List of Top 10 Chemistry Experiments to try at Home

Experiment	Materials Needed	How it Works
1. Volcano Eruption	Baking soda, vinegar, dish soap, food coloring, container	Vinegar reacts with baking soda to create carbon dioxide gas, causing a fizzy eruption.
2. Invisible Ink	Lemon juice, cotton swab, paper, heat source	Lemon juice acts as invisible ink; heating reveals the message.
3. Milk and Food Coloring	Milk, dish soap, food coloring, shallow plate	Dish soap breaks down fat in milk, causing food coloring to swirl.
4. DIY Lava Lamp	Vegetable oil, water, food coloring, Alka-Seltzer, bottle	Alka-Seltzer reacts with water to form carbon dioxide bubbles, creating a lava lamp effect.
5. Crystal Growing	Salt or sugar, warm water, string, pencil, jar	As water evaporates, salt or sugar crystals form on the string.
6. Rainbow in a Glass	Sugar, water, food coloring, glasses	Different sugar concentrations create layers of different densities, forming a rainbow.
7. Oobleck (Non-Newtonian Fluid)	Cornstarch, water	Cornstarch and water create a mixture that behaves as a solid under pressure and as a liquid when relaxed.
8. Egg in Vinegar	Egg, vinