Comments on: Top 10 Mad Science-Worthy Chemistry Experiments

By: Ivo da C.Souza

Ivo da C.Souza — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 09:20:16 +0000

Excellent Web site. Chemistry is fascinating, but I did not appreciate it as a student. It depends on the methodology that the teacher uses. It can be also boring!

By: Bree

Bree — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 21:16:41 +0000

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By: Dee

Dee — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 22:19:30 +0000

@Nihil and Neoncat:

The professors does say Mn, but they’re Mg shavings; the University of Minnesota has a nice description of this presentation (the formation of MgO is so stable that it will take oxygen from CO2 to complete the oxidation) – http://www.chem.umn.edu/services/lecturedemo/info/Magnesium_and_dry_ic e.html

By: Ali S.

Ali S. — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 07:50:46 +0000

Ah, science…is there anything you can’t do that isn’t awesome?

By: Jovenel

Jovenel — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:53:01 +0000

It’s a matter of time that can dictate how we appreciate little things in life….

By: heather

heather — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:01:59 +0000

SCIENCE! >:D
heh
I was hypnotized by the mercury video. Very cool. I feel so smart now.

By: ByrdBrain

ByrdBrain — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:14:37 +0000

I love the “scientific” expalanations for these tricks. This shit is magic- pure and simple. Get over it.

By: NeonCat

NeonCat — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:52:12 +0000

@ Nihil

I heard ‘manganese’, too, but later in the clip the Prof definitely says magnesium. Maybe they tried manganese first and when it didn’t work, switched to magnesium?

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:21:27 +0000

Fire does necessarily need oxygen to burn since it is, by definition, an oxidation reaction. The magnesium just happens to burn hot enough and have an oxide stable enough to pull the oxygen out of CO2. Great vids though, they remind me of high school and college.

By: LisaL

LisaL — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 19:20:41 +0000

Very cool clips. Had no idea grapes could do that in a microwave. Scary O_O

By: nihil

nihil — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 17:41:26 +0000

I know the video the the dry ice is labeled ‘magnesium’ on the start of the clip but I think the gentleman is saying MANGAnese.

By: ey.look.TURKEYS

ey.look.TURKEYS — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:08:12 +0000

Be careful with the elephant’s toothpaste – it looks harmless, but it’s actually thousands of degrees hot.

By: Timothy Johnson

Timothy Johnson — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:19:43 +0000

Definitely did or was present for most of these in high school. Spent a LOT of time perfecting an elephant’s toothpaste in the school colors. Can’t really recommend the mercury one, though. Not because it’s necessarily dangerous, but because it’s potentially dangerous. Also, add the thermite reaction to this. Great lessons there on thermochemistry, especially what an exothermic reaction is

Oh,and not to nitpick, but none of these are inherently experiments unless you are comparing different ways of accomplishing them. They’re better classified as demonstrations of chemistry principles. And as cool as ferrofluids are, what do they teach in a chem class? Also, I’d classify the grape in the microwave is a physics demo, not a chem one.

By: pwscott

pwscott — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:10:24 +0000

The grape video was the only one I hadn’t seen before. That was to freaky. It just proves you never know what you’re going to screw up with a simple cut.

By: nifrek

nifrek — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 07:20:17 +0000

Crazy. Maybe someone should create an engine that uses gummy bears as fuel. Could be the fuel of the future, definitely.

By: GeneBunny

GeneBunny — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:19:14 +0000

I put a grape in the microwave once when I was a kid. It turned into a raisin. I didn’t know it could be dangerous.
I thought it was really interesting, though, because grapes in the oven just got warm.