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45 Cool Chemistry Experiments, Demos, and Science Fair Projects

Don’t forget your safety equipment!

Bunsen burners, colorful chemicals, and the possibility of a (controlled) explosion or two? Everybody loves chemistry experiments! We’ve rounded up the best activities, demos, and chemistry science fair projects for kids and teens. Try them in the classroom or at home.

Easy Chemistry Experiments and Activities for All Ages

Chemistry science fair projects.

These chemistry experiments and activities are all easy to do using simple supplies you probably already have. Families can try them at home, or teachers and students can do them together in the classroom.

Mix up some magic milk

Kids love this colorful experiment, which explores the concept of surface tension. This is one of our favorite chemistry experiments to try at home, since the supplies are so basic and the results are so cool!

Taste the Rainbow

Teach your students about diffusion while creating a beautiful and tasty rainbow. You’ll definitely want to have extra Skittles on hand so your class can enjoy a few as well!

Learn more: Skittles Diffusion

Crystallize sweet treats

Crystal science experiments teach kids about supersaturated solutions. This one is easy to do at home, and the results are absolutely delicious!

Learn more: Candy Crystals

Make elephant-sized toothpaste

This fun project uses yeast and a hydrogen peroxide solution to create overflowing “elephant toothpaste.” You can also add an extra fun layer by having kids create toothpaste wrappers for their plastic bottles.

Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you’ve ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Giant Soap Bubbles

Demonstrate the “magic” leakproof bag

So simple and so amazing! All you need is a zip-top plastic bag, sharp pencils, and some water to blow your kids’ minds. Once they’re suitably impressed, teach them how the “trick” works by explaining the chemistry of polymers.

Learn more: Leakproof Bag

Use apple slices to learn about oxidation

Have students make predictions about what will happen to apple slices when immersed in different liquids, then put those predictions to the test! Finally, have them record their observations.

Learn more: Apple Oxidation

Float a marker man

Their eyes will pop out of their heads when you “levitate” a stick figure right off the table. This experiment works due to the insolubility of dry-erase marker ink in water, combined with the lighter density of the ink.

Learn more: Floating Marker Man

Discover density with hot and cold water

There are a lot of easy science experiments you can do with density. This one is extremely simple, involving only hot and cold water and food coloring, but the visuals make it appealing and fun.

Learn more: Layered Water

Layer more liquids

This density demo is a little more complicated, but the effects are spectacular. Slowly layer liquids like honey, dish soap, water, and rubbing alcohol in a glass. Kids will be amazed when the liquids float one on top of the other like magic (except it is really science).

Learn more: Layered Liquids

Grow a carbon sugar snake

Easy science experiments can still have impressive results. This eye-popping chemical reaction demonstration only requires simple supplies like sugar, baking soda, and sand.

Learn more: Carbon Sugar Snake

Make homemade bouncy balls

These homemade bouncy balls are easy to make since all you need is glue, food coloring, borax powder, cornstarch, and warm water. You’ll want to store them inside a container like a plastic egg because they will flatten out over time.

Learn more: Make Your Own Bouncy Balls

Create eggshell chalk

Eggshells contain calcium, the same material that makes chalk. Grind them up and mix them with flour, water, and food coloring to make your very own sidewalk chalk.

Learn more: Eggshell Chalk

Make naked eggs

This is so cool! Use vinegar to dissolve the calcium carbonate in an eggshell to discover the membrane underneath that holds the egg together. Then, use the “naked” egg for another easy science experiment that demonstrates osmosis .

Learn more: Naked Egg Experiment

Turn milk into plastic

This sounds a lot more complicated than it is, but don’t be afraid to give it a try. Use simple kitchen supplies to create plastic polymers from plain old milk. Sculpt them into cool shapes when you’re done.

Test pH using cabbage

Teach kids about acids and bases without needing pH test strips. Simply boil some red cabbage and use the resulting water to test various substances—acids turn red and bases turn green.

Learn more: Cabbage pH

Clean some old coins

Use common household items to make old oxidized coins clean and shiny again in this simple chemistry experiment. Ask kids to predict (hypothesize) which will work best, then expand the learning by doing some research to explain the results.

Learn more: Cleaning Coins

Blow up a balloon (without blowing)

Chances are good you probably did easy science experiments like this when you were in school yourself. This well-known activity demonstrates the reactions between acids and bases. Fill a bottle with vinegar and a balloon with baking soda. Fit the balloon over the top, shake the baking soda down into the vinegar, and watch the balloon inflate.

Learn more: Balloon Experiments

Assemble a DIY lava lamp

This 1970s trend is back—as an easy science experiment! This activity combines acid/base reactions with density for a totally groovy result.

Explore how sugary drinks affect teeth

The calcium content of eggshells makes them a great stand-in for teeth. Use eggs to explore how soda and juice can stain teeth and wear down the enamel. Expand your learning by trying different toothpaste and toothbrush combinations to see how effective they are.

Learn more: Sugar and Teeth Experiment

Mummify a hot dog

If your kids are fascinated by the Egyptians, they’ll love learning to mummify a hot dog. No need for canopic jars ; just grab some baking soda and get started.

Extinguish flames with carbon dioxide

This is a fiery twist on acid-base experiments. Light a candle and talk about what fire needs in order to survive. Then, create an acid-base reaction and “pour” the carbon dioxide to extinguish the flame. The CO2 gas acts like a liquid, suffocating the fire.

Send secret messages with invisible ink

Turn your kids into secret agents! Write messages with a paintbrush dipped in lemon juice, then hold the paper over a heat source and watch the invisible become visible as oxidation goes to work.

Learn more: Invisible Ink

Set popcorn dancing

This is a fun version of the classic baking soda and vinegar experiment, perfect for the younger crowd. The bubbly mixture causes popcorn to dance around in the water.

Learn more: Dancing Popcorn Experiment

Shoot a soda geyser sky-high

You’ve always wondered if this really works, so it’s time to find out for yourself! Kids will marvel at the chemical reaction that sends diet soda shooting high in the air when Mentos are added.

Learn more: Mentos and Coke Experiment

All of these chemistry experiments are perfect for using the scientific method. Form a hypothesis, alter the variables, and then observe the results! You can simplify these projects for younger kids, or add more complexity for older students.

Break apart covalent bonds

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Medium

Break the covalent bond of H 2 O into H and O with this simple experiment. You only need simple supplies for this one. Turn it into a science fair project by changing up the variables—does the temperature of the water matter? What happens if you try this with other liquids?

Learn more: Breaking Covalent Bonds

Measure the calories in various foods

Are the calorie counts on your favorite snacks accurate? Build your own calorimeter and find out! This kit from Home Science Tools has all the supplies you’ll need.

Detect latent fingerprints

Forensic science is engrossing and can lead to important career opportunities too. Explore the chemistry needed to detect latent (invisible) fingerprints, just like they do for crime scenes!

Learn more: Fingerprints Project

Use Alka-Seltzer to explore reaction rate

Difficulty: Easy / Materials: Easy

Tweak this basic concept to create a variety of high school chemistry science fair projects. Change the temperature, surface area, pressure, and more to see how reaction rates change.

Determine whether sports drinks really have more electrolytes than other beverages

Difficulty: Medium / Materials: Advanced

Are those pricey sports drinks really worth it? Try this experiment to find out. You’ll need some special equipment for this one; buy a complete kit at Home Science Tools .

Turn flames into a rainbow

You’ll need to get your hands on a few different chemicals for this experiment, but the wow factor will make it worth the effort. Make it a science project by seeing if different materials, air temperature, or other factors change the results.

Discover the size of a mole

The mole is a key concept in chemistry, so it’s important to ensure students really understand it. This experiment uses simple materials like salt and chalk to make an abstract concept more concrete. Make it a project by applying the same procedure to a variety of substances, or determining whether outside variables have an effect on the results.

Learn more: How Big Is a Mole?

Cook up candy to learn mole and molecule calculations

This edible experiment lets students make their own peppermint hard candy while they calculate mass, moles, molecules, and formula weights. Tweak the formulas to create different types of candy and make this into a sweet science fair project!

Learn more: Candy Chemistry

Make soap to understand saponification

Take a closer look at an everyday item: soap! Use oils and other ingredients to make your own soap, learning about esters and saponification. Tinker with the formula to find one that fits a particular set of parameters.

Learn more: Saponification

Uncover the secrets of evaporation

Explore the factors that affect evaporation, then come up with ways to slow them down or speed them up for a simple science fair project.

Learn more: Evaporation

More Chemistry Experiment Science Fair Ideas

These questions and prompts can spark ideas for unique chemistry experiments:

• Compare the properties of sugar and artificial sweeteners.
• Explore the impact of temperature, concentration, and seeding on crystal growth.
• Test various antacids on the market to find the most effective product.
• What is the optimum temperature for yeast production when baking bread from scratch?
• Compare the vitamin C content of various fruits and vegetables.
• How does temperature affect enzyme-catalyzed reactions?
• Investigate the effects of pH on an acid-base chemical reaction.
• Devise a new natural way to test pH levels (such as cabbage leaves).
• What’s the best way to slow down metal oxidation (the form of rust)?
• How do changes in ingredients and method affect the results of a baking recipe?

Like these chemistry experiments? Don’t miss STEM Activities for Kids of All Ages and Interests .

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40 Best Science Experiments & Projects for Middle School

Welcome to our curated collection of top science fair projects and experiments, perfectly tailored for the inquisitive middle schoolers. Our collection offers hands-on activities that will captivate young minds and ignite their passion for learning.

Science fairs during middle school years are less about competition and more about fostering a love for exploration, experimentation, and the thrill of the “Eureka!” moment. That’s why we have ensured that all the experiments on our list are fun and easy.

Through hands-on experimentation, students can gain a deeper understanding of scientific concepts, build confidence in their abilities, and cultivate a lifelong passion for learning.

1. Crushed Can

Students will be amazed as they witness an ordinary can being transformed before their very eyes. By simply heating it and then rapidly cooling it, the can will be crushed as if by magic!

Learn more: Little Bins Little Hands

2. Water Bottle Rockets

In this engaging activity, students will have the opportunity to design, build, and launch their very own water-propelled rockets.

By adjusting variables like water level and air pressure, they’ll witness firsthand how these factors impact the rocket’s flight path and distance.

3. Cabbage Ph Indicator

In this middle school science project, students will use red cabbage as a natural pH indicator to test the acidity or alkalinity of various household substances.

Learn more: Cabbage PH Indicator

4. Build a Solar Oven

By building these ingenious devices using simple materials, they will discover the incredible potential of renewable energy and its practical applications in everyday life.

Learn more: Solar Oven

5. Build a Helping Hand

In this captivating middle school science experiment, students will have the opportunity to construct their very own “Helping Hand” device.

Learn more: Science Buddies

6. DIY Lung Model

This captivating middle school project offers an exciting hands-on opportunity to explore the inner workings of our respiratory system.

By creating their own lung models using simple household materials, students will gain a deeper understanding of how our lungs function and the vital role they play in our bodies.

7. Flying Tea Bag

By harnessing the power of convection currents, students will learn about the fascinating relationship between heat and air pressure.

Learn more: Flying Tea Bag

8. Egg Float Experiment

In this captivating middle school science project, students will unlock the mysteries of density and water displacement while discovering the fascinating properties of eggs.

Learn more: Egg Float Experiment

9. Popsicle Stick Chain Reaction

This captivating middle school project is all about the magic of potential energy and kinetic energy. By carefully setting up a series of interlinked popsicle sticks, students will create a mesmerizing chain reaction that ripples through the entire structure.

10. How to See Sound

As they watch sound come to life through colorful visualizations, students will develop a deeper appreciation for the profound impact of sound in our daily lives.

11. Orange Peel Plate Tectonics

In this captivating middle school project, students will learn about the dynamic of Earth’s crust and explore the powerful forces that shape our planet’s surface.

12. Heart Pump

In this captivating middle school project, students will embark on a hands-on exploration of the human circulatory system and discover the marvels of the heart’s pumping mechanism.

Learn more: Heart Pump Model

13. Invisible Ink

By concocting their own invisible ink, students will discover the science behind chemical reactions and learn how certain substances react to reveal hidden text when exposed to heat, light, or other catalysts.

Learn more: Invisible Ink

14. DIY Grow Box

In this captivating middle school project, students will learn the wonders of plant growth and the art of nurturing a thriving garden.

By constructing their own affordable and innovative grow boxes using simple materials, they’ll have the perfect environment to observe the magical transformation from seeds to flourishing plants.

Learn more: Easy DIY Grow Box

15. Creative Ferris Wheel

By encouraging creativity and experimentation, this engaging experiment not only promises an exciting learning experience but also fosters teamwork and critical thinking

16. Alka Seltzer Rockets

Prepare for a high-flying adventure with the Alka Seltzer Rockets science experiment! This exciting and explosive activity is a perfect choice for middle school students eager to explore the wonders of chemical reactions and rocketry.

17. Why do Apples Turn Brown?

Through hands-on exploration, middle school students will discover the role of enzymes and oxygen in this intriguing transformation.

18. Water Bending Experiment

By understanding the principles of surface tension and cohesion, you’ll be able to create mesmerizing effects, seemingly bending water with just a piece of static material.

19. Water Clock

Experience the magic of timekeeping in its most ancient form with the fascinating Water Clock project! In this hands-on experiment, students will learn about history, physics, and engineering as they build their own timekeeping device using just water and a few simple materials.

Learn more: Steam Powered Family

20. Paper Ball Run Challenge

Get ready for a thrilling and creative adventure with the Paper Ball Run Challenge! In this captivating science experiment, you’ll explore the principles of motion, gravity, and engineering as you design and build your very own paper ball run.

21. Flood Barriers

As you construct and evaluate your barriers, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of how floods occur and the importance of finding effective solutions.

Learn more: Teachers are terrific

22. Exploring the Law of Inertia Experiment Using a Fidget Spinner

This engaging experiment will help you unravel Sir Isaac Newton’s Law of Inertia in a fun and hands-on way. By using a fidget spinner, you’ll explore how the spinning motion persists due to inertia and how different factors can influence its behavior.

23. Air Pressure Impact on Ping Pong Balls 

By investigating the effects of air pressure on these lightweight spheres, you’ll uncover the secrets of flight, aerodynamics, and atmospheric pressure.

24. Rolling Uphill

In this experiment, you’ll witness the baffling phenomenon of a ball seemingly defying gravity by rolling uphill on a specially designed track.

25. Pick Up Ice with a String

Have you ever wondered if it’s possible to lift ice using just a simple string? In this fascinating experiment, you’ll explore the principles of heat transfer and surface tension as you attempt to defy gravity and lift ice cubes with nothing but a string.

Learn more: Pick Up Ice with a String

26. Keep a Paper Towel Dry Under Water 

This captivating experiment will unveil the wonders of surface tension and hydrophobicity, as you attempt to create a barrier that defies the conventional wisdom of water soaking through paper.

Learn more: Keep a Paper Towel Dry Under Water

27. Upside Down Glass of Water

This mesmerizing experiment will unravel the fascinating concept of air pressure and its influence on liquids. As you turn a glass of water upside down and observe the water’s defiance of falling out, you’ll gain insight into the powerful role of air pressure in our everyday lives.

Learn more: Upside Down Glass of Water

28. Make a Wine Glass Sing

Have you ever wondered how to turn a simple glass of wine into a musical instrument? This captivating experiment will introduce you to the fascinating concept of acoustics and how sound waves interact with liquid-filled glasses.

29. Crush a Plastic Bottle

Are you curious about the forces at play when we compress a seemingly indestructible plastic bottle? This captivating experiment will unravel the science behind how pressure and air interact to create this astonishing effect.

Learn more: Crush a Plastic Bottle

30. Ruler Changes Size

Get ready to witness an optical illusion that will challenge your perception of reality. In this captivating experiment, you’ll explore the fascinating phenomenon of light refraction and how it can make objects appear different than they really are.

31. Egg in a Bottle

Have you ever wondered how to get an egg into a bottle without breaking it? This mesmerizing experiment will introduce you to the concept of air pressure and how it can be harnessed to achieve the impossible.

Learn more: Egg in a Bottle

32. Water Doesn’t Leak Out Science Experiment

This hands-on activity not only sparks curiosity and amazement but also teaches you about the properties of gases and the laws of physics.

So, get ready to be astounded and dive into the magic of science with the “Water Doesn’t Leak Out” experiment – an entertaining and enlightening adventure that will leave you thirsting for more knowledge!

Learn more: Water Science Experiment

33. Pick Up a Ball with a Jar

This captivating experiment will introduce you to the fascinating concept of air pressure and how it can create a powerful force that defies gravity.

34. Glowing Water Science

This captivating experiment will introduce you to the fascinating properties of fluorescent materials and how they interact with light.

35. Fizzy Cloud Dough

The fizzing reaction not only adds an element of excitement but also provides a great opportunity to explore the science of chemical reactions and the release of carbon dioxide.

Learn more: Fizzy Cloud Dough

36. Underwater Magic Sand

Get ready to witness the marvels of hydrophobic science and explore the secrets of this captivating underwater magic sand experiment.

Learn more: Teaching Mama Org

37. Make Bouncy Polymer Balls

This captivating experiment will take you on an exciting journey into the realm of polymers and chemical reactions.

