with new ways to explore experimental work

Aspirin screen experiment

Get students aged 16–18 running their own organic synthesis on a computer or tablet before taking part in the real thing. This resource also features an in-depth practical guide and a set of worksheets covering the theory.

Titration screen experiment

Give students the opportunity to conduct their own titration experiment on a computer or tablet. This resource also includes a redox titration experiment.

Exhibition chemistry

Spectacular demonstrations

The movement of ions: bringing electrolysis to life

Demonstrate the movement of positive and negative ions with a simpler, safer version of this classic demo

Dynamite soap: The combustion of stoichiometric hydrogen–oxygen mixtures

Add this quick demo to the end of a lesson on squeaky pops to show the dramatic impact of mixing chemicals in the correct proportions

Demonstrations

Teach functional groups

To illustrate the differences in reactivity of isomeric alcohols, try using the iodoform demonstration in the video. Follow the discussion scenario in sequence for tips to help your students understand a difficult concept in carbon chemistry.

An effervescent Universal indicator ‘rainbow’

Sodium carbonate solution is added to a burette containing a little hydrochloric acid and Universal Indicator. The two solutions react, with effervescence, and the liquid in the burette shows a ‘rainbow’ of all the colours of Universal Indicator from red through orange, yellow, green and blue to purple.

The reaction of magnesium with steam

Plunge a burning magnesium ribbon into the steam above boiling water and allow the hydrogen that is formed to burn – or collect it over water and test it with a lighted spill.

The reaction between zinc powder and sulfur

A reaction between zinc and sulfur can be used to demonstrate that chemical changes are often accompanied by a large change in energy.

Making a reaction tube

Many reactions between gases and solids are suitable for demonstrations and class practicals. Making reaction tubes is an excellent lesson in physical chemistry in its own right as well as being cheaper than buying in expensive material.