Chemistry Projects

The nitrogen triiodide demonstration produces a loud sound and a cloud of purple vapor. — The nitrogen triiodide chemistry demonstration is a dramatic explosive reaction that produces sound and colored vapor. Crystals of iodine react with concentrated ammonia to precipitate nitrogen triiodide (NI3). The NI3 is then filtered out. When dry, the compound is so unstable that the slightest contact causes it to decompose into […]

How to Perform the Nitrogen Triiodide Chemistry Demonstration

This entry was posted on January 25, 2019 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on January 30, 2019)

These pH paper test strips were made using paper coffee filters that had been cut up into strips and dipped in red cabbage juice. The strips can be used to test the pH of common household chemicals. — It’s easy to make non-toxic pH paper test strips from red cabbage juice. This is a fun project for kids to do at home. If you calibrate the test strips, they are useful for a school lab. What You Need Basically, all you need is a red or purple cabbage, […]

How to Make Red Cabbage pH Paper

This entry was posted on January 25, 2019 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on January 30, 2019)

You can make a homemade cold pack by mixing safe chemicals in a plastic bag. — Sometimes you need to chill an injury or a product, but ice just isn’t available. Fortunately, it’s easy and economical to make a homemade cold pack. A cold pack contains compounds that undergo an endothermic chemical reaction when mixed. In other words, the reaction pulls thermal energy from the environment, […]

3 Ways to Make a Homemade Cold Pack

This entry was posted on March 26, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on July 27, 2018)

Chemically, the difference between baking soda and washing soda is the hydration level of the molecule. — Baking soda and washing soda are two handy household chemicals. You may be able to find washing soda (soda ash) with laundry supplies at the store, but if you can’t find it, this is one chemical that’s super easy to make from baking soda. Make Washing Soda Pour baking soda into […]

How to Turn Baking Soda Into Washing Soda

This entry was posted on March 1, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on March 4, 2018)

One simple example of an exothermic process is the heat you can feel if you let laundry detergent dissolve in water in your hand. — Interesting chemical reactions don’t necessarily require a chemistry lab and expensive glassware. For example, you can experience an exothermic chemical reaction using nothing more complicated than a handful of laundry detergent powder and a bit of water. An exothermic reaction is one which produces heat as chemical bond energy is […]

Easy Exothermic Detergent Reaction

This entry was posted on February 23, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine

It's easy to dry flowers using silica gel as a desiccant. (Jason Wong) — Do you admire the simple elegance of dry flowers? Here’s a science experiment that makes use of those little packets that say “Do No Eat” you find with shoes, electronics, and other products. The packets contain silica gel beads, which are silicon dioxide (sand) with a porous surface. The pores […]

Dry Flowers Using Silica Gel Beads – Fun Desiccant Science ...

This entry was posted on January 12, 2018 by Anne Helmenstine (updated on January 24, 2018)