38. Use a Crayon as a Candle

This hands-on activity not only sparks curiosity and excitement but also offers a safe and educational way to explore the science of combustion and the flammability of materials.

Learn more: Crayon Candle

39. Flame Test Colors

Not only does it spark curiosity and wonder but also deepens your understanding of the emission spectra of elements.

So, get ready to illuminate your scientific knowledge with the “Flame Test Colors” experiment – an educational and visually stunning adventure that will leave you dazzled and eager to discover more about the fascinating world of chemistry!

Learn more: Thought Co

40. Grow A Bean Plant

By planting a simple bean seed and providing it with water, sunlight, and care, you’ll witness the fascinating process of germination and watch as your bean seedling sprouts and grows.

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Chemical Reaction Experiments for Middle School Students

Baking Powder Science Projects

A chemical reaction occurs when two substances are mixed together to make something new. Sometimes chemical reactions can have an exciting end. Middle school students like to perform experiments. You can do some chemical reaction experiments in the classroom, with goggles and teacher supervision. However, there are also many chemical reaction experiments students can enjoy doing on their own, whether in school or at home.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a common, inexpensive household substance that is harmless for kids to use in experiments. Baking soda will react when acids are added to it. Middle school kids can test whether liquids are acids or bases by adding a teaspoon of baking soda. A few of the liquids you can allow them to test are orange juice, vinegar, lemon juice, water, vanilla and soda. When adding acids to the baking soda, the mixture will bubble up because of the chemical reaction.

Soda and Candy Explosion

Create an eruption using soda and candy. The best products to use with this chemical reaction experiment are Coke and Mentos. This is definitely a project for the outdoors, so you have less mess to clean up. Have most of the students stand back, but have one student ready to drop the entire pack of candy into the soda. Drop the candies in as quickly as possible and get back. Carbonation is essentially bubbles of gas. When you drop the candies in the carbonation, it eats away at the surface of the sugary candy. This causes more bubbles to form, and soon they do not have anywhere to go but up, causing a soda fountain.

Have your students test different substances to see which will form the chemical reaction of rusting. Rusting happens when metal objects receive no protection from the elements. Have a series of nails to use as the object. Set one nail aside for the control. Put other nails in different liquids to see if they expedite rusting. Water, soda and vinegar can all be liquids you use. Be sure to put the liquid along with the nails in close containers. Leave them for a week or so and remove them. See if any of them show more rust than another.

Fire Extinguisher

Make your very own fire extinguisher using baking soda and vinegar. Make sure to have an adult help you with this experiment. Light a candle and set it aside. Into a glass, put one teaspoon of the baking soda and cover it with about an inch of vinegar. The bubbles you see forming are a chemical reaction forming carbon dioxide. Use a toilet paper tube to pour the carbon dioxide gas down to the candle. Do not pour the liquid; just allow the gas to slowly make its way down the tube to extinguish the candle. The carbon dioxide is heavier than the air, which is why it will slide down the tube. It then pushes its way through, robbing the candle of the oxygen it needs to burn.

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• “175 Science Experiments to Amuse and Amaze Your Friends”; Brenda Walpole: 1988

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13 Awesome Chemical Reaction Experiments You Can Do At Home

Categories Activities & Ideas

Kids love to play mad scientist. And what better way to get kids excited about chemistry than with a few awesome chemical reaction experiments you can do at home?

Chemistry is an important branch of science that plays a big role in our everyday lives – so it’s definitely a subject children should learn about.

Luckily, chemistry is like performing magic – it’s fun to learn and do!

So, with that said, here are some awesome chemical experiments that can be done at home, all just as fun as they are educational.

Just remember: For health and safety, just make sure to supervise your child while doing the following experiments. If you’re a teacher, conduct these experiments in class or have the child’s parents supervise them at home.

1. Mentos & Diet Soda Chemical Volcano Eruption

Mixing mentos and diet soda is a classic experiment that produces a large chemical reaction that’s ideal for showing kids what chemistry is capable of. It’s safe and non-toxic, but the experiment can get messy, so it’s best to do it outdoors!

For this chemical reaction experiment, all you’ll need are a two-liter bottle of diet soda, a test tube or sheet of paper, an index card, and Mentos candies. You can use normal soda instead of diet soda, as well as M&Ms or Skittles instead of Mentos.

2. Baking Soda And Vinegar Balloon Experiment

If you have never seen a self-inflating balloon, this awesome chemical reaction experiment is sure to amaze the kids. The best thing is that baking soda and vinegar are common household items, so this experiment is easy enough to do at home.

All it involves is mixing baking soda and vinegar in a bottle and placing a balloon on the open end. The chemical reaction between baking soda and vinegar will release carbon dioxide gas that will inflate the balloon.

3. Green Flames

Copper sulfate is another item that can be easily found in most homes, but what’s special about it is that it can turn flames green. This chemical reaction experiment is best done in a fireplace or with a small controlled flame.

This is another awesome experiment that’s simple to do. Simply sprinkle copper sulfate onto a flame to see the color turn blue. You can also use alcohol or an alcohol-based fuel before lighting to achieve a brighter green color.

4. Fireproof Balloon

If you have more balloons left over from the baking soda and vinegar balloon experiment shown above, creating a fireproof balloon is another awesome chemical reaction experiment that’s easy to do and sure to impress.

For this experiment, all you need are two balloons, 50 milliliters of water, a syringe, and a candle or lighter. Simply blow two balloons up, one with 50ml of water added using the syringe. Hold each balloon over a candle to see which one bursts!

5. Foaming Volcano At Home Experiment

The foaming volcano experiment is similar to the baking soda and vinegar experiment except that it’s less explosive and involves different items. It uses baking soda, liquid soap, red food coloring, and acetic acid to create a foaming chemical reaction.

All it involves is using plasticine to create a volcano, then filling the inside with baking soda, a few drops of food coloring, and liquid soap. The last step is adding the acetic acid to watch the volcano erupt. Perform the experiment outside or in a tray to avoid mess!

6. Ice Cream In A Bag

Teach children that cooking also involves chemistry! This ice cream in a bag chemical reaction experiment is a great way to teach kids about freezing point depression, creating a tasty treat that they can also eat afterward.

The main items you’ll need for this experiment include zipper-top bags, ice, sodium chloride as table salt or rock salt, and ingredients for the ice cream, which are sugar, milk, whipping cream, and vanilla flavoring.

7. Elephant Toothpaste

This elephant toothpaste experiment is another simple chemical reaction that you can do at home using common household items. All you’ll need are an empty bottle (plastic or glass), 6% hydrogen peroxide, dry yeast, dish soap, food coloring, and warm water.

Similar to the foaming volcano, this elephant toothpaste experiment creates a chemical reaction that will see the bottle overflow with a foamy liquid. To make it extra fun, conduct the experiment with different food coloring!

8. Smoke Without Fire Experiment

“There’s no smoke without fire” unless you’re a chemist! This fun smoke-without-fire experiment demonstrates an awesome chemical reaction that creates smoke using a combination of concentrated hydrochloric acid and ammonia.

You will need some science equipment to perform this experiment, which includes three flasks connected by gas pipes. The chemical reaction produces a slow release of white smoke with, you guessed it, no fire or sparks.

9. Liquid Layer Density Tower

Density towers, or density columns, are a great way to show and explain the density levels of different liquids. You can use honey, corn syrup or pancake syrup, liquid dishwashing soap, water (with food coloring if desired), vegetable oil, rubbing alcohol, and lamp oil.

When you have a jar or container, the key is to put the heavier liquids in first, then pour the next liquids in using the side of the container. Even if you don’t get it right the first time, it’s a fun experiment that also creates a colorful display item!

If you and the kids don’t mind getting messy, this slime experiment is a fun chemical reaction that will create a thick, stretchy slime that becomes firmer and less sticky the more it’s played with. You can also add food coloring to create different colors of slime!

For this chemical reaction experiment, you’ll need borax powder, water, glue, and food coloring if you want to add color to the slime. You’ll also need a bowl, jar or measuring cup, and teaspoon for mixing.

11. Ignite A Candle With A Battery

Show your class that it’s possible to light a candle without matches or lighters with this awesome battery experiment! All it requires is an AA battery, chewing gum wrapper, cotton wool, scissors, and a candle.

You might not know this, but the chewing gum wrapper is coated with a layer of aluminum. As a good electrical conductor, the wrapper will generate an electric current when connected to the battery. The aluminum will heat up and light the cotton, which will ignite the candle.

12. DIY Lava Lamp

Lava lamps are awesome, so why not make a DIY one at home using an awesome chemical reaction? Although this DIY lava lamp won’t shine as brightly as a regular lava lamp, it’s still a fun experiment that will teach the kids about density.

The end result is a colorful liquid (use any kind of food coloring you like) with floating bubbles that can make a great bedroom ornament. It’s quick and simple, too, requiring just 30 minutes to create overall.

13. Homemade Science Christmas Ornament

Perfect for the holidays, this homemade science Christmas ornament experiment will get the kids to create glowing crystal icicles that can be hung outside or on the Christmas tree. It’s simple as well, only requiring borax powder, pipe cleaners, and string or twine.

To perform this chemical reaction experiment, you’ll need to add boiling hot water to a glass jar with borax. Twist the pipe cleaner around a pencil or pen to create a winding shape, then lower the pipe cleaner into the mixture with string. Leave until crystals start to form!

So there you have it: a list of awesome chemical experiments you can do at home to teach kids about the fascinating world of chemistry. These experiments are fun, educational, and sure to amaze kids of all ages!

Don’t forget: For health and safety reasons, just make sure to supervise your child while doing the above experiments or, if you’re a teacher, conduct the experiments in class or have the child’s parents supervise them at home.

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Babble Dabble Do

50 Chemistry Projects That Will Amaze Kids!

February 26, 2019 by Ana Dziengel 5 Comments

Chemistry projects feel like magic , do they not? If you think about some of your favorite science projects, the ones you love to try with your kids or the ones that amazed YOU as a kid, more likely than not most of them involved chemistry.

Now I know a lot of us associate chemistry with lab coats, beakers and specialty ingredients but the reality is there are so many chemistry projects you can do using very simple, easy to find ingredients, often found in your own pantry. And since these types of simple chemistry projects use relatively safe ingredients, they are perfect to try with younger kids, ie. preschool and elementary aged children! In fact I think it’s so important for young kids to have a positive association with chemistry from a young age that fosters a love of this branch of science.

When most children are finally exposed to chemistry in school, it is at the high school level where the subject turns complex quickly; hopefully giving kids a chance to have fun at young age mixing up concoctions and watching chemical reactions will help carry their interest through the more complicated days of study ahead.

This post is a GIANT compilation of  chemistry projects that would be great for the science fair, classroom demos, or at home science with your kids.

Before we get started let’s talk a little bit about what chemistry is and for parents I also included a section covering How to Do Chemistry Projects at Home. If you are a classroom teacher you can skip this section and head right to the projects here.

What is chemistry?

Chemistry is the branch of science that studies matter (anything that has mass and takes up space) and its properties, and how different substances (especially molecules and their atoms) interact, combine, and change to form new substances.

Here are some important definitions to know when working on chemistry projects:

• Element A substance that cannot be separated into any further substances. There are 120 known elements.
• Atom The smallest particle of an element
• Molecule Groups of atoms held together by a chemical bond.
• Ion  An atom or molecule that has an electric charge

While most people think of chemistry purely in terms of chemical reactions, chemistry also covers the study of the states of matter as well as the density of substances.

The five branches of chemistry are:

• Analytical chemistry
• Physical chemistry
• Organic chemistry
• Inorganic chemistry
• Biochemistry

Read more about what each branch covers here.

How to Do Chemistry Projects at Home

Many chemistry projects can be done at home using simple materials and are a great way to foster a love of science in kids! I wholeheartedly believe that a wow factor in a project engages and inspires kids to learn more. If you want to try chemistry projects at home here are some suggestions and precautions:

Safety First

Even though most of the projects in this list use safe, easy to find materials they should be used with safety precautions and under adult supervision. Why? Sometimes the chemical reaction that ensues can irritate the skin or eye, can be harmful if swallowed, or is just plain sticky or  messy and adults should be on hand to supervise use . Also be advised that there are a few projects on this list that do use materials that are unsafe for kids to handle. These projects are meant to be demonstrations only and are labeled  accordingly.

• Use household items for chemistry   The classic chemistry project that never fails to impress is the reaction of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) and vinegar (look for a number of variations on this classic in our Acids and Bases section) but there are lots of other great ingredients for chemistry to find in your kitchen including sugar, salt, yeast, lemons, dish soap, milk, Kool- Aid, cabbage, gelatin, and food coloring to name a few…before you order any materials online, try some projects with pantry essentials.
• Safety Goggles
• Large plastic beakers
• Prepare for mess Since a lot of chemistry involves reactions and the ensuing mess, be sure to choose a place in your home that you can easily clean up and where you won’t worry about getting dirty. A patio, breakfast area, or the garage are great choices.
• Generous work area Be sure to have a large table available so everyone has plenty of room to work and/or view projects without bumping into each other.
• Access to Water Clean up is always easier with water at the ready! Choose a location near a hose or shop sink.

Managing Messes

• Hose it down  Depending on the project I suggest doing super messy chemical reactions outside. That way spills can be hosed down easily.
• Painter’s Tarp & Trays  If you cannot go outside a large plastic painter’s tarp is a great way to contain spills and mess. I also highly recommend doing projects on trays or cookie sheets. The raised edges help contain bubbly brews and are easy to dump out and wash.
• Dump station Have a bucket nearby to act as dump station for liquid reactions. Bring it around a table and dump at each station.
• Think about disposal Vinegar kills grass! Slime bits clogs drains! Be sure to consider where you can dump out the liquids safely.

Chemistry Projects for Kids

The following chemistry projects for kids are sorted by topic: Chemical Reactions, Acids and Bases, Carbon Reactions, Chromatography, Colloids & Solutions, Polymers,  and Crystals.

Please note that many if these projects could fit in two or more categories in this post as they demonstrate various scientific and chemical processes. I only classified them once on this list.

Chemistry Projects with Chemical Reactions 

What is a chemical reaction.

Chemical reactions occur when the chemical bonds in a substance are either destroyed or created. In other words the bonds in a molecule are broken during a chemical reaction and the atoms rearranged to create new molecules. Interestingly enough the number of original atoms does not change during the reaction, they are simply reconfigured.

An easy way to explain chemical reactions to kids is to use this analogy: Atoms are like letters, molecules are like words. Chemistry is like taking apart words and rearranging the letters to form a new word.

Read more about chemical reactions here.

Chemical Reactions Projects:

1. milk painting, 2. citrus battery, 3. elephant toothpaste.

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4. Density Lava Lamps

To make a density lava lamp fill a plastic bottle with the following liquids: Clear corn syrup, water with a few drops of food coloring, and  layer of vegetable oil. Be sure to leave a space at the top of the bottle. Wait until the liquids settle then add in a tablet of extra strength alka seltzer. Watch as the alka seltzer and water react and bubble up through the oil layer.   To see this in a  step by step video check out this video (Pssst this is one of our students!!!)

5. Plastic Milk   and Curds & Whey Experiment

6 . color mixing.

Pour water into three clear plastic cups, then add blue, red, and yellow food coloring to each. Have an additional cup full of uncolored water available as well. Give your child an empty ice cube tray and pipettes and let them create different colors by mixing different ratios of two different primary colors in each ice cube compartment. The secondary colors are new colors created from two primary colors. This is a simple visual of how chemical reactions work.

7. Chemistry Clock

8. blow balloons with yeast and sugar, 9. shiny pennies.

• Collect dirty tarnished pennies.
• Pour different acidic liquids into shallow containers. Try vinegar, salsa, lemon & lime juice.
• Add a teaspoon of salt to each container and stir to combine.
• Place a handful of pennies in each container and soak for 5 minutes.
• Remove them from the solution and rinse in soapy water. Let dry on separate paper towels.
• Compare the results! Which ones are shiniest? Which are dull? Did any turn green?

Acids are corrosive and sour tasting. Liquids such as vinegar, lemon juice, and tomato juice are acids. Pennies are made from copper which tarnishes (turns dark) when exposed to oxygen over time. Placing the copper pennies in an acid will clean the copper oxide off them and make them shiny again.

Learn about Acids and Bases

Most liquids are either an acid or a base. Liquids with lots of hydrogen ions in them are considered acids. Liquids with many hydroxide ions are bases. Scientists use a scale called the ph scale to measure how acidic or basic a liquid is. The more hydrogen ions in a liquid the more acidic it is and ranks low on the ph scale. The more hydroxide ions in a liquid the more basic it is and ranks high on the ph scale.  You can see what that looks like here.

When acids and bases are mixed chemical reactions occur and the solution becomes neutralized.

Acid and Bases Projects:

1. baking soda & vinegar volcano, 2. lemon volcano, 3. the colorful cabbage juice science experiment   and acid base experiment with cabbage, 4. dancing rice, 5. green eggs & ham, 6. bubbly citric acid brew , 7. baking soda vs baking powder science experiment, 8. exploding bags, 9. rainbow rubber eggs , 10. surprise eggs  , 11. rainbow wizard’s brew, chemistry projects with fire (carbon reactions).

Carbon is the most important element for life. Chemicals that contain carbon are called organic compounds.  Carbon has two main forms: The first is in the hard form of diamonds and graphite, and the second is the impure form found in charcoal, coal and soot.

