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Chemical Magic Experiments

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68 views4 pages

Chemical Magic Experiments

https://www.scribd.com/document/621364589/AP9-Q4-MODULE6-MGA-GAMPANIN-AT-PATAKARANG-PANG-EKONOMIYA-SA-SEKTOR-NG-INDUSTRIYA-CORRECTED

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Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science

Volume 20 Number 1 Article 9

5-1952

Chemical Magic Experiments


Leonard A. Ford
Mankato State Teachers College

Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/jmas

Part of the Chemistry Commons, and the Science and Mathematics Education Commons

Recommended Citation
Ford, L. A. (1952). Chemical Magic Experiments. Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science, Vol. 20
No.1, 34-36.
Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.morris.umn.edu/jmas/vol20/iss1/9

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at University of Minnesota Morris Digital
Well. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Minnesota Academy of Science by an authorized editor of
University of Minnesota Morris Digital Well. For more information, please contact [email protected].
Science Education·
CHEMICAL MAGIC EXPERIMENTS
LEONARD A. FORD

State Teachers College, Mankato


Explosions, color changes, mysterious fires and unusual reactions
involving movement of liquids, solids and gases can create interest and
provide entertainment, when used at science fairs, open house programs,
parenHeacher organizations and service clubs.
The experiments described were used at the 1952 science fair held
at the Mankato State Teachers College. They provided the principal en-
tertainment feature of the fair.
. 'Experiments performed at the science fair were repeated several
times by each of the five students who gave the public performance. The
chief '.'magician" was dressed in a tuxedo and top hat. He directed the
work of the others. Experience _showed that the demonstraton was ef-
fective if it was accompanied by entertaining and fantastic explanations.
It was noted that these stories became more exaggerated with each per-
formance as -the demonstrators gained confidence and skill.
The e:x:periments were conducted in the chemistry lecture room with
spotlights fixed on the demonstration table. The room was darkened to
make the experiments more striking and fires more visible.
Into a curiously shaped bottle water was run from the tap. But
when the water was added to fourteen bottles lined up on the demon-
stration desk, liquids of many colors were produced. Prior to the dem-
onstration, to each of these bottles there were added one or two cubic
centimeters of·either a dye, colored precipitate, indicator or concentrated
colored solution. The experiments involved changing water to liquids re-
sembling such things as tea, wine, orarige juice, milk and many others.
As the chemical magic show progressed, candles standing on the
demonstration table would light spontaneously. The wicks had previously
been dipped in a solution made by mixing 3 cc of carbon disulfide with
1/3 of its bulk of white phosphorous. The white phosphorus solution
was also used in producing an explosion. A five grain tablet of potas-
siutn chlorate was moistened with the solution and allowed to stand for
ten minutes. When touched by the magician with a meter stick a vigorous
explosion resulted
Water was frozen in the space of a minute by dissolving am-
monium nitrate in water. This experip1ent was performed on the wet
bottom of. an inverted chalk box. A 400 cc beaker containing 100 grams
of ammonium nitrate was placed on the box, 100 cc of water were added
with vigorous stirring. The temperature quickly dropped to about ten
PROCEEDINGS, VOLUME TWENTY, 1952 35

