Elements, compounds and reactions

Experiments

• A solid-solid reaction
  Solid lead nitrate and solid potassium iodide are shaken together in a small jar. They quickly react to make yellow lead iodide.
• Chocolate and Egg
  By comparing the effects of heat on chocolate and on egg white, students are introduced to the difference between physical change and chemical change.
• Extracting metals with charcoal
  This extraction experiment consists of two competition reactions in each of which a metal oxide is reacted with carbon, in the form of charcoal.
• Extraction of iron on a match head!
  A mini-scale experiment to extract iron by carbon reduction.
• Heating Group 1 metals in air and in chlorine
  This experiment demonstrates the reactions of Group 1 metals in air and in chlorine.
• Iron and sulfur reaction
  Two elements, iron and sulfur, react together to form a new compound.
• Microscale extraction of copper
  This experiment involves reducing copper oxide to copper using hydrogen on a small scale so it is safe for students to perform themselves.
• Reaction between aluminium and iodine
  A demonstration of the reaction between aluminium and iodine, producing aluminium iodide.
• Reaction of zinc with iodine
  In this experiment students note the differences between a metal and a non-metal, and their reaction to form a metal salt.
• Reactions of chlorine, bromine and iodine with aluminium
  This experiment shows the exothermic reactions which occur when aluminium reacts with the halogens: chlorine, bromine and iodine.
• The change in mass when magnesium burns
  Magnesium of a known mass is reacted with oxygen in a crucible to prevent loss of the product. The crucible is re-weighed at the end to show that there is an increase in mass. This experiment can also be used to find the formula of magnesium oxide.
• The combustion of iron wool
  In this quick demonstration, iron wool is heated on a simple ‘see-saw’ balance and the increase in mass is shown.
• The copper envelope
  Copper foil is folded and heated. The outside reacts with oxygen to produce the oxide while the inside remains unchanged.
• The reaction between zinc and copper oxide
  An experiment to illustrate the difference in reactivity between zinc and copper and hence the idea of competition reactions.
• The reaction of magnesium with copper (II) oxide
  This experiment can be used to confirm the relative positions of magnesium and copper in the reactivity series.
• Thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate
  Some reactions involving the thermal decomposition of calcium carbonate, hydration of the calcium oxide formed and the reaction of limewater with carbon dioxide are investigated.
• Thermal decomposition of metal carbonates
  The relative stabilities of a variety of metal carbonates are compared by carrying out thermal decomposition reactions.