SAFTEY WARNING: Carbon reactions are always fascinating to watch however the presence of fire means that these experiments must be supervised by adults at all times!  

Carbon Reactions Projects:

1. smoking fingers, 2. fire snake, 3. silver egg, 4. invisible ink, chromatography.

Chromatography is the process of separating mixtures. We usually think of it in terms of color hence the prefix -chroma, however in chemistry is means simply a method of separating mixtures by letting them slowly move past each other. It applies to both liquids and gasses.  This is wonderful in-depth explanation of chromatography.

Chromatography Projects:

1. chromatography  .

In this project you will separate the color black into other colors. Fold a coffee filter in half. Fold in half two more times until you have a triangular shape. Color the tip of the coffee filter with washable black marker. Get a good coat of ink on the filter. Add a small amount of water to a plastic cup. Place the black tip of the coffee filter in the cup Wait and observe. Come back to the filter after an hour or two and see what happens to the ink. As the coffee filter absorbs water through capillary action, the black ink moves through the filter and is separated by the water into other colors. You should see blue, green and even red as the water separates the ink.

2. Chromatography Flowers

3. chromatography art, 4. chromatography bags, colloids and solutions/solubility.

Colloids and Solutions are two types of homogenous mixtures.

• Colloids are mixtures in which a small particles of a substance are suspended throughout another substance but not chemically bonded. They are stable though and do not separate. Examples of colloids are gelatin, butter, mayonnaise, fog and smoke.
• Solutions are mixtures in which the particles of one substance are completely dissolved in another substance. The solute is the substance being dissolved and the solvent is the substance doing the dissolving. An example of a solution is saltwater.

If you want a more in-depth primer on solutions and colloids hop over here .

Colloid Projects:

1. colloid examples, 2.  oobleck  , 3. make butter , 4. gelatin streaking, solutions/solubility projects:, 5. ice sculptures , 6. ice cream in a bag.

A printable of the science facts at play here

7. Skittles Science

8. magical water blossoms  <span data-mce-type=”bookmark” style=”display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;” class=”mce_selres_start”></span>, 9. diffusion art, 10. paint solubility  , 11. bleeding blossoms  .

A polymer is a substance made up of a long chain of molecules.  Polymers are typically flexible materials like plastic or gum.

The classic polymer kids LOVE to make is slime! Glue is already a polymer but when combined with sodium tetraborate (borax ) the protein molecules of the glue and the borate ions crosslink, making it harder for the molecules to move and forming the gooey, sticky, substance we know as slime.

Other polymers you are probably familiar with are plastic bags, balloons, instant snow, and even the powdery substance found in diapers that expands when wet.

Polymer Projects:

1. best basic slime  .

Bonus: Get the Science Behind Slime printable here

2. Heat Sensitive Slime

3. diy bouncy balls, 4. magic plastic bag experiment, 5. instant terrariums, 6. how to make paper, 7. skewer through balloon , 8. dry erase figure   and dry erase drawings, 9. recycled plastic flowers.

Crystals are a type of material that is formed by patterns of repeating molecules. There are four types of chemical bonds in crystals and therefore four categories of crystals. These are: Covalent, Molecular, Metallic, and Ionic Crystals. You can grow crystals by mixing up a super saturated solution (usually with a type of salt and water) and letting it settle over time so crystals will form. Check out the various types of easy to grow crystal below and go here to read more about the science of crystals .

Crystals Projects:

1. classic borax crystals , 2. overnight crystal garden, 3. egg geodes, 4. crystal wind catchers, 5. crystal landscapes, 6. candy geodes , 7. salt crystals, conclusion & more.

Alright you guys, do you feel like you have some good project ideas for exploring chemistry with kids? Many of these will make greats science fair projects. Be sure to start with them as a topic then start asking questions, form a hypotheses, and do some experiments.

Now I have to admit that I really fell in love with chemistry projects as an adult. Working with kids in camp, after school, and with my own kids at home I’ve had the chance to try fun chemistry projects and discovered that I love watching chemical reactions AND the reactions on the faces of kids and bystanders during demonstration or project!

If you have kids who fall in love with this branch of science please do check out the incredible book series Elements , Molecules , and Reactions by Theodore Gray (see the series in our Amazon science ideas list here ) The books are stunning, informative, easy to understand and, wait for it…funny!

Another valuable resource for kids who love chemistry is Mel Science’s Chemistry subscription box. They send you a starter kit for free with all the materials you’ll need and then each month you get a new chemistry experiment delivered to your door! This is great product because a lot of specialty chemistry ingredients are hard to find and these kits simplify getting the materials you need! Check it out here:

Are you passionate about raising creative kids?

Join over 22,179 parents and educators who want connect with kids and nurture their creative process through magical, easy projects you can do TOGETHER.

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February 26, 2019 at 10:31 pm

These were some really awesome projects. I really liked the Citrus Battery projects. It seems simple and easy for a young kid. I wish schools should give more focus to such experiments instead of shoving down the theoretical knowledge down the throat of young kids.

Carol Biggs says

March 1, 2019 at 4:58 am

Is all of this info available on book form?

Ana Dziengel says

March 6, 2019 at 5:49 am

Not at this time but that’s a great idea!

Betsy Mitten says

March 5, 2019 at 10:43 am

Thank you for making this fantastic collection of experiments with clear directions and easy to understand explanations of the science behind the fun! I know I’ll refer to this list often. I especially appreciate the way the experiments are classified/organized. I teach art with science connections and we are already planning on chalkboard and magnetic slime :). I’ll be sure to tag Babble Dabble Do when I post photos of work inspired by this on target collection!

Kyra Rodriguez says

March 5, 2019 at 10:54 pm

These are all great ideas! I’m pretty sure the kids will have fun and love this activities

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Easy Exothermic and Endothermic Chemical Reactions for Kids

Usually on Wednesdays we feature Bug of the Week, so today’s chemistry lesson is inspired by insects.

Dr. Thomas Eisner was a very curious man. He was particularly curious about insects, like the beetle shown in this video (has pop-up ad).

When he discovered these particular beetles, Dr. Eisner began to experiment with them because he wanted to know what and how they were squirting. One of the unexpected things he found out was that the temperature of the spray the beetle released was very hot, nearly 100° C. How could that be?

Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions

Sometimes chemical reactions between two or more substances give off or take in energy, often in the form of heat. In exothermic reactions, heat energy is given off during the reaction and the temperature increases. In endothermic reactions heat energy is removed by the reaction (“taken in”) and the temperature of the reactants decreases.

Below are two chemical reactions that use household products. Find out whether they are exothermic or endothermic.

Notes:  These activities are messy fun, so perform them in a sink, tub, or outdoors in an area where wet spills are not a problem. Also, scientists never eat or drink their experiments!

Reaction 1.

• About 26 g lemonade drink mix* (make sure the primary ingredient is citric acid)
• Baking soda
• Liquid measuring cup
• 1/4 cup dry measuring cup
• Water (room temperature)
• Large Styrofoam cup (to help insulate the reaction)
• Container (glass or cup) to mix the drink mix and water in
• Thermometer or temperature probe

* Math alert:  Originally I used Crystal Light pink lemonade mix, which came in 3.68 g packets (see the serving size information for the number of grams per packet). I used 7 packets for about 28 g. Then I switched to an off brand, and the packets were 2.6 g each (10 packets for 26 g). It worked just as well. Also, check the amount of vitamin C information on the labels. The raspberry-flavored lemonade mix contained significantly more citric acid for some reason.

Procedure 1:

• Measure 100 mL (approx. 1/3 cup) of room temperature water and pour into in a container.
• Add 26 g of drink mix into the water in the container. Stir until completely dissolved.
• Use the thermometer or probe to measure the temperature of the solution, taking care not to rest the thermometer or probe on the bottom or side of the cup.
• Measure 1/4 cup baking soda into the Styrofoam cup.
• In a sink or similar area, quickly add the drink mix solution to the baking soda in the Styrofoam cup.
• As the reaction starts to slow, take the temperature again. (You may want to let the children touch the solution and compare to the room temperature water. They will need to wash their hands afterwards.)

Did the temperature of the contents of the Styrofoam cup  go up or down?

Reaction 2:

• 2 teaspoons active yeast
• Measuring teaspoon
• Water at room temperature
• Cup or similar container for mixing yeast
• Large Styrofoam cup
• Hydrogen peroxide (be sure to use 3 %, the kind sold for home use) – held at room temperature

Procedure 2.

• Measure 100 mL of room temperature water (approx. 1/3 cup) and pour into the yeast-mix container.
• Mix the 2 teaspoons dry yeast into the water. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
• Take the temperature of the solution, taking care not to rest the thermometer on the bottom or side of the cup.
• Add 100 mL (about 1/3 cup) 3% hydrogen peroxide to the Styrofoam cup.
• Take the temperature of the hydrogen peroxide, taking care not to rest the thermometer on the bottom or side of the cup. The two solutions should be roughly the same temperature.
• In a sink or similar area, add the yeast solution to the hydrogen peroxide in the Styrofoam cup.

Did the temperature go down or up?

Which reaction was endothermic? Which reaction was exothermic? Let us know what you find out.

_____________________________

If you are interested in learning more about the beetles, read the first chapter in:

______________________________________________________________________

For more chemistry activities, check the Table of Contents for Chemistry Week page.

Bug of the Week , Chemistry , Fun Science Activity , Science Books

chemistry activites for kids chemistry science for kids

14 Comments

January 4, 2016 at 4:49 pm

We did this in my homeroom, and the kids were in aw that exothermic and endothermic reaction could be that much fun! Huge help in my homeroom please do more exothermic and endothermic reactions.

Homeroom 174 🙂

January 5, 2016 at 12:44 pm

Thanks for letting me know. I’ll add a link here when I post more.

September 19, 2016 at 8:55 pm

Baking soda and vinegar reaction is exothermic

October 23, 2016 at 6:25 am

interesting and exciting and very, very helpful for teachers and mothers- I should say! Thankyou!susan

April 10, 2017 at 8:16 pm

baking soad and vinegar are actualy endothermic

April 11, 2017 at 12:16 pm

Did you try it? What were your results?

May 12, 2017 at 7:53 am

Thanx for the help with my homework

September 22, 2017 at 10:25 am

What grade did you try this with? I teach middle school. Thanks.

September 22, 2017 at 11:10 am

I’ve done it with a range of ages, including high school. Obviously the high school students were held to a higher level of understanding of the processes, with more experimentation, data collection, graphing, etc.

November 17, 2017 at 12:04 pm

Can you share your results with us?

November 26, 2017 at 8:38 pm

Sorry, it has been a few days since I checked the comments. The acid plus baking soda is the endothermic reaction. Did you need more than that?

November 28, 2018 at 10:40 am

Which one was Endothermic? We need an endothermic reaction and thought this was cool. Please let me know.

November 28, 2018 at 11:06 am

I guess it won’t hurt to reveal it now. The baking soda and citric acid -Reaction 1– is the “cool” reaction. It is endothermic.

November 28, 2018 at 11:23 am

Thank you so much!

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Science Fun

Crazy Chalk Chemical Reaction Science Experiment

In this fun and easy science experiment, we’re going to explore and investigate endothermic chemical reactions by mixing chalk and vinegar.

• Colored chalk
• Zip close baggie
• Clear plastic cup

Instructions:

• Put at least two different colors of chalk in the zip close baggie.
• Use the hammer to carefully smash the chalk into dust.
• Fill the clear plastic cup about ¾ of the way full with vinegar.
• Put about a tablespoon of the colored chalk dust into the vinegar and observe what happens.

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How it Works:

You may not have realized that regular old chalk fizzes and bubbles when mixed with vinegar. Chalk is made of calcium carbonate and when mixed with vinegar an endothermic chemical reaction occurs that releases carbon dioxide gas. This gas is what causes the fizzing and bubbles. 

Make This A Science Project:

Find a location that can get messy. Put the chalk dust in a new baggie. Add vinegar, seal the baggie securely, and observe what happens. Test different types and brands of chalk to see if there are any observable differences. 

EXPLORE TONS OF FUN AND EASY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS!

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• Middle School Science , NGSS , Science Experiments , Teaching Activities

Chemical Reactions Color & Temperature Change – Middle School Science Unit

This unit will help you teach your middle school science class about chemical reactions with color and temperature change.

With five days worth of activities, this unit will save you lots of time and keep your students engaged

Get Your Unit Here

Easy-to-do chemical reaction experiments with dramatic results!

Students will observe a chemical reaction with a color change, temperature change (exothermic reaction), and production of gas in this great chemical reaction lab! They will also learn about the conservation of mass in the third lab.

This resource contains a variety of activities.

Included are three labs, lesson plans, step-by-step directions with photos, lab pages, response pages, a reading passage, discussion questions, notes for the teacher, and answer keys for everything!

Really loved seeing the color change and the students were very engaged. We used baggies and they could feel the temperature change as well. Shyan W.

Standards-aligned with NGSS 5-PS1-4, MS-PS1-2, and Utah SEEd 5.2.3.

You can be sure you’re covering the information that you need to with my standards-aligned units!

NGSS 5-PS1-4: Conduct an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results in new substances.

NGSS MS-PS1-2: Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. Examples of reactions could include burning sugar or steel wool, fat reacting with sodium hydroxide, and mixing zinc with hydrogen chloride. Assessment is limited to analysis of the following properties: density, melting point, boiling point, solubility, flammability, and odor.

Utah SEEd 5.2.3: Plan and carry out an investigation to determine whether the mixing of two or more substances results (cause and effect) in new substances

For these labs, you will need bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) calcium chloride and phenol red solution. All three of these are easy to find and inexpensive.

Other teachers LOVE this resource!

Check out more of the dozens of perfect reviews at Teachers Pay Teachers .

This is a wonderful unit for teaching chemical reactions! My students were very engaged. This material is clear and easy to use. Chelsea J.

Try this unit in your classroom TODAY:

This unit is available for download in two places:.

• Here on teachingscience.us
• Teaching Science with Lynda R. Williams on Teachers Pay Teachers

Both downloads are identical in every way – if you download directly from this site, you’re giving me the maximum amount of support!

Either way, your satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.

This site uses 100% secure checkout with PayPal, and after checkout your download is instantly available.

Thank you, and I hope you enjoy using this unit in your classroom!

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The Perfect Chemical Change Lab for Middle School Students

Have you ever accidentally dropped bleach on a shirt? It’s ruined. Completely and totally. What I never realized was a chemical change is created between the dye in the shirt and the bleach.

I was overwhelmed the first time I taught middle school chemistry.

The supplies I thought I needed seemed so complicated. In reality, chemical changes occur all around us. Teaching this became a matter of utilizing simple examples students encounter every day.

Lab Objectives

Teaching students how to identify a chemical change does not have to be hard. In fact, you can use this Chemical Change Lab to demonstrate a simple chemical change with a few items you can find in your science classroom (or kitchen)! 

I love using labs that have multiple objectives. More objectives means more diverse student learning. This Chemical Change Lab meets the following objectives: 

• Lab safety procedures
• Measuring liquids using the metric system
• Identifying a chemical change
• Using evidence from the lab to write a clear conclusion

(TIP: If you use notebooks, you can copy the answer pages at 80% and students can glue them into their notebooks.)

Completing the Lab

The lab itself is very easy. Students add vinegar, bleach, and hydrogen peroxide to three different test tubes filled with colored water and determine which one shows a chemical change. 

Give students a chance to write a hypothesis and explain their reasoning before the lab starts. I ask them to write this alone to encourage independent thinking. However, collaborating with peers to write a hypothesis is a great option too.

This lab includes so many simple steps. All the students will have a chance to measure, pour, or swirl… they are so engaged! The test tube with bleach poured into it will show a chemical change. The water turns a lighter color than the water in the other test tubes. 

(If you need a simple way to group students for labs, check out my Grouping Cards on TPT. Read about how I use them here !)

After the lab, students write a conclusion explaining whether their hypothesis was correct or incorrect using evidence from the lab.

While this task may be simple, students get the opportunity to think critically and write about it. It’s also an easy check for me to see who needs some additional support!

Why It’s Perfect

The simplicity of this lab is perfect. While middle school chemistry can be intimidating, this lab is not. The explanation, execution, and clean up time easily fits into the 45 minute class period.The materials are easy to find, the steps are simple, and students are amazed to see how the bleach makes the color of the water lighter!

Get your copy of the Chemical Change Lab here !

For more middle school science content, check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store !

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Of course! Glad to help! Sometimes, it can be easy!

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• Privacy Policy
• Strictly Necessary Cookies
• Cookie Policy

This Privacy Policy sets out how we,  Super Sass and Science Class, collect, store and use information about you when you use or interact with our website,  kellyh16.sg-host.com (our website) and where we otherwise obtain or collect information about you. This Privacy Policy is effective from 8 th June 2019 .

Our details

When you visit our website, when you use our website, marketing communications, information obtained from third parties, disclosure and additional uses of your information, how long we retain your information, how we secure your information, transfers of your information outside the european economic area, your rights in relation to your information, changes to our privacy policy, children’s privacy.

This section summarises how we obtain, store and use information about you.  It is intended to provide a very general overview only. It is not complete in and of itself and it must be read in conjunction with the corresponding full sections of this Privacy Policy.

