Copper and Nitric Acid
When you place a piece of copper in nitric acid, the Cu2+ ions and nitrate ions coordinate to color the solution green and then brownish-green. If you dilute the solution, water displaces nitrate ions around the copper and the solution changes to blue.
Dehydration of Sugar
When you react sugar with sulfuric acid, the sugar is violently dehydrated. The result is a growing column of carbon black, heat, and the overwhelming odor of burnt caramel. It’s a memorable experiment!
Hydrogen Peroxide with Potassium Iodide
Affectionately known as Elephant Toothpaste, the chemical reaction between the peroxide and potassium iodide shoots out a column of foam. If you add food coloring, you can customize the “toothpaste” for holiday-colored themes.
Bring some fun chemistry to your school by booking Dennis Regling’s “Does Spaghetti Bounce” for an assembly program. For details, go to: www.greatassemblies.com