Practical resources

Resources and inspiration for practical work and demonstrations. Practical chemistry activities are accompanied by our standard health and safety guidance.

Class practicals

Explore over 400 exciting practical experiments for your classroom

Determining relative atomic weights
Heat a known mass of two metals to produce their oxides and determine their relative atomic masses.
The microscale synthesis of azo dyes
Create fabric dye by synthesising an azo dye and using it to change the colour of a piece of cotton
Using a microscale conductivity meter
Let your students test which solids and solutions/liquids conduct electricity with a microscale conductivity meter
Experiments with particles
Predict what will happen to the volume of materials when they are added together… then observe
Analysis
Develop your students’ knowledge and understanding of analytical techniques with the help of games, activities, practicals and demonstrations.
Smartphone spectroscopy: Beer–Lambert law
Use your smartphone to measure changes in concentration across different concentrations of squash at home or in the classroom. Use your results to predict the concentration of an unknown dilution of squash.

View more class practicals

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.

View more demonstrations

Simulations

Support practical chemistry with new ways to explore experimental work. Use these simulations for pre-lab learning and post-lab inquiry.

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.