• Data controller: Super Sass and Science Class
• How we collect or obtain information about you: when you provide it to us e.g. by contacting us, placing an order on our website, completing registration forms, adding or rating locations, posting blogs, or signing up for content such as newsletters. From your use of our website, using cookies and occasionally, from third parties such as mailing list providers.
• Information we collect: name, contact details, social media information, payment information e.g. your credit or debit card details, IP address, information from cookies, information about your computer or device (e.g. device and browser type), information about how you use our website (e.g. which pages you have viewed, the time when you view them and what you clicked on, the geographical location from which you accessed our website (based on your IP address), company name or business name (if applicable), VAT number (if applicable), engagement history and transaction history.)
• How we use your information: for administrative and business purposes (particularly to contact you and process orders you place on our website, to improve our business and website, to fulfil our contractual obligations, to advertise our and other’s goods and services, to analyse your use of our website, and in connection with our legal rights and obligations.)
• Disclosure of your information to third parties: user information can be shared with partners for specific types of content and events where a user has registered their information. Other disclosures are only to the extent necessary to run our business, to our service providers, to fulfil any contracts we enter into with you and where required by law or to enforce our legal rights.
• Do we sell your information to third parties (other than in the course of a business sale or purchase or similar event):  No,  Super Sass and Science Class, does not sell data. However, when you register or sign up for certain types of content, your registration data can be shared with sponsors and partners. Examples of where we do this include event registrations, webinar signups or whitepaper downloads. We will always make it clear where any information provided will be shared with other parties.
• How long we retain your information: for no longer than necessary, taking into account any legal obligations we have (e.g. to maintain records for tax purposes), any other legal basis we have for using your information (e.g. your consent, performance of a contract with you or our legitimate interests as a business) and certain additional factors described in the main section below entitled How long we retain your information. For specific retention periods in relation to certain information which we collect from you, please see the main section below entitled How long we retain your information.
• How we secure your information: using appropriate technical and organisational measures such as storing your information on secure servers, encrypting transfers of data to or from our servers using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology, encrypting payments you make on or via our website using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology and only granting access to your information where necessary.
• Use of cookies and similar technologies: we use cookies and similar information-gathering technologies such as marketing automation tracking on our website including essential, functional, analytical and targeting cookies. For more information, please visit our cookies policy.
• Transfers of your information outside the European Economic Area: By using our website, your information may be transferred outside of the European Economic Area. We take personal data seriously and as such we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including, for example, that the third parties we use who transfer your information outside the European Economic Area have self-certified themselves as compliant with the EU-U.S. Privacy Shield.
• Use of profiling: we use profiling to understand our users better through web and marketing analytics, provide targeted advertising and deliver a personalised user experience.
• to access your information and to receive information about its use
• to have your information corrected and/or completed
• to have your information deleted
• to restrict the use of your information
• to receive your information in a portable format
• to object to the use of your information
• to withdraw your consent to the use of your information
• to complain to a supervisory authority
• Sensitive personal information: we do not collect what is commonly referred to as ‘sensitive personal information’.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact the data controller.

The data controller in respect of our website is Super Sass and Science Class .

You can contact the data controller by writing to our data protection officer, at the address above, or by sending an email to [email protected] .

We collect and use information from website visitors in accordance with this section and the section entitled Disclosure and additional uses of your information.

Web server log information

We use a third party server to host our website called  SiteGround the privacy policy of which is available here: https://www.siteground.co.uk/privacy.htm

Our website server automatically logs the IP address you use to access our website as well as other information about your visit such as the pages accessed, information requested, the date and time of the request, the source of your access to our website (e.g. the website or URL (link) which referred you to our website), and your browser version and operating system.

Use of website server log information for IT security purposes

We collect and store server logs to ensure network and IT security and so that the server and website remain uncompromised. This includes analysing log files to help identify and prevent unauthorised access to our network, the distribution of malicious code, denial of services attacks and other cyber-attacks, by detecting unusual or suspicious activity.

Unless we are investigating suspicious or potential criminal activity, we do not make, nor do we allow our hosting provider to make, any attempt to identify you from the information collected via server logs.

Legal basis for processing:  compliance with a legal obligation to which we are subject (Article 6(1)(c) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legal obligation:  we have a legal obligation to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to ensure a level of security appropriate to the risk of our processing of information about individuals. Recording access to our website using server log files is such a measure.

Legal basis for processing:  our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interests:  we have a legitimate interest in using your information for the purposes of ensuring network and information security.

Use of website server log information to analyse website use and improve our website

We use the information collected by our website server logs to analyse how our website users interact with our website and its features. For example, we analyse the number of visits and unique visitors we receive, the time and date of the visit, the location of the visit and the operating system and browser use.

We use the information gathered from the analysis of this information to improve our website. For example, we use the information gathered to change the information, content and structure of our website and individual pages based according to what users are engaging most with and the duration of time spent on particular pages on our website.

Legitimate interest:  improving our website for our website users and getting to know our website users’ preferences so our website can better meet their needs and desires.

Cookies are data files which are sent from a website to a browser to record information about users for various purposes.

We use cookies on our website, including essential, functional, analytical and targeting cookies. For further information on how we use cookies, please see our cookies policy.

You can reject some or all of the cookies we use on or via our website by changing your browser settings or non-essential cookies by using a cookie control tool, but doing so can impair your ability to use our website or some or all of its features. For further information about cookies, including how to change your browser settings, please visit  www.allaboutcookies.org  or see our cookie policy.

When you contact us

We collect and use information from individuals who contact us in accordance with this section and the section entitled Disclosure and additional uses of your information.

When you send an email to the email address displayed on our website we collect your email address and any other information you provide in that email (such as your name, telephone number and the information contained in any signature block in your email).

Legitimate interest(s):  responding to enquiries and messages we receive and keeping records of correspondence.

Legal basis for processing:  necessary to perform a contract or to take steps at your request to enter into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Reason why necessary to perform a contract:  where your message relates to us providing you with goods or services or taking steps at your request prior to providing you with our goods and services (for example, providing you with information about such goods and services), we will process your information in order to do so).

Enquiry forms

When you contact us using an enquiry form, we collect your personal details and match this to any information we hold about you on record. Typical personal information collected will include your name and contact details. We will also record the time, date and the specific form you completed.

If you do not provide the mandatory information required by our contact form, you will not be able to submit the contact form and we will not receive your enquiry.

We will also use this information to tailor any follow up sales and marketing communications with you. For further information, see the section of this privacy policy titled ‘Marketing Communications’.

Messages you send to us via our contact form may be stored outside the European Economic Area on our contact form provider’s servers.

When you contact us by phone, we collect your phone number and any information provide to us during your conversation with us.

We record customer-facing phone calls for training and customer service purposes.

Legal basis for processing:  our legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation)

If you contact us by post, we will collect any information you provide to us in any postal communications you send us.

Legal basis for processing:  necessary to perform a contract or to take steps at your request to enter into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

We collect and use information from individuals who interact with particular features of our website in accordance with this section and the section entitled Disclosure and additional uses of your information.

Social Media Tools

We have a wide range of social media tools to be able to use on our website.  These tools include (but not limited to); Sharing, Likes, comments and submitting content both on and off our website. By using these tools, you are providing your consent to store and use the submitted data whether personal information or general information both on and off our website.

Legal basis for processing:  your consent (Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation). Consent: you give your consent to us storing and using submitted content using the steps described above.

We may also use this information to tailor any follow up sales and marketing communications with you. For further information, see the section of this privacy policy titled ‘Marketing Communications’.

Information you submit may be stored both inside and outside the European Economic Area on our servers as well as third-party servers such as Facebook.

For further information about the safeguards used when your information is transferred outside the European Economic Area.

Using our shop

When you visit our shop, you will be transferred to teacherspayteachers.com where you can view our shop as well as purchase our material direct from their website.  When you register and create an account on our shop, we will collect the following information: your name, email address, address, location.

If you do not provide the mandatory information required by the registration form, you will not be able to register or create an account on our shop.

You can view teacherspayteachers.com’s privacy policy here https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Privacy-Policy

Legitimate interest:  registering and administering accounts on our shop to provide access to content, allows you to buy goods and services and facilitates the running and operation of our business.

Transfer and storage of your information 

Information you submit to us via the registration form on our website may be stored outside the European Economic Area on our third-party hosting provider’s servers.

Our content, goods and services

When signing up for content, registering on our website or making a payment, we will use the information you provide in order to contact you regarding related content, products and services.

We will continue to send you marketing communications in relation to similar goods and services if you do not opt out from receiving them.

You can opt-out from receiving marketing communications at any time by emailing [email protected]

Legitimate interests:  Sharing relevant, timely and industry-specific information on related business services, in order to assist your organisation, grow.

Third party goods and services

In addition to receiving information about our products and services, you can opt in to receiving marketing communications from us in relation third party goods and services by email by ticking a box indicating that you would like to receive such communications.

Legal basis for processing:  consent (Article 6(1)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Consent:  you give your consent to us sending you information about third party goods and services by signing up to receive such information in accordance with the steps described above.

Information for marketing campaigns will be stored outside the European Economic Area on our third-party mailing list provider’s servers in the United States.

For further information about the safeguards used when your information is transferred outside the European Economic Area, see the section of this privacy policy below entitled Transfers of your information outside the European Economic Area.

Use of tracking in emails 

We use technologies such as tracking pixels (small graphic files) and tracked links in the emails we send to allow us to assess the level of engagement our emails receive by measuring information such as the delivery rates, open rates, click through rates and content engagement that our emails achieve.

This section sets out how we obtain or collect information about you from third parties.

Information received from third parties

We can often receive information about you from third parties. The third parties from which we receive information about you can include partner events within the marketing industry and other organisations that we have a professional affiliation with.

It is also possible that third parties with whom we have had no prior contact may provide us with information about you.

Information we obtain from third parties will generally be your name and contact details but will include any additional information about you which they provide to us.

Reason why necessary to perform a contract:  where a third party has passed on information about you to us (such as your name and email address) in order for us to provide services to you, we will process your information in order to take steps at your request to enter into a contract with you and perform a contract with you (as the case may be).

Consent:  where you have asked that a third party to share information about you with us and the purpose of sharing that information is not related to the performance of a contract or services by us to you, we will process your information on the basis of your consent, which you give by asking the third party in question to pass on your information to us.

Legitimate interests:  where a third party has shared information about you with us and you have not consented to the sharing of that information, we will have a legitimate interest in processing that information in certain circumstances.

For example, we would have a legitimate interest in processing your information to perform our obligations under a sub-contract with the third party, where the third party has the main contract with you. Our legitimate interest is the performance of our obligations under our sub-contract.

Similarly, third parties may pass on information about you to us if you have infringed or potentially infringed any of our legal rights. In this case, we will have a legitimate interest in processing that information to investigate and pursue any such potential infringement.

Information obtained by us from third parties

In certain circumstances (for example, to verify the information we hold about you or obtain missing information we require to provide you with a service) we will obtain information about you from certain publicly accessible sources, both EU and non-EU, such as Companies House, online customer databases, business directories, media publications, social media, and websites (including your own website if you have one.

In certain circumstances will also obtain information about you from private sources, both EU and non-EU, such as marketing data services.

Legitimate interests:  Sharing relevant, timely and industry-specific information on related business services.

Where we receive information about you in error

If we receive information about you from a third party in error and/or we do not have a legal basis for processing that information, we will delete your information.

This section sets out the circumstances in which will disclose information about you to third parties and any additional purposes for which we use your information.

Disclosure of your information to service providers

We use a number of third parties to provide us with services which are necessary to run our business or to assist us with running our business

These include the following: Internet services, IT service providers and web developers.

Our third-party service providers are located both inside and outside of the European Economic Area.

Your information will be shared with these service providers where necessary to provide you with the service you have requested, whether that is accessing our website or ordering goods and services from us.

We do not display the identities of our service providers publicly by name for security and competitive reasons. If you would like further information about the identities of our service providers, however, please contact us directly by email and we will provide you with such information where you have a legitimate reason for requesting it (where we have shared your information with such service providers, for example).

Legal basis for processing:  legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Legitimate interest relied on:  where we share your information with these third parties in a context other than where is necessary to perform a contract (or take steps at your request to do so), we will share your information with such third parties in order to allow us to run and manage our business efficiently.

Legal basis for processing:  necessary to perform a contract and/or to take steps at your request prior to entering into a contract (Article 6(1)(b) of the General Data Protection Regulation).

Reason why necessary to perform a contract:  we may need to share information with our service providers to enable us to perform our obligations under that contract or to take the steps you have requested before we enter into a contract with you.

Disclosure and use of your information for legal reasons

Indicating possible criminal acts or threats to public security to a competent authority

If we suspect that criminal or potential criminal conduct has been occurred, we will in certain circumstances need to contact an appropriate authority, such as the police. This could be the case, for instance, if we suspect that we fraud or a cyber-crime has been committed or if we receive threats or malicious communications towards us or third parties.

We will generally only need to process your information for this purpose if you were involved or affected by such an incident in some way.

Legitimate interests:  preventing crime or suspected criminal activity (such as fraud).

In connection with the enforcement or potential enforcement our legal rights

We will use your information in connection with the enforcement or potential enforcement of our legal rights, including, for example, sharing information with debt collection agencies if you do not pay amounts owed to us when you are contractually obliged to do so. Our legal rights may be contractual (where we have entered into a contract with you) or non-contractual (such as legal rights that we have under copyright law or tort law).

Legitimate interest:  enforcing our legal rights and taking steps to enforce our legal rights.

In connection with a legal or potential legal dispute or proceedings

We may need to use your information if we are involved in a dispute with you or a third party for example, either to resolve the dispute or as part of any mediation, arbitration or court resolution or similar process.

Legitimate interest(s):  resolving disputes and potential disputes.

This section sets out how long we retain your information. We have set out specific retention periods where possible. Where that has not been possible, we have set out the criteria we use to determine the retention period.

Retention periods

Server log information: we retain information on our server logs for 3 months.

Order information: when you place an order for goods and services, we retain that information for seven years following the end of the financial year in which you placed your order, in accordance with our legal obligation to keep records for tax purposes.

Correspondence and enquiries: when you make an enquiry or correspond with us for any reason, whether by email or via our contact form or by phone, we will retain your information for as long as it takes to respond to and resolve your enquiry, and for 36 further month(s), after which point we will archive your information.

Newsletter: we retain the information you used to sign up for our newsletter for as long as you remain subscribed (i.e. you do not unsubscribe).

Membership: we retain the information you used to sign up for our memberships for as long as you remain subscribed (i.e. you do not unsubscribe).

Criteria for determining retention periods

In any other circumstances, we will retain your information for no longer than necessary, taking into account the following:

• the purpose(s) and use of your information both now and in the future (such as whether it is necessary to continue to store that information in order to continue to perform our obligations under a contract with you or to contact you in the future);
• whether we have any legal obligation to continue to process your information (such as any record-keeping obligations imposed by relevant law or regulation);
• whether we have any legal basis to continue to process your information (such as your consent);
• how valuable your information is (both now and in the future);
• any relevant agreed industry practices on how long information should be retained;
• the levels of risk, cost and liability involved with us continuing to hold the information;
• how hard it is to ensure that the information can be kept up to date and accurate; and
• any relevant surrounding circumstances (such as the nature and status of our relationship with you).

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to secure your information and to protect it against unauthorised or unlawful use and accidental loss or destruction, including:

• only sharing and providing access to your information to the minimum extent necessary, subject to confidentiality restrictions where appropriate, and on an anonymised basis wherever possible;
• using secure servers to store your information;
• verifying the identity of any individual who requests access to information prior to granting them access to information;
• using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) software to encrypt any payment transactions you make on or via our website;
• only transferring your information via closed system or encrypted data transfers;

Transmission of information to us by email

Transmission of information over the internet is not entirely secure, and if you submit any information to us over the internet (whether by email, via our website or any other means), you do so entirely at your own risk.

We cannot be responsible for any costs, expenses, loss of profits, harm to reputation, damages, liabilities or any other form of loss or damage suffered by you as a result of your decision to transmit information to us by such means.

Your information may be transferred and stored outside the European Economic Area (EEA) in the circumstances set out earlier in this policy.

We will also transfer your information outside the EEA or to an international organisation in order to comply with legal obligations to which we are subject (compliance with a court order, for example). Where we are required to do so, we will ensure appropriate safeguards and protections are in place.

Subject to certain limitations on certain rights, you have the following rights in relation to your information, which you can exercise by writing to the data controller using the details provided at the top of this policy.

• to request access to your information and information related to our use and processing of your information;
• to request the correction or deletion of your information;
• to request that we restrict our use of your information;
• to receive information which you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format (e.g. a CSV file) and the right to have that information transferred to another data controller (including a third-party data controller);
• to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes (for further information, see the section below entitled Your right to object to the processing of your information for certain purposes); and
• to withdraw your consent to our use of your information at any time where we rely on your consent to use or process that information. Please note that if you withdraw your consent, this will not affect the lawfulness of our use and processing of your information on the basis of your consent before the point in time when you withdraw your consent.

In accordance with Article 77 of the General Data Protection Regulation, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or of an alleged infringement of the General Data Protection Regulation.

Further information on your rights in relation to your personal data as an individual

You can find out further information about your rights, as well as information on any limitations which apply to those rights, by reading the underlying legislation contained in Articles 12 to 22 and 34 of the General Data Protection Regulation, which is available here: http://ec.europa.eu/justice/data-protection/reform/files/regulation_oj_en.pdf

Verifying your identity where you request access to your information

Where you request access to your information, we are required by law to use all reasonable measures to verify your identity before doing so.

These measures are designed to protect your information and to reduce the risk of identity fraud, identity theft or general unauthorised access to your information.

How we verify your identity

Where we possess appropriate information about you on file, we will attempt to verify your identity using that information.

If it is not possible to identity you from such information, or if we have insufficient information about you, we may require original or certified copies of certain documentation in order to be able to verify your identity before we are able to provide you with access to your information.

We will be able to confirm the precise information we require to verify your identity in your specific circumstances if and when you make such a request.

Your right to object

You have the following rights in relation to your information, which you may exercise in the same way as you may exercise by writing to the data controller using the details provided at the top of this policy.

• to object to us using or processing your information where we use or process it in order
• to  carry out a task in the public interest or for our legitimate interests , including ‘profiling’ (i.e. analysing or predicting your behaviour based on your information) based on any of these purposes; and
• to object to us using or processing your information for  direct marketing purposes (including any profiling we engage in that is related to such direct marketing).

You may also exercise your right to object to us using or processing your information for direct marketing purposes by:

• clicking the unsubscribe link contained at the bottom of any marketing email we send to you and following the instructions which appear in your browser following your clicking on that link;
• sending an email to [email protected]         , asking that we stop sending you marketing communications or by including the words “OPT OUT”.

Sensitive Personal Information

‘Sensitive personal information’ is information about an individual that reveals their racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, or trade union membership, genetic information, biometric information for the purpose of uniquely identifying an individual, information concerning health or information concerning a natural person’s sex life or sexual orientation.

Our website does not allow you to register any ‘Sensitive Information’, however if we ask for this, you will be considered to have explicitly consented to us processing that sensitive personal information under Article 9(2)(a) of the General Data Protection Regulation.

We update and amend our Privacy Policy from time to time.

Minor changes to our Privacy Policy 

Where we make minor changes to our Privacy Policy, we will update our Privacy Policy with a new effective date stated at the beginning of it. Our processing of your information will be governed by the practices set out in that new version of the Privacy Policy from its effective date onwards.

Major changes to our Privacy Policy or the purposes for which we process your information 

Where we make major changes to our Privacy Policy or intend to use your information for a new purpose or a different purpose than the purposes for which we originally collected it, we will notify you by email (where possible) or by posting a notice on our website.

We will provide you with the information about the change in question and the purpose and any other relevant information before we use your information for that new purpose.

Wherever required, we will obtain your prior consent before using your information for a purpose that is different from the purposes for which we originally collected it.

Because we care about the safety and privacy of children online, we comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA). COPPA and its accompanying regulations protect the privacy of children using the internet. We do not knowingly contact or collect information from persons under the age of 18. The website is not intended to solicit information of any kind from persons under the age of 18.

It is possible that we could receive information pertaining to persons under the age of 18 by the fraud or deception of a third party. If we are notified of this, as soon as we verify the information, we will, where required by law to do so, immediately obtain the appropriate parental consent to use that information or, if we are unable to obtain such parental consent, we will delete the information from our servers. If you would like to notify us of our receipt of information about persons under the age of 18, please do so by contacting us by using the details at the top of this policy.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

OUR COOKIES AND YOU

Hello! If you are reading this, then you care about privacy – and your privacy is very important to us. Cookies are an important part of almost all online companies these days, and this page describes what they are, how we use them, what data they collect, and most importantly, how you can change your browser settings to turn them off.

WHAT IS A COOKIE?

A cookie is a file containing an identifier (a string of letters and numbers) that is sent by a web server to a web browser and is stored by the browser. The identifier is then sent back to the server each time the browser requests a page from the server.

Cookies may be either “persistent” cookies or “session” cookies: a persistent cookie will be stored by a web browser and will remain valid until its set expiry date, unless deleted by the user before the expiry date; a session cookie, on the other hand, will expire at the end of the user session, when the web browser is closed.

Cookies do not typically contain any information that personally identifies a user, but personal information that we store about you may be linked to the information stored in and obtained from cookies.

HOW WE USE COOKIES?

We use cookies for a number of different purposes. Some cookies are necessary for technical reasons; some enable a personalized experience for both visitors and registered users; and some allow the display of advertising from selected third party networks. Some of these cookies may be set when a page is loaded, or when a visitor takes a particular action (clicking the “like” or “follow” button on a post, for example).

WHAT COOKIES DO SUPERSASSANDSCIENCECLASS.COM USE?

We use cookies for the following purposes:

WHAT COOKIES ARE USED BY OUR SERVICE PROVIDERS?

Our service providers use cookies and those cookies may be stored on your computer when you visit our website.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics to analyse the use of our website. Google Analytics gathers information about website use by means of cookies. The information gathered relating to our website is used to create reports about the use of our website. Google’s privacy policy is available at https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/

DoubleClick/Google Adwords

We use Google Adwords which also owns DoubleClick for marketing and remarketing purposes.  Cookies are placed on your PC to help us track our adverts performance, as well as to help tailor our marketing to your needs.  You can view Googles Privacy policy here https://policies.google.com/privacy

MANAGING COOKIES

Most browsers allow you to refuse to accept cookies and to delete cookies. The methods for doing so vary from browser to browser, and from version to version. You can, however, obtain up-to-date information about blocking and deleting cookies via these links:

https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?hl=en

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/enable-and-disable-cookies-website-preferences

https://www.opera.com/help/tutorials/security/cookies/

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies

https://support.apple.com/kb/PH21411

https://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10-microsoft-edge

Blocking all cookies will have a negative impact upon the usability of many websites. If you block cookies, you will not be able to use all the features on our website.

Cool Chemical Reaction Videos That Will Fascinate – and Educate

1. Briggs–Rauscher Reaction: Oscillating Chemical Reactions

2. pharaoh’s serpent: combustion reaction, 3. black snake: dehydration reaction, 4. elephant toothpaste: cold chemical reaction, 5. fire and ice: thermite chemical reaction.

• 6. Ferrofluid Experiment: Magnetic Properties 

7. Gummy Bear Fireworks: Oxidation Reaction

8. dry ice bubble: cold chemistry.

• 9. Table Salt Explosion: Exothermic Reaction 

10. Invisible Water: Sulfur Hexafluoride Demonstration

• 11. Hot Ice: Supercooling Crystallization 

Chemistry can be challenging for many schools with safety considerations and equipment availability. However, The Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments points out that students learn best by doing and take a lot away from physical experimentation and replicating reactions they have learned in theory.

Video is an excellent compromise so that students can see how amazing chemistry can be without putting themselves at risk or breaking the bank.

Here are a collection of the 11 impressive chemical reactions that should motivate your class to understand the science behind the spectacle:

The Briggs–Rauscher oscillating reaction is one of a small number of known oscillating chemical reactions. It is exceptionally well suited for demonstration purposes because of its visually striking color changes. The detailed mechanism of this oscillating clock reaction is quite complex, but the color change effect is beautifully hypnotic.

Three colorless chemicals create this amazing reaction – acidified potassium iodate, malonic acid-and-manganese sulfate monohydrate solution, and hydrogen peroxide. But, unlike other science experiments, the magic doesn’t stop. When you add the third solution, the oscillation cycle starts changing the resulting solution from transparent to amber to dark blue. Then it returns to a deep blue, amber, and clear, and the cycle continues.

From the beauty of the Briggs–Rauscher reaction, the pharaoh’s serpent looks like something from a horror movie. The chemical reaction is caused by heating Mercury Thiocyanate, where a rapid exothermic reaction produces a large mass of coiling serpent-like solid.

When ignited, the chemical creates a chain reaction releasing smoke and ash as it grows into a snake-like form.

Mercury is a toxic chemical, so be careful. The Black Snake science experiment has a similar effect without working with a highly toxic chemical like mercury and is safer for kids.

The black snake or sugar snake is as spectacular as the Pharaoh’s Serpent, but using sugar, baking soda, and 96% alcohol is a safer option. Many chemistry experiments are dangerous; household items offer the same chemical reactions but are safer for kids. 

Alternatively, you can use sulfuric acid and sugar to create the sugar snake. Sulfuric acid removes the water from a compound like sugar, causing a dehydration reaction. The elimination reaction releases the water as steam; the trapped carbon dioxide gas produces the black, growing snake. 

Be careful; sulfuric acid is strong and can damage clothing and cause chemical burns. 

Elephant toothpaste is a foamy substance caused by the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide and catalyzed by potassium or sodium iodide—color or stripe the steamy foam to look like a giant toothpaste, perfect for an elephant.

The science experiment is often used for classroom demonstrations of cold chemical reactions because it requires only a small amount of ingredients and makes a “volcano of foam.”

There are two ways to make this elephant toothpaste. The kids-friendly experiment uses diluted hydrogen peroxide and replaces potassium iodide with yeast.

A thermite reaction is potent enough to burn metal, but what chemical change can you expect when adding a block of ice? A fantastic explosion!

Ignited by an energy source, the thermite composition of metal (zinc, magnesium, aluminum) and oxidizers produces an exothermic oxidation-reduction reaction. The displacement reaction creates fire without oxygen gas. The most common burning or rapid oxidation is between aluminum and iron oxide.

However, kindled on ice causes a loud explosion and dazzling light from a large amount of heat released in a few seconds.

Thermite and liquid nitrogen chemical reaction experiments could be dangerous for most school labs, so be careful.

6. Ferrofluid Experiment: Magnetic Properties

Ferrofluids are colloidal liquids made of nanoscale ferromagnetic, or ferrimagnetic, particles suspended in a carrier fluid (usually an organic solvent or water). The fluid produces terrific shapes and patterns when exposed to strong magnetic fields.

Unlike a solid magnet, a liquid paramagnet changes shape in response to other magnets. It is not a chemical change but a physical change without producing a new substance. Ferrofluids make great seals, for example, protecting the computer hard drive from dust. 

Potassium Chlorate is a compound containing potassium, chlorine, and oxygen. When potassium chlorate is heated to a melting point, any item added to it will cause a rapid disintegration in the form of an explosion – amazing chemical reactions like fireworks! 

When eating candy, your body breaks the sugar bonds slowly to release the energy stored within. In the Gummy Bear experiment, heated potassium chlorate produces oxygen gas igniting the glucose solution and releasing energy as heat and light.

The bonds break simultaneously, releasing immense light and heat energy producing the glittering spark reaction seen in the tube. Any candy will work for this science project; it doesn’t have to be gummy bears.

One of the safer experiments to reproduce, this reaction is more for fun than science. Solid ice transforms into gas when sublimation occurs. Dry ice is an example of frozen carbon dioxide gas.

Carbon gas and water vapor create a ghostlike fog. The water and carbon dioxide are trapped inside the soap bubble that grows until it pops and releases the mist. Note how the video experiment adds soapy water to the container’s rim to create the giant bubble.

Although tempting, never touch dry ice with bare hands or put it in your mouth. Instead, wear gloves and be safe. 

9. Table Salt Explosion: Exothermic Reaction

A fun chemistry experiment with amazing chemical reactions using everyday items allows kids to explore science hands-0n. For example, combining sodium with chlorine is an exothermic process that releases massive heat energy in bright yellow light, resulting in salt. 

Sodium, a soft, silver-colored metal, is highly explosive when sodium atoms react with water. Burning with yellow-colored flames, it releases sparks and produces hydrogen gas. Although chlorine is poisonous, sodium chloride or salt is safe and essential for life.

Combining sodium and chlorine produces a stable, ionic bond when the metal donates valence electron(s) to the nonmetal. 

It’s magic! The tinfoil boat floats on invisible water. You can use a jug to fill the vessel with invisible water and watch how it sinks to the bottom.

Chemistry experiments with sulfur hexafluoride are like magic, and many magicians use it for their tricks. Sulfur hexafluoride behaves like a liquid but is a gas with five times air density and applies more buoyancy force on objects. 

And if you want to sound more like Dart Vader than a Chipmunk, inhale sulfur hexafluoride instead of helium. However, if not exhaled correctly, it could stay at the bottom of your lungs, taking up oxygen space. 

7.1 Chemical Reactions & Matter

How can we make something new that was not there before?

Unit Summary

Seventh grade chemistry students' conceptual understanding of chemical reactions for middle school science is foundational to much science learning. Understanding atomic level reactions is crucial for learning physical, life, earth, and space science. Even more importantly, they open up new windows of curiosity for students to see the world around them. By seventh grade, students are ready to take on the abstract nature of the interactions of atoms and molecules far too small to see.

To pique 7th grade students’ curiosity and anchor the learning for the unit in the visible and concrete, students start with an experience of observing and analyzing a bath bomb as it fizzes and eventually disappears in the water. Their observations and questions about what is going on drive learning that digs into a series of related phenomena as students iterate and improve their models depicting what happens during chemical reactions for middle school science. By the end of the unit, students have a firm grasp on how to model simple molecules, know what to look for to determine if chemical reactions have occurred, and apply their knowledge to chemical reactions to show how mass is conserved when atoms are rearranged.

Unit Examples

Additional unit information, next generation science standards addressed in this unit.

Performance Expectations

This 7th grade chemistry unit builds toward the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs):

• MS-PS1-1: Develop models to describe the atomic composition of simple molecules and extended structures. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on developing models of molecules that vary in complexity. Examples of simple molecules could include ammonia and methanol. Examples of extended structures could include sodium chloride or diamonds. Examples of molecular-level models could include drawings, 3D ball and stick structures, or computer representations showing different molecules with different types of atoms.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include valence electrons and bonding energy, discussing the ionic nature of subunits of complex structures, or a complete description of all individual atoms in a complex molecule or extended structure is not required.]
• MS-PS1-2:  Analyze and interpret data on the properties of substances before and after the substances interact to determine if a chemical reaction has occurred. [Clarification Statement: Examples of reactions could include burning sugar or steel wool, fat reacting with sodium hydroxide, and mixing zinc with hydrogen chloride.] [Assessment boundary: Assessment is limited to analysis of the following properties: density, melting point, boiling point, solubility, flammability, and odor.]
• MS-PS1-5:  Develop and use a model to describe how the total number of atoms does not change in a chemical reaction and thus mass is conserved. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on law of conservation of matter and on physical models or drawings, including digital forms, that represent atoms.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the use of atomic masses, balancing symbolic equations, or intermolecular forces.]

The following PE will be developed over three OpenSciEd units; OpenSciEd Unit 6.1: Why do we sometimes see different things when looking at the same object? (One-way Mirror Unit) , OpenSciEd Unit 7.1: How can we make something new that was not there before? (Bath Bombs Unit) , and OpenSciEd Unit 8.2: How can a sound make something move? (Sound Unit) . This 7th grade unit will address only the chemical reactions that input the transmit signals to the brain through smell. The other units will address electromagnetic and mechanical inputs, as well as the connection to signals processing in the brain, resulting in immediate behaviors or memories.

• MS-LS1-8. Gather and synthesize information that sensory receptors respond to stimuli by sending messages to the brain for immediate behavior or storage as memories.   [Assessment boundary: Assessment does not include mechanisms for transmission of this information]
• MS-LS1.D: Information Processing: Each sense receptor responds to different inputs ( electromagnetic , mechanical , chemical ), transmitting them as signals that travel along nerve cells to the brain. The signals are then processed in the brain, resulting in immediate behaviors or memories.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter

• Substances are made from different types of atoms, which combine with one another in various ways.
• Atoms form molecules that range in size from two to thousands of atoms.
• Solids may be formed from molecules, or they may be extended structures with repeating subunits (e.g., crystals).
• Each pure substance has characteristic physical and chemical properties (for any bulk quantity under given conditions) that can be used to identify it.

PS1.B: Chemical Reactions

• Substances react chemically in characteristic ways. In a chemical process, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants.
• The total number of each type of atom is conserved, and thus the mass does not change.

LS1-D: Information Processing

• Each sense receptor responds to different inputs ( electromagnetic, mechanical , chemical), transmitting them as signals that travel along nerve cells to the brain. The signals are then processed in the brain, resulting in immediate behaviors or memories.

Disciplinary Core Ideas are reproduced verbatim from A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas.  DOI: https://doi.org/10.17226/13165. National Research Council; Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education; Board on Science Education; Committee on a Conceptual Framework for New K-12 Science Education Standards. National Academies Press, Washington, DC. This material may be reproduced and used by other parties with this attribution. If the original material is altered in any way, the attribution must state that the material is adapted from the original.

Science & Engineering Practices

While this 7th grade chemistry unit engages students in multiple SEPs across the lesson level performance expectations for all the lessons in the unit, there are three focal practices that this unit targets to support students’ development in a learning progression across the 7th grade year for the SEPs. These are:

• Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
• Analyzing and Interpreting Data
• Engaging in Argument from Evidence

In addition, there are two supporting practices that students will utilize over the course of the 7th grade chemistry unit. These practices are two that students have developed over the course of 6th grade in the OpenSciEd sequence and will be used as supporting practices in this unit:

• Developing and Using Models
• Planning and Carrying Out Investigations

Crosscutting Concepts

While this 7th grade chemistry unit engages students in multiple CCCs across the lesson level performance expectations for all the lessons in the unit, there are three focal practices that this unit targets to help support students’ development in a learning progression. These are:

• Scale, Proportion, and Quantity
• Energy and Matter

Connections to the Nature of Science

Which elements of the Nature of Science are developed in the unit?

• Scientific explanations are subject to revision and improvement in light of new evidence. (NOS-SEP)
• Science knowledge is based upon logical and conceptual connections between evidence and explanations.(NOS-SEP)
• Science knowledge is cumulative and many people, from many generations and nations, have contributed to science knowledge. (NOS-CCC)

How are they developed?

• Students begin developing explanations about where the gas from the bath bomb is coming from, and then they revise those explanations as they gather evidence from their investigations.
• Students build their science knowledge about chemical reactions based on logical and conceptual connections they make using evidence from their investigations about what happens when a bath bomb is added to water over the course of the unit.
• Students develop ways to represent what happens during chemical reactions at the molecular level through multiple revisions. They read about how other scientists used this same approach over the years to revise their prior models to help them make sense of a phenomenon as they collect new evidence.

Unit Placement Information

What is the anchoring phenomenon and why was it chosen?

This unit begins with an exploration of observing what happens when a store bought bath bomb is added to water. Students make observations of the bath bomb multiple times: 1) before adding it to water by passing it around the class, 2) right after the bath bomb has been added to water, and 3) after the bath bomb has been in the water for 10 minutes. They notice that when the bath bomb is added to water it immediately begins to behave differently—it bubbles (forming a gas), breaks apart (dissolves and reacts), changes the color of the water, and has an odor that wasn’t as evident before adding to the water. After observing a store bought bath bomb as a class, each student is given one of four different homemade bath bomb samples to investigate before and after adding to water. These investigations lead to students having many questions about bath bombs and ideas for how to investigate what is causing the different bath bombs to behave the way they do.  

Each OpenScied unit’s anchoring phenomenon is chosen from a group of possible phenomena after analyzing student interest survey results and consulting with external advisory panels. We also chose bath bombs as the anchor for this unit for these reasons:

• Bath bombs are common, everyday examples of a product that undergoes a chemical reaction. The example ones listed in the clarification statement for MS-PS1-2 (burning sugar or steel wool, fat reacting with sodium hydroxide, and mixing zinc with hydrogen chloride) are not as connected to students’ everyday experiences.
• The production of bubbles that occurs when bath bombs are added to water would draw on a wider range of students’ own experiences with other related phenomena. These included: Antacid tablets, water purification tablets, mints added to carbonated soda, and baking soda mixed with vinegar.
• The most prevalent ingredients in bath bombs are household items, that are relatively inexpensive to purchase and can be locally sourced as consumbables for classrooms.
• The most prevalent ingredients in bath bombs are non-toxic, and therefore allow students an opportunity to work directly with the reactants and products in a chemical reaction, without incurring an unacceptable level of risk if these substances were accidently ingested. This was an important safety consideration, since this unit was the first introduction to working with chemicals in a lab setting in the middle school OpenSciEd program.
• A pre-field test of the pilot for a bath-bomb based anchor produced driving question boards on which the majority of the students’ questions and ideas for investigations / sources of data needed to answer those questions, were anticipated by the unit development team and were specifically targeted in the field test version of the storyline.

How is the unit structured?

This unit is broken into two lesson sets, focusing on properties of substances, chemical reactions, and conservation of mass. In the first lesson set, students investigate bath bombs and the ingredients that make up bath bombs to identify different substances in gas form using property data. In the second lesson set, students use property data and conservation of mass to argue whether a chemical reaction has occurred resulting in a new substance.

Where does this unit fall within the OpenSciEd Scope and Sequence?

This is the first unit in the 7th grade scope and sequence for OpenSciEd. There are six total units designed for 7th grade. This unit directly builds off the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs), and Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) developed in two of the 6th grade units that preceded this one. Those two units are: the Cup Design Unit and the Storms Unit . There are three units that follow this unit in 7th grade that will build off the DCIs, CCCs, and SEPs developed in this unit. Those units are: the Homemade Heater Unit , the Inside Our Bodies Unit , Maple Syrup Unit .

What modifications will I need to make if this unit is taught out of sequence?

Because this 7th grade chemistry unit is taught using a conceptual approach to developing a model of matter that requires the existence of compound particles and smaller constituent parts (atoms), pre-teaching the idea that atoms exist and that they make up molecules is counterproductive to the trajectory of this unit. Students may have heard of the words “atoms” and “molecules” in other contexts and should be encouraged to try to apply any ideas about the particulate nature of matter they may bring to the table in the first part of the unit. But, since OpenSciEd units in 6th grade develop a particulate model of matter that doesn’t distinguish between molecules and atoms, the middle of this unit will be the first time that students will find the need for such distinction based on something they can’t explain about the anchoring phenomena.  Many subsequent units in 7th grade OpenSciEd will use the ideas developed in this 7th grade chemistry unit, to explain other phenomena, and will rely on the development of the following ideas developed in this unit. The unit that requires each idea listed here is identified in parentheses.

• Every substance has characteristic properties that can be used to identify it (e.g., solubility, odor, melting point, boiling point, flammability, density, color). These do not change regardless of the amount of the substance. (7.2, 7.3)
• Substances are made from different types of atoms, which combine with one another in various ways. The number, type, and arrangement of atoms in the molecules that make up a substance are unique to that substance. (7.2)
• Atoms form molecules. (7.2, 7.3, 7.4)
• In a chemical reaction, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants. (7.2, 7.3, 7.4)
• In a chemical reaction, the total number of each type of atom is conserved, and thus the mass does not change. (7.2, 7.3, 7.4)
• There are two ways to break apart matter—physical processes and chemical processes. (7.3, 7.4)
• Chemical processes involve the rearrangement of particles that make up the matter; this includes chemical reactions, phase changes, and dissolving. (7.2)

What mathematics is required to fully access the unit’s learning experiences?

Density is a property that students measure, graph, and calculate from mass and volume data in Lesson 8. They will be using the following two math concepts in that lesson:

• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2.A Decide whether two quantities are in a proportional relationship, e.g., by testing for equivalent ratios in a table or graphing on a coordinate plane and observing whether the graph is a straight line through the origin.
• CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.RP.A.2.B  Identify the constant of proportionality (unit rate) in tables, graphs, equations, diagrams, and verbal descriptions of proportional relationships.

How do I shorten or condense the unit if needed? How can I extend the unit if needed?

The following are example options to shorten or condense parts of the unit without completely eliminating the important sensemaking for students.

• Lesson 6: This is a mid-unit transfer task where students apply what they have figured out about identifying substances through properties. Students analyze Elephant’s Toothpaste, which is usually one of the related phenomena from Lesson 1, to argue what gas is being created during this investigation. Lesson 5 would be used as a midpoint assessment and this lesson could be skipped.
• Lesson 13: If short of time, this lesson could be skipped. Usually there will be a category of questions around odors or smells of the bath bombs and why there are different odors so this lesson helps to fully close out the DQB. In addition, the DCI LS1.D is spread across multiple units in OpenSciEd, this being one of them. So if this lesson is skipped during this unit, more time or support might be needed in one of the other units that address this DCI ( OpenSciEd Unit 6.1: Why do we sometimes see different things when looking at the same object? (One-way Mirror Unit) , OpenSciEd Unit 6.6: How do living things heal? (Healing Unit) , OpenSciEd Unit 8.1: Why do things sometimes get damaged when they hit each other? (Collisions Unit) , and OpenSciEd Unit 8.2: How can a sound make something move? (Sound Unit) ).
• Lesson 14: By Lesson 12, students will be able to explain the anchor, so this lesson could be dropped if time is short. This lesson provides students the opportunity to apply what they have figured out about chemical reactions to a real world situation, the crumbling and discoloration of the Taj Mahal.

To extend or enhance the unit, consider the following:

• Lesson 6: This lesson is a transfer task in which students watch two video clips of the Elephant Toothpaste investigation and read second hand data from this investigation. If there is interest and time, this investigation could be done as a demonstration in class. This would allow students to use first hand data and observe this investigation closer up.
• Lesson 10: If you have the supplies, you could have students work in small groups and conduct the electrolysis investigation with their small group.

Unit Acknowledgements

Unit Development Team

• Dawn Novak, Unit Lead, BSCS Science Learning
• Michael Novak, Field Test Unit Lead, Northwestern University
• Holly Hereau, Writer, BSCS Science Learning
• Gail Housman, Writer, Northwestern University
• Betty Stennett, Writer, BSCS Science Learning
• Keetra Tipton, Writer, Sunset Ridge School, Northfield, IL
• Wayne Wright, Writer, BSCS Science Learning
• Renee Affolter, Reviewer, Boston College
• Tyler Scaletta, Pilot Teacher, Alcott College Prep Elementary School, Chicago Public Schools
• Katie Van Horne, Assessment Specialist
• Joseph Krajcik, Unit Advisory Chair, Michigan State University
• Michael Clinchot, Teacher Advisor, John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
• Brian MacNevin, Teacher Advisor, Northwest Educational Service District 189

Production Team

BSCS Science Learning

• Christine Osborne, Copyeditor, Independent Contractor
• Denise Rubens, Copyeditor, Independent Contractor
• Stacey Luce, Editorial Production Lead
• Valerie Maltese, Marketing Specialist & Project Coordinator
• Renee DeVaul, Project Coordinator and Copyediting
• Chris Moraine, Multimedia Graphic Designer

Unit External Evaluation

EdReports awarded OpenSciEd an all-green rating for our Middle School Science Curriculum in February 2023.  The materials received a green rating on all three qualifying gateways: Designed for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), Coherence and Scope, and Usability. To learn more and read the report, visit the  EdReports site .

NextGenScience’s Science Peer Review Panel

An integral component of OpenSciEd’s  development process is external validation of alignment to the Next Generation Science Standards by NextGenScience’s Science Peer Review Panel using the EQuIP Rubric for Science . We are proud that this unit has earned the highest score available and has been awarded the  NGSS Design Badge . You can find additional information about the EQuIP rubric and the peer review process at the  nextgenscience.org  website.

Unit standards

This unit builds toward the following NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs) as described in the OpenSciEd Scope & Sequence:

Reference to kit materials

The OpenSciEd units are designed for hands-on learning and therefore materials are necessary to teach the unit. These materials can be purchased as science kits or assembled using the kit material list.

NGSS Design Badge Awarded: Aug 5, 2020 Awarded To: OpenSciEd Unit 7.1: How Can We Make Something New That Was Not There Before? VERIFY

10 Cool Chemistry Experiments

ThoughtCo / Hilary Allison

• Projects & Experiments
• Chemical Laws
• Periodic Table
• Scientific Method
• Biochemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Medical Chemistry
• Chemistry In Everyday Life
• Famous Chemists
• Activities for Kids
• Abbreviations & Acronyms
• Weather & Climate
• Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
• B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College

Chemistry is king when it comes to making science cool. There are many interesting and fun projects to try, but these 10 chemistry experiments might be the coolest.

Whether you want to witness color transformations with copper and nitric acid or create a foam spectacle with hydrogen peroxide and potassium iodide, there's something here to spark curiosity in everyone. There's even a famous chemical reaction that will emit blue light and a characteristic barking or woofing sound.

Copper and Nitric Acid

When you place a piece of copper in nitric acid , the Cu 2+ 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.

Hydrogen Peroxide with Potassium Iodide

Affectionately known as elephant toothpaste , the chemical reaction between peroxide and potassium iodide shoots out a column of foam. If you add food coloring, you can customize the "toothpaste" for holiday-colored themes.

Any Alkali Metal in Water

Any of the alkali metals will react vigorously in water . How vigorously? Sodium burns bright yellow. Potassium burns violet. Lithium burns red. Cesium explodes. Experiment by moving down the alkali metals group of the periodic table. 

Thermite Reaction

The thermite reaction essentially shows what would happen if iron rusted instantly, rather than over time. In other words, it's making metal burn. If the conditions are right, just about any metal will burn. However, the reaction usually is performed by reacting iron oxide with aluminum:

Fe 2 O 3  + 2Al → 2Fe + Al 2 O 3  + heat and light

If you want a truly stunning display, try placing the mixture inside a block of dry ice and then lighting the mixture.

Coloring Fire

 SEAN GLADWELL / Getty Images

When ions are heated in a flame, electrons become excited and then drop to a lower energy state, emitting photons. The energy of the photons is characteristic of the chemical and corresponds to specific flame colors . It's the basis for the flame test in analytical chemistry , plus it's fun to experiment with different chemicals to see what colors they produce in a fire.

Make Polymer Bouncy Balls

Who doesn't enjoy playing with bouncy balls ? The chemical reaction used to make the balls makes a terrific experiment because you can alter the properties of the balls by changing the ratio of the ingredients.

Make a Lichtenberg Figure

A Lichtenberg figure or "electrical tree" is a record of the path taken by electrons during an electrostatic discharge. It's basically frozen lightning. There are several ways you can make an electrical tree.

Experiment with 'Hot Ice'

Hot ice is a name given to sodium acetate, a chemical you can make by reacting vinegar and baking soda. A solution of sodium acetate can be supercooled​ so that it will crystallize on command. Heat is evolved when the crystals form, so although it resembles water ice, it's hot.

Barking Dog Experiment

The Barking Dog is the name given to a chemiluminescent reaction involving the exothermic combination of either nitrous oxide or nitrogen monoxide with carbon disulfide. The reaction proceeds down a tube, emitting blue light and a characteristic "woof" sound.

Another version of the demonstration involves coating the inside of a clear jug with alcohol and igniting the vapor. The  flame front proceeds down the ​bottle , which also barks.

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.

Easy Science Experiments

Want something less extravagant but still fun? These easy science experiments are doable with items you likely already have at home—from creating invisible ink with baking soda to making homemade ice cream in a plastic bag.

• Equation for the Reaction Between Baking Soda and Vinegar
• A to Z Chemistry Dictionary
• Examples of Chemical Reactions in Everyday Life
• Element Families of the Periodic Table
• Exothermic Reaction Examples - Demonstrations to Try
• Corrosive Definition in Chemistry
• How Flame Test Colors Are Produced
• What Is Chemiluminescence?
• Saponification Definition and Reaction
• Make a Cold Pack from Hot Ice
• How to Make Aqua Regia Acid Solution
• 10 Amazing Chemical Reactions
• How to Make Nitrocellulose or Flash Paper
• Chemical Change Definition in Chemistry
• 10 Cool Facts About Lithium
• Sulfuric Acid and Sugar Demonstration

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Science Experiments For Middle Schoolers

Middle schoolers love science! These hands-on middle school science experiments can be completed in the classroom or at home, whether you’re exploring viscosity, density, liquids, solids, and so much more. Below you’ll find a great list of middle school science activities and experiments, including 7th grader science fair project ideas to get you started. 

What is Middle School Science?

Are you looking for cool science experiments for kids that also offers a valuable opportunity to learn basic chemistry, physics, and earth science concepts? With simple ingredients and basic materials, your middle school students will have a blast with these easy science experiments.

You’ll find that just about every science experiment on the list below uses supplies you can easily find around the house or classroom or are quick and easy to pick up at the supermarket.

Mason jars, empty plastic bottles, baking soda, salt, vinegar, zip-top bags, rubber bands, glue, hydrogen peroxide, food coloring (always fun but optional), and various other common ingredients make science accessible to everyone!

Explore chemical reactions to simple machines, surface tension, gravity, buoyancy, and more with various science experiments, demonstrations, and activities.

Printable Science and STEM Packs

For a comprehensive guide to all of our science and STEM projects , make sure to look at these guides to get started today.

Free Science Challenge Calendar Guide

Also, download our free printable 12 Days of Science Challenge to get started!

Try These Science Experiments for Middle Schoolers

Grab a pen and make a list! Everything you need for educational and fun science is right here.

At the end of this huge list, you’ll find more science resource guides such as vocabulary words , book choices , and information on the science process !

Make simple airfoils and explore air resistance.

ALKA-SELTZER EXPERIMENT

What happens when you drop alka seltzer tablets into oil and water? This type of experiment explores both physics and chemistry. You can even look at the emulsification concept while at it.

ALKA SELTZER ROCKET

Get ready for some fun with this Alka Seltzer Rocket. Easy to set up and simple to do, it is chemistry in action!

APPLE BROWNING EXPERIMENT

How do you keep apples from turning brown? Do all apples turn brown at the same rate? Answer these burning apple science questions with an apple oxidation experiment.

ARCHIMEDES SCREW

Archimedes’ screw, is one of the earliest machines used for moving water from a lower area to a higher area. Make an Archimedes screw that uses cardboard and a water bottle to create a machine to move cereal!

Atoms are tiny but very important building blocks of everything in our world. What are the parts of an atom?

BALLOON EXPERIMENT

Also try our soda balloon experiment .

BLUBBER EXPERIMENT

How do whales stay warm in very cold water? Test out how blubber works as an insulator with this fun science experiment.

BOTTLE ROCKET

There’s nothing better than a baking soda and vinegar reaction when it comes to science experiments, and it is great for a variety of ages including middle schoolers. While a bit messy, it’s a fantastic opportunity to explore mixtures, states of matter, and basic chemistry.

CABBAGE PH INDICATOR

Explore how re cabbage can be used to test liquids of varying acid levels. Depending on the pH of the liquid, the cabbage turns various shades of pink, purple, or green! It’s incredibly cool to watch, and kids love it!