degrees below zero and the box was lifted by using the beaker as a
handle.
The ammonia fountain proved an interesting demonstration. Fail-
ure of this experiment is most frequently due to insufficient ammonia in
the dry flask. A slight innovation of the usual demonstration was made
by inserting a medicine dropper filled with water into the upper flask.
The experimenter merely pressed the bulb of the medicine dropper to
start the fountain. '
Since the room was darkened, demonstrations. involving flames or
fires were especially effective. A coil of platinum wire was suspended
from a cardboard. above methyl alcohol in a beaker. When the wire
was heated with a flame and place_d in position on the beaker it continued
. to glow for hours.
Cold fire produced probably the greatest audience reaction, when
the demonstrator burned a solution containing equal volumes of carbon
tetrachloride and carbon disulfide in the palm of his hand.
Solid alcohol was made by rapidly pouring together 20 cc of a'
saturated solution of calcium acetate and 100 cc of alcohol from one
beaker to the other. The solidified material was used as ,the fuel in the
next experiment.
A 1000 cc flask was half filled with water and made to boil using
solid alcohol as the fuel. A wet rubber stopper was inserted into the
flask as it wii,s boiling, the flask removed from the flame and inverted.
Cold water was then allowed to fall on the flask and as the flask was
further cooled the boiling became more violent.
The demonstrator asked the audience for a handkerchief, which
was quickly soaked in a solution of one part of alcohol and 6 parts of
water. When lit, the handerchief appeared to burn rapidly but came
through the fire unharmed.
Changing wine to "water" by use of a colorless gas and a, colored
solution was an effective experiment. The gas used was SO 2 , generated in
a' beaker by using concentrated sulfuric acid and sodium sulfite: The.
liquid was a solution of potassium permanganate. When the beaker of
gas was tippe9. so as to pour it into the bottle of potassium permanganate
the color disappeared.
A few passes with the hand or the use of magic words can bring
about a reaction in the so-called "clock" reaction .. By usi_hg the proper
quantities of ingredients the experimentor can time the reaction to the
second. Two of these reactions are explained.
In the first ·experiment two colorless solutions are mixed and after
. 30 seconds a yellow color is produced, increasing in intensity. One solu-
tion is made by dissolving 1 gram of sodium arsenite in 50 cc of water,
and adding 5.5 cc of glacial acetic acid to the resulting solution. The
other solution is made by mixing 10 grams of photographers hypo
· ( sodium hypo-sulfite) in 50 cc of water.
The other clock reaction was also performed with two· solutions.
One of these solutions was made by dissolving 4.5 g. of potassium iodate
36 THE MINNESOTA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

in 1000 cc oI water. The other solution was made by mixing .125 g. of


sodium sulfit_e with ½ gram of starch and a little water to make a paste.
To the latter was added two cc of dilute sulfuric acid and then made
up to about 100 cc. When the latter solution was added to the first in
equal quantities, iodine colored the starch, the time depending on the
relative quantities of the two solutions.
A liquid was· stirred vigorously by inyisible means. A magnetic
motor stirrer was concealed under a small box. The experimentor held
a beaker of water in his hand. He placed a small magnetic bar in the
water. On placing the beaker on the box the water began to rotate
vigorously.
Demonstrations involving smoke ·or obnoxious gases should be per-
formed toward the close of a series of presentations. The first of these
was the miniature volcano.
Powdered ammonium chromate served as the reactant for the
miniature volcano. The material was heaped into a cone in the center of
a porcelain crucible which was placed in the neck of a tall bottle. When
ignited with a magnesium ribbon a miniature volcano erupted.
A few drops of water produced flames and smoke in the next ex-
periment. Water was added from a medicine dropper to a small ball of
excelsior into which one gram of sodium peroxide had been placed.
The experiment was performed in an evaporating dish.
As the last series of experiments was being performed materials
were slowly heating to produce Pharoah's Serpent. In a small evaporating
dish were placed 3 grams of paranitroacetanilide to which was added 1
cc of concentrated sulfuric acid. On heating for two or three minutes a
"snake" suddenly came out in a cloud of smoke ..
The American flag was made to show in the final experiment. A
sheet of white paper on which details of the flag had been drawn was
fastened to a board. The red stripes of tp.e flag were drawn with am-
monium thiocyanate, the blue with potassium ferrocyanide~ When spray-
ed with· ferric chloride solution the flag became visible.
The .success of the chemical magic show depended largely on_ care-
ful planning. Demonstrations were carefully rehearsed several times so
that the performer had confidence in his ability to perform the experi-
ment. He could then accompany the demonstration with an interesting
and entertaining explanation.

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