Magic and assessment support
Web watch: Josh Howgego looks at some websites that may be of interest to chemistry teachers
Illusioneering
Illusioneering.org is a website which provides videos and resources about magic tricks done with science. Each trick provides a fun way to break up a lesson with some 'wow' inducing demonstrations. After all, as Arthur C Clarke said, 'any technology that is sufficiently advanced is indistinguishable from magic.' Each video also includes a brief, but informed explanation of the underlying science.
A range of topics are covered on the site, including chemistry, maths and physics. One illusion, the Instant freezing water trick is particularly relevant for chemists. In this demo, water appears to freeze instantly on being poured from one beaker to another. What is actually happening is that a super-saturated solution of sodium acetate is being poured onto a cold surface (the second beaker is, unknown to the viewers, pre-cooled) and quickly precipitating out. The white solid produced initially looks quite a bit like ice.
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