CELLS (Animals and Plants)

Learn about the unique structures that make up plant and animal cells with these two free, hands-on STEAM projects.

CANDY EXPERIMENTS

Take a sweet treat and apply science to it. There are a variety of ways you can experiment and explore candy for physics fun!

CRUSHED CAN EXPERIMENT

Love exploding experiments? YES!! Well here’s another one the kids are sure to love except this one is an imploding or collapsing experiment! Learn about atmospheric pressure with this incredible can crusher experiment.

DANCING CORN

Can you make corn dance? Explore a simple chemical reaction, with the addition of corn kernels. Also try it with raisins or cranberries !

DANCING SPRINKLES

Turn on your favorite tunes and make colorful sprinkles dance! Explore sound and vibrations when you try this fun   dancing sprinkles experiment.

DIY COMPASS

Learn what a compass is and how a compass works, as you make your own homemade compass. All you need are a few simple materials to get started.

DNA EXTRACTION

Usually, you can’t see DNA except with a high-powered microscope. But with this strawberry DNA extraction experiment, you can get the DNA strands to release from their cells and bind together into a format that’s visible with the naked eye.

YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Build a Candy DNA Model

EGG DROP EXPERIMENT

Take the egg drop challenge as you investigate what makes for the best shock absorber for dropping an egg without it breaking on impact.

EGG IN VINEGAR EXPERIMENT

Can you make an egg bounce? Find out with this chemical reaction, of an egg in vinegar.

ELEPHANT TOOTHPASTE

Explore an exothermic chemical reaction with hydrogen peroxide and yeast.

DRY-ERASE MARKER EXPERIMENT

Create a dry-erase drawing and watch it float in water.

FLOATING RICE

Grab some rice and a bottle, and let’s find out what happens when you put a pencil in the mix! Do you think you can lift a bottle of rice with a pencil? Try this fun friction experiment and find out.

Green Pennies Experiment

Why is the Statue of Liberty green? It’s a beautiful patina, but how does it happen? Explore the science in your own kitchen or classroom by making green pennies.

Growing Crystals

There are several ways to explore super saturated solutions and grow crystals. Featured below is the traditional growing borax crystals science experiment . However, you can also grow edible sugar crystals or check out how to grow salt crystals . All three chemistry experiments are cool for kids!

Heart Model

Use this heart model project for a hands-on approach to anatomy. You only need a few simple supplies and very little prep to make this fun heart pump model.

Invisible Ink

Write a message that no one else can see until the ink is revealed with your own invisible ink! Cool chemistry that’s perfect to do at home or in the classroom. Compare it with a different type of invisible ink with cranberry secret messages .

Liquid Density Experiment

This fun liquid density experiment explores how some liquids are heavier or denser than others.

Lemon Battery

What can you power with a   lemon battery ? Grab some lemons and a few other supplies, and find out how you can make lemons into lemon electricity!

Learn how our amazing lungs work, and even a bit of physics with this easy balloon lung model. 

The chemical reaction in this magic milk experiment is fun to watch and makes for great hands-on learning.

Melting Ice Experiment

What makes ice melt faster? Investigate with a fun ice melting experiment that kids are sure to enjoy. Plus, try an icy STEM challenge.

Mentos and Coke

Here’s another fizzing experiment kids are sure to love! All you need are Mentos and Coke. It’s not a chemical reaction taking place like you might think.

Milk and Vinegar

Transform a couple of common kitchen ingredients into a moldable, durable piece of a plastic-like substance. Make plastic milk with a chemical reaction.

Oil Spill Experiment

Apply science to the care and protection of the environment with this oil spill demonstration. Learn about an oil spill and investigate the best ways to clean it up.

Penny Boat Challenge and Buoyancy

Design a simple tin foil boat, and see how many pennies it can hold before it sinks. How many pennies will it take to make your boat sink? Learn about simple physics while you test out your engineering skills.

Pepper and Soap Experiment

Sprinkle some pepper in water and make it dance across the surface. Explore surface tension of water when you try this pepper and soap experiment.

Pop Rocks and Soda

Pop rocks is a fun candy to eat, and now you can turn it into an easy Pop Rocks science experiment.

Potato Osmosis Lab

Explore what happens to potatoes when you put them in concentration salt water and then pure water.

Rising Water Experiment

Place a burning candle in water and watch what happens to the water. Explore the science of burning candles when you try this fun candle experiment.

Salad Dressing- Emulsification

You can mix oil and vinegar for the perfect salad dressing! It’s called emulsification. Simple science you can set up with ingredients found in your kitchen cupboards.

Saltwater Density Experiment

Investigate whether an egg will sink or float in salt water.

Skittles Experiment

Explore what happens to skittles candy in water and why the colors don’t mix.

Screaming Balloon

This screaming balloon experiment is an awesome   physics activity! Explore centripetal force or how objects travel a circular path with a few simple supplies.

Grab the glue and make a classic chemistry demonstration. Slime is all about science and a must try at least one. If you want a 2 for1, our magnetic slime is just about the coolest thing you’ll ever play with… it’s alive (well, not really)!

Stormwater Runoff

What happens to rain or melting snow when it can’t go into the ground? Set up an easy stormwater runoff model with your kids to explore what happens.

Surface Tension Experiments

Learn what the surface tension of water is and check out these cool surface tension experiments to try at home or in the classroom.

Walking Water

Watch the water travel as it makes a rainbow of color! How does it do that?

More Helpful Science Resources

Science vocabulary.

It is never too early to introduce some fantastic science words to kids. Get them started with a printable science vocabulary word list . You’re going to want to incorporate these science terms into your next science lesson!

WHAT IS A SCIENTIST

Think like a scientist! Act like a scientist! Scientists, like you and me, are also curious about the world around them. Learn about the different types of scientists and what they do to increase their understanding of their specific area of interest. Read What Is A Scientist

SCIENCE PRACTICES

A new approach to teaching science is called the Best Science Practices. These eight science and engineering practices are less structured and allow for a more free – flowing approach to problem-solving and finding answers to questions. These skills are critical to developing future engineers, inventors, and scientists!

Bonus STEM Projects for Kids

STEM activities include science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. As well as our kid’s science experiments, we have lots of fun STEM activities for you to try. Check out these STEM ideas below…

• Building Activities
• Engineering Projects For Kids
• LEGO Engineering Projects
• What Is Engineering For Kids?
• Coding Activities For Kids
• STEM Worksheets
• Top 10 STEM Challenges For Kids

Middle School Science Fair Project Pack

Looking to plan a science fair project, make a science fair board or want an easy guide to set up your own science experiments?

Go ahead and grab this free printable science fair project pack to get started!

Subscribe to receive a free 5-Day STEM Challenge Guide

~ projects to try now ~.

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Physical And Chemical Changes Activities For Middle School: Discussions, Experiments, Observation, And Other Resources

January 2, 2024 //  by  Elizabeth Weinick

Let’s face it – distinguishing between physical and chemical changes is not as easy as differentiating between cutting paper versus an exploding model volcano. There are many misconceptions that make the two concepts difficult for learners to understand! Middle schoolers must have a solid understanding of these concepts in order to apply their knowledge to bigger concepts in later grades. Here are 27 easy-prep, memorable and hands-on activities for middle schoolers to defy their misconceptions about physical and chemical changes and master the basics!

1. An Introduction to Physical and Chemical Changes

This introduction to physical and chemical changes includes a video, discussion questions, a vocabulary review, an activity guide, and assessments. The video is engaging and relatable for middle schoolers!

Learn More: Generation Genius

2. Skittles Science

You can dissolve skittles to investigate the question at the end of the rainbow – is this a physical or chemical change? You can vary the experiment by using different temperatures of water, white vinegar, or even lemonade to discover what happens.

Learn More: Science Sparks

3. Baking Chemistry

Explore chemical changes with baking! Sabrina talks about changes that can’t be undone in this episode of Crash Course Kids. She clearly defines chemical changes and provides a yummy experiment to enjoy after learning!

Learn More: Crash Course Kids

4. Naked Egg

Egg-xamine chemical and physical changes with eggs! This website provides several ways to observe the swelling and shrinking of de-shelled eggs in different liquids. This is also a great option to practice measuring and calculation skills while learning how different liquids affect the eggs’ mass.

Learn More: Exploratorium

5. Maximize Science!

Max captures young scientists’ attention in this video by creating huge versions of typical science experiments. Max investigates the chemical reaction that occurs to create light in a glow stick and the physical change for rock candy before creating a giant version of each!

Learn More: Science Max

6. Tarnished Coins

If you are curious why the Statue of Liberty is green, this activity explains the chemical reaction that happened over time to cause the color to change. This experiment model this oxidation with pennies.

Learn More: wikiHow

7. Dissolving Cups

While you may think watching a styrofoam cup disappear before your eyes is a chemical change, it is actually a physical change! Your children will be amazed to watch the bubbles that appear and learn why this is actually a physical change.

Learn More: Resource Center

8. Elephant Toothpaste

You can create toothpaste that would be perfect for an elephant! The product of this chemical reaction is a large foamy mess that is fun and kid-safe. You may want to dive deeper into why hydrogen peroxide produces this fun substance. 

Learn More: Imagination Station Toledo

9. Erupting Diet Coke and Mentos

You know your middle schools are itching for an explosion! Drop mentos into diet coke and squeal while everyone runs to a safe distance to watch the eruption. You can dismantle the misconception that an explosion always means a chemical reaction.

Learn More: Science B uddies

10. CSI Lab

You can bring a CSI television experience into your home with this “Case of the Missing Cake” activity! You and your children must use knowledge of chemical and physical changes to test samples of known and unknown substances to determine which suspect is the culprit!

Learn More: Mrs. Willyerd’s Virtual Classroom

11. Lemon Science

You can make a smaller version of the classic volcano by using a lemon! You may enjoy the low prep and easy-to-find materials needed. The best part is you can see the reaction occurring on the top of the lemon!

Learn More: Learning Lessons with Mrs. Labrasciano

12. Sort it Out

While experiments are a great visual, students also need concrete activities to solidify their knowledge of vocabulary and definitions. Here is a card sort to identify the differences between changes with both words and pictures to help struggling learners.

Learn More: Teaching with Elly Thorsen

13. Create Glow Sticks

We are always amazed at after-dark events with glow sticks! Students will love learning what chemicals must mix to produce the light that entrances us and why that “crack” is important for the change.

Learn More: A Dab Of Glue Will Do

14. Stained Shirt

If you have ever ruined a shirt with bleach, this experiment explains why bleach so powerfully takes over! This experiment is a great hands-on, team project to get all learners involved.

Learn More: Super Sass and Science Class

15. Misconceptions Explained

For struggling learners, this animation breaks down the complex language involved in chemical and physical reactions through an interaction between a scientist and a bunsen burner. They identify many misconceptions, so you may want to discuss with your students which misunderstandings they were surprised about!

Learn More: Smithsonian Science Education Center

16. Air Balloons

Here is a twist on the classic chemical reaction that occurs when you mix baking soda and vinegar! Add a balloon to the top of the container and watch in amazement. You can find out why the chemical reaction causes the balloon to react in this way.

Learn More: Education.com

17. Browning Apples

This experiment proves that we see chemical reactions so often and do not even realize it! Students will explore why the enzymes in apples react with oxygen- and how to prevent this!

Learn More: Purdue

18. Digestion in a Bag

This step-by-step activity puts the knowledge of chemical reactions to use as students investigate how our bodies break down food into small parts to create energy for our bodies. Students will create a model stomach in a ziplock bag!

Learn More: Discovery @ Home

19. Chemical Changes in Everyday Materials

Scientist Jared explains how chemical reactions can happen quickly or slowly. He does this with simple everyday materials, such as tin and fire, and ingredients to make bread.

Learn More: Fun Science Demos

20. Pumpkin Science

Perfect for a fall activity, this experiment allows students to follow the decomposition cycle of a pumpkin and discover what physical and chemical changes are occurring. You may want to supplement this experiment with the books provided!

Learn More: Teaching Muse

21. Popcorn is Physical

You can incorporate chemical and physical reaction learning into snack time! Learners often think physical changes are reversible, however, popcorn is the perfect example of a physical change that we cannot return to the original kernel state. Discuss as you make this snack!

Learn More: Edventures with Kids

22. Get the Scoop on Dairy Products

This lesson allows higher learners to apply their knowledge of physical science to determine what type of changes occur when turning milk into cheese, butter, yogurt, ice cream, whip cream, and other dairy products.

Learn More: Agriculture in the Classroom

23. Make Plastic from Milk

Learn how chemical changes can create something new and usable! Learners can create their own own toys, beads, and more by getting different substances to react with milk. Read on to find out the chemistry and history behind this process!

Learn More: STEAM Powered Family

24. Explore Physical and Chemical Changes in Everyday Life

We don’t always see the explosive attractions that come with chemical and physical reactions. Students can understand that they are seeing these changes in their daily life with stations such as salt and water mixtures, rusted nails, and a browned banana.

Learn More: Bright in the Middle

25. Physical and Chemical Weathering Activities

This project applies concepts of chemical and physical changes to another science topic- weathering! Students can complete these activities with sugar cubes and graham crackers to explore why statues are weathered and why sinkholes occur.

Learn More: The Owl Teacher

26. Kool-Aid Chemical Reactions

While making typical kool-aid is a physical change, complete this experiment with different types of liquids to see how the substance reacts! You may choose between lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and kool-aid water to see the changes that occur.

Learn More: Teaching Science with Lynda R. Williams

27. Kitchen Science

You can teach physical and chemical properties while baking! You may choose to discuss why common baking ingredients have certain properties, then, enjoy the tasty reward at the end!

Learn More: iExplore Science

Top 10 safe chemical reactions

Easy experiments to do at home

There are sev­er­al chem­i­cal re­ac­tions you can safe­ly and eas­i­ly per­form at home. The fol­low­ing ex­per­i­ments are gen­er­al­ly easy to find sup­plies for, easy to im­ple­ment, and safe with the ob­ser­vance of ba­sic pre­cau­tions. Which of these will end up on your to-do list?

1 — “Sug­ar snake”

This demon­stra­tion is like­ly the most spec­tac­u­lar ex­per­i­ment among safe chem­i­cal re­ac­tions. You’ll need a fire-re­sis­tant slab, a tablet of sol­id fuel, and two tablets of cal­ci­um glu­conate (most like­ly avail­able at your lo­cal phar­ma­cy). The ex­per­i­ment is sim­ple. Set the sol­id fuel on the tile and ig­nite it, then use tweez­ers to add two tablets of cal­ci­um glu­conate. Ob­serve as the sub­stance twists and morphs into long rib­bons that re­sem­ble snakes. This re­ac­tion has a sim­ple ex­pla­na­tion: as the cal­ci­um glu­conate burns, it re­leas­es car­bon diox­ide, which fills and dras­ti­cal­ly in­creas­es the vol­ume of the burnt sub­stance.

2 — Cop­per(II) hy­drox­ide and glu­cose

To con­duct this ex­per­i­ment, you’ll need cop­per(II) sul­fate, an al­ka­li so­lu­tion of sodi­um hy­drox­ide (sold in hard­ware stores), and a glu­cose so­lu­tion (sold in phar­ma­cies). Mix­ing cop­per(II) sul­fate and sodi­um hy­drox­ide will yield a blue pre­cip­i­tate. Grad­u­al­ly adding glu­cose and heat­ing will cause the blue pre­cip­i­tate to dis­ap­pear, and the so­lu­tion will turn first yel­low, then red.

3 — Chem­i­cal lamp

You’ll need a trans­par­ent bot­tle, wa­ter, sun­flow­er oil, an as­pirin, and red or blue food col­or­ing. To make the lamp, mix the sun­flow­er oil and wa­ter in the bot­tle. Pour the food col­or­ing into the emul­sion and add the as­pirin. Col­ored flakes will rise to the sur­face of the emul­sion with­out mix­ing with the oil. If you shine a light through the so­lu­tion in the dark, the lamp will glow a mes­mer­iz­ing red or blue.

5 — Mak­ing an iron nail “cop­per”

For this ex­per­i­ment, you’ll need a cop­per wire, an iron nail, acetic acid (vine­gar), ta­ble salt, and bak­ing soda. First, mix the vine­gar with the salt and im­merse an iron nail in the so­lu­tion. Then, clean the sur­face of the cop­per wire with bak­ing soda and place it in the so­lu­tion. Wait for half an hour and re­trieve the iron nail, which should now be cov­ered in cop­per. This oc­curs via two re­ac­tions: the re­ac­tion of cop­per with acetic acid in the pres­ence of at­mo­spher­ic oxy­gen, and the sub­sti­tu­tion of the ob­tained cop­per ac­etate with iron ac­etate.

6 — Non-flammable mon­ey

Ap­ply some potas­si­um alum so­lu­tion to a ban­knote. Place the treat­ed bill in a pa­per en­ve­lope, hold the en­ve­lope with tweez­ers, and set fire to it. The en­ve­lope will burn, but the ban­knote will re­main un­scathed. The mon­ey doesn’t burn due to the alum, which it­self does not burn, and doesn’t al­low the bill to burn.

7 — Non-flammable mon­ey (2)

To con­duct this ex­per­i­ment, you’ll need to mix half a glass of 96% ethyl al­co­hol and half a glass of wa­ter, then dis­solve a pinch of salt in the re­sult­ing so­lu­tion. Use tweez­ers to dip a ban­knote in the so­lu­tion for a few sec­onds, then take it out and and set fire to it with a lighter. The ethyl al­co­hol coat­ing the bill will burn away, while the sod­den ban­knote will re­main un­harmed. Once it dries out, you can use it just as you nor­mal­ly would!

8 — Starch and io­dine

To con­duct this ex­per­i­ment, you’ll need a heat-re­sis­tant flask, 20 g of starch, and 5 drops of io­dine so­lu­tion. Mix the starch with wa­ter, then add the io­dine so­lu­tion. At room tem­per­a­ture, the so­lu­tion turns dark blue. If you heat the ob­tained so­lu­tion on an elec­tric stove, it will turn col­or­less once again. This re­ac­tion can serve to prove that starch can form a com­pound with an io­dine so­lu­tion. As the so­lu­tion of io­dine and starch is un­sta­ble, the starch re­forms when heat is ap­plied, and the free io­dine evap­o­rates. Look here for more in­ter­est­ing ex­per­i­ments with starch.

9 — Potas­si­um per­man­ganate and hy­dro­gen per­ox­ide

First, pul­ver­ize a tablet of UHP (hy­dro­gen per­ox­ide - urea) and trans­fer the pow­der to a glass jar. Add liq­uid soap and wa­ter. Next, pre­pare an aque­ous so­lu­tion of potas­si­um per­man­ganate. Pour the potas­si­um per­man­ganate so­lu­tion into the glass jar with soap and hy­dro­gen per­ox­ide. Ob­serve the vi­o­lent ox­i­da­tion-re­duc­tion re­ac­tion and the for­ma­tion of pink foam. This re­ac­tion re­leas­es oxy­gen, which fills the liq­uid soap with gas bub­bles and helps cre­ate foam. The chem­i­cal re­ac­tion takes place ac­cord­ing to the equa­tion:

4KM­nO₄ + 4H₂O₂ = 4M­nO₂ + 5O₂↑+ 2H₂O + 4KOH

We should note that you ab­so­lute­ly should not touch the al­ka­line so­lu­tion ob­tained in the re­ac­tion.

Dozens of experiments you can do at home

One of the most exciting and ambitious home-chemistry educational projects The Royal Society of Chemistry

FEATURED NEWS

California NanoSystems Institute > Faculty News > June 20, 2024 | Atomic view of a chemical catalyst during electrically charged reaction is a scientific first

Atomic view of a chemical catalyst during electrically charged reaction is a scientific first

Findings could enable advances in sustainable energy production, industry and design

By Wayne Lewis

A ll around us are products that depend on chemical reactions aided by electricity.

These electrochemical reactions are involved in manufacturing everything from aluminum and PVC pipe to soap and paper. They happen inside the batteries powering electronics, automobiles, pacemakers and more. And they may hold the key to sustainable production of energy and other resources that society relies upon.

Catalysts such as copper help drive reactions, so they’re used in the vast majority of industrial applications for electrochemistry. Efforts to develop better catalysts have been hampered because what happens to these catalysts during reactions is poorly understood. Up till now, atomic imaging of catalysts could only happen before and after reactions, leaving researchers to figure out what occurred in between.

That limitation has fallen away thanks to a collaboration between the   California NanoSystems Institute at UCLA   and   Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.   In a   new study   published in the journal Nature, the team used a specially designed electrochemical cell to view the atomic details of a copper catalyst during a reaction that breaks down carbon dioxide — a potential route to recycle the greenhouse gas into fuel or other useful substances. The scientists documented liquid-like masses of copper appearing and disappearing at the catalyst surface, leaving it pitted.

“For something that is all over our lives, we actually understand very little about how catalysts work in real time,” said co-author   Pri Narang, Professor of Physical Sciences, and Electrical and Computer Engineering, and a CNSI member. “We now have the ability to look at what’s happening at an atomic level and understand it from a theoretical standpoint.

“Everyone would benefit from turning carbon dioxide straight to fuel, but how do we do it, and do it cheaply, reliably and at scale?” added Narang, who also holds an appointment in electrical and computer engineering at the   UCLA Samueli School of Engineering.  “This is the type of fundamental science that should move the needle in addressing those challenges.”

Beyond the implications for sustainability research, these findings — and the technology that makes them possible — could advance the efficiency of electrochemical processes for numerous applications that impact everyday life. The study could help scientists and engineers move toward rational catalyst design instead of trial and error, according to co-author   Yu Huang,   Traugott and Dorothea Frederking Endowed Professor and chair of the materials science and engineering department at UCLA Samueli.

“Any information we can get about what really happens in electrocatalysis is a tremendous help in our fundamental understanding and search for practical designs,” said Huang, who is a member of the CNSI. “Without that information, it’s as if we’re throwing darts blindfolded, and hoping that we hit somewhere close to the target.”

Images were captured at Berkeley Lab’s   Molecular Foundry   with a high-power electron microscope. This type of microscope uses a beam of electrons to see inside samples at a level of detail smaller than the length of a light wave.

Electron microscopy has run into obstacles revealing the atomic structure of materials working in liquids — such as the briny electrolyte bath needed for an electrochemical reaction. Running electricity through a sample adds a further degree of difficulty. Corresponding author Haimei Zheng, a senior scientist at Berkeley Lab and adjunct professor at UC Berkeley, and her colleagues created a hermetically sealed device that overcomes these hurdles.

The researchers conducted experiments to eliminate the chance that the electricity running through the system was affecting the resulting image. Zeroing in on the spot where the copper catalyst met the liquid electrolyte, the team captured changes that played out over about four seconds.

During the reaction, the structure of the copper shifted from an orderly crystal lattice, typically seen in metals, into an amorphous mass. That disordered bundle, containing atoms and positively charged ions of copper plus a few molecules of water, then flowed over the catalyst surface. As it did so, atoms exchanged between the ordered and disordered copper, leaving the catalyst surface pitted. Finally, the amorphous mass disappeared.

“We never expected the surface to turn amorphous and then return back to the crystalline structure,” said co-author Yang Liu, a UCLA graduate student in Huang’s research group. “Without this special tool for watching the system in operation, we would never be able to capture that moment. The advancement of characterization tools like this enables new fundamental discoveries, helping us understand how materials work under realistic conditions.”

The study’s co-first authors are Qiubo Zhang and Xianhu Sun of Berkeley Lab and Zhigang Song, a member of Narang’s research group who is based at Harvard University. Other co-authors at Berkeley Lab are Sophia Betzler, Qi Zheng, Junyi Shangguan, Karen Bustillo and Peter Ercius, as well as Jiawei Wan, who is also affiliated with UC Berkeley.

The Department of Energy provided funding for this study, as well as for the Molecular Foundry at Berkeley Lab.

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• Published: 22 July 2024

Macrolones target bacterial ribosomes and DNA gyrase and can evade resistance mechanisms

• Elena V. Aleksandrova   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1808-5319 1   na1 ,
• Cong-Xuan Ma 2   na1 ,
• Dorota Klepacki 3 , 4   na1 ,
• Faezeh Alizadeh 3 , 4 ,
• Nora Vázquez-Laslop   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2256-693X 3 , 4 ,
• Jian-Hua Liang   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1309-8521 2 ,
• Yury S. Polikanov   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-5064-0327 1 , 3 , 4 &
• Alexander S. Mankin   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3301-827X 3 , 4  

Nature Chemical Biology ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Target validation
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Growing resistance toward ribosome-targeting macrolide antibiotics has limited their clinical utility and urged the search for superior compounds. Macrolones are synthetic macrolide derivatives with a quinolone side chain, structurally similar to DNA topoisomerase-targeting fluoroquinolones. While macrolones show enhanced activity, their modes of action have remained unknown. Here, we present the first structures of ribosome-bound macrolones, showing that the macrolide part occupies the macrolide-binding site in the ribosomal exit tunnel, whereas the quinolone moiety establishes new interactions with the tunnel. Macrolones efficiently inhibit both the ribosome and DNA topoisomerase in vitro. However, in the cell, they target either the ribosome or DNA gyrase or concurrently both of them. In contrast to macrolide or fluoroquinolone antibiotics alone, dual-targeting macrolones are less prone to select resistant bacteria carrying target-site mutations or to activate inducible macrolide resistance genes. Furthermore, because some macrolones engage Erm-modified ribosomes, they retain activity even against strains with constitutive erm resistance genes.

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Structural insights into the mechanism of overcoming Erm-mediated resistance by macrolides acting together with hygromycin-A

Structural basis for plazomicin antibiotic action and resistance

Synthetic macrolides overcoming MLSBK-resistant pathogens

Data availability.

Coordinates and structure factors were deposited to the Research Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics (RCSB) PDB under the following accession codes: 8VTU for the wild-type T .  thermophilus 70S ribosome in complex with macrolone MCX-66, mRNA, aminoacylated A-site Phe-tRNA Phe , aminoacylated P-site fMet-tRNA i Met and deacylated E-site tRNA Phe ; 8VTV for the wild-type T .  thermophilus 70S ribosome in complex with macrolone MCX-91, mRNA, aminoacylated A-site Phe-tRNA Phe , aminoacylated P-site fMet-tRNA i Met and deacylated E-site tRNA Phe ; 8VTW for the wild-type T .  thermophilus 70S ribosome in complex with macrolone MCX-128 and protein Y; 8VTX for the m 2 6 A2058 T .  thermophilus 70S ribosome in complex with macrolone MCX-128, mRNA, aminoacylated A-site Phe-tRNA Phe , aminoacylated P-site fMet-tRNA i Met and deacylated E-site tRNA Phe ; 8VTY for the wild-type T .  thermophilus 70S ribosome in complex with CIP and protein Y. All previously published structures that were used in this work for structural comparisons were retrieved from the RCSB PDB under accession codes 6XHW , 6XHX and 7ZTA . No sequence data were generated in this study. Source data are provided with this paper.

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Acknowledgements

We thank M. Svetlov for valuable discussions and assistance with the data processing. We thank the Analysis and Testing Center at the Beijing Institute of Technology for collecting and analyzing the spectral data. We thank the staff at Northeastern Collaborative Access Team (NE-CAT) beamlines 24ID-C and 24ID-E for help with X-ray diffraction data collection, especially M. Capel, F. Murphy, S. Banerjee, I. Kourinov, D. Neau, J. Schuermann, N. Sukumar, A. Lynch, J. Withrow, K. Perry, A. Kaya and C. Salbego. This work is based upon research conducted at the NE-CAT beamlines, which are funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences from the National Institutes of Health (NIH; grant P30-GM124165 to NE-CAT). The Eiger 16M detector on the 24ID-E beamline is funded by an NIH-ORIP HEI grant (S10-OD021527 to NE-CAT). This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a US Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under contract no. DE-AC02-06CH11357. This work was supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the NIH (grant R35-GM127134 to A.S.M.), the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the NIH (grant R21-AI137584 to A.S.M. and Y.S.P.), the Illinois State startup funds (to Y.S.P.), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (grant 2018YFA0901800 to J.-H.L.) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant 81673335 to J.-H.L.). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or manuscript preparation.

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These authors contributed equally: Elena V. Aleksandrova, Cong-Xuan Ma, Dorota Klepacki.

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Department of Biological Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

Elena V. Aleksandrova & Yury S. Polikanov

Key Laboratory of Medicinal Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China

Cong-Xuan Ma & Jian-Hua Liang

Center for Biomolecular Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

Dorota Klepacki, Faezeh Alizadeh, Nora Vázquez-Laslop, Yury S. Polikanov & Alexander S. Mankin

Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA

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C.-X.M. performed the chemical synthesis, purification and microbiological characterization of MCX compounds. D.K. and F.A. performed the in vivo dual-reporter assay, mutant selection and microbiological characterization of the selected MCX-resistant mutant strains. D.K. also performed the in vitro translation inhibition, gyrase inhibition and toeprinting assays. E.V.A. and Y.S.P. designed and performed X-ray crystallography experiments. A.S.M., N.V.-L., Y.S.P. and J.-H.L. designed and supervised the experiments. All authors interpreted the results. A.S.M., N.V.-L., Y.S.P. and J.-H.L. wrote the manuscript.

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Extended data

Extended data fig. 1 inhibition of translation and ribosome binding of macrolones..

( a ) Inhibition of production of the green flourescent protein (GFP) in cell-free translation system by varying concentrations of macrolones relative to uninhibited reaction. Shown are the results of two independent experiments. ( b ) Competitive binding of [ 14 C]-ERY and macrolones to the E. coli ribosome. Unlabeled ERY was used as a control (black circles). Experimental details are presented in the Online Methods section. Shown are the results of two independent experiments.

Extended Data Fig. 2 Effects of macrolones on in vitro translation.

Mapping the sites of macrolone-mediated ribosome arrests (blue arrows) at the early codons of the model ORF derived from the E. coli yrbA gene. The classic macrolide ERY is included for comparison. Due to the presence of the Thr-RS inhibitor borrelidin, the ribosomes that did not stall at the early codons are eventually trapped at the Gln12 codon when Thr13 needs to be incorporated into the growing protein (grey arrow). The AUG start codon is marked with a black arrow. The sample labeled as ‘NONE’ contained only borrelidin but no ERY or macrolones. Amino acid and nucleotide sequences of yrbA gene are shown on the left. Sequencing lanes are marked as C, U, A, G. This experiment was repeated independently twice and produced similar results.

Extended Data Fig. 3 Electron density maps of ribosome-bound MCX-66, MCX-91, and MCX-128.

( a-c ) 2 Fo-Fc Fourier electron density maps of MCX-66 ( a , magenta), MCX-91 ( b , green), and MCX-128 ( c , yellow) in complex with the T. thermophilus 70S ribosome (blue mesh) shown in two mutually perpendicular views. The refined models of ribosome-bound MCX compounds are displayed in their respective electron density maps after the refinement contoured at 1.0σ. Carbon atoms are colored magenta (MCX-66), green (MCX-91), or yellow (MCX-128); nitrogen atoms are blue; oxygen atoms are red; fluorine atoms are dark green. Note that the locations of fluoroquinolone side chains can be unambiguously determined from the obtained electron density maps.

Extended Data Fig. 4 Comparison of the structures of ribosome-bound macrolones, macrolide erythromycin and tetracenomycin X.

( a, b ) Superposition of the structure of ribosome-bound MCX-66 (magenta), MCX-91 (green), MCX-128 (yellow) with the previous structures of ERY (red, PDB entry 6XHX ref. 15 ), or TcmX (blue, PDB entry 7ZTA ref. 75 ). All structures were aligned based on domain V of the 23S rRNA.

Extended Data Fig. 5 Structure of ciprofloxacin (CIP) in complex with the 70S ribosome.

( a ) 2Fo-Fc Fourier electron density map of ciprofloxacin (CIP, greencyan) in complex with the T. thermophilus 70S ribosome (blue mesh). The refined model of ribosome-bound CIP is displayed in its respective electron density map after the refinement contoured at 1.0σ. Carbon atoms are colored greencyan; nitrogen atoms are blue; oxygen atoms are red; fluorine atom is dark green. ( b, c ) Close-up views of CIP bound in the NPET of the 70S ribosome, highlighting its stacking (red arrows) interactions with the nucleotides of the 23S rRNA. ( d ) Superposition of the structures of ribosome-bound CIP and MCX-128 (yellow). The structures were aligned based on domain V of the 23S rRNA.

Extended Data Fig. 6 Macrolones inhibit DNA gyrase activity in vitro.

( a ) Chemical structures of the macrolones used in the assay. ( b ) Effect of macrolones on the activity of DNA gyrase. Supercoiled or relaxed plasmid DNA bands are marked on the left. CIP and ERY were used as positive and negative controls, respectively. The sample labeled as ‘NONE’ contained no antibiotics. A control sample where gyrase was not added is marked as ‘-’.The experiment was repeated independently and produced similar results.

Extended Data Fig. 7 Electron density maps of A2058 nucleotide in Erm-modified and wild-type T. thermophilus 70S ribosome.

( a, c ) Unbiased Fo-Fc (grey and green mesh) and ( b, d ) 2Fo-Fc (blue mesh) electron difference Fourier maps of nucleotide A2058 in the T. thermophilus 70S ribosome contoured at 3.0σ and 1.0σ, respectively. Grey mesh shows the Fo-Fc map after refinement with the entire modified nucleotide omitted. Green mesh, reflecting the presence of the two methyl groups at N6 position of the nucleobase, shows the Fo-Fc electron density map after refinement with the nucleotide A2058 built as a regular unmethylated adenine. The refined models of Erm-modified N6-dimethylated ( a, b ) or wild-type unmodified ( c, d ) nucleotide A2058 are displayed in the corresponding electron density maps. Both structures carry MCX-128 compound (not shown). Carbon atoms are colored dark blue for the Erm-modified A2058 and light blue for the unmodified A2058; nitrogens are dark blue; oxygens are red.

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Supplementary Tables 1 and 2, Note, Figs. 1–6 and References.

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Source data, source data fig. 2.

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Aleksandrova, E.V., Ma, CX., Klepacki, D. et al. Macrolones target bacterial ribosomes and DNA gyrase and can evade resistance mechanisms. Nat Chem Biol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41589-024-01685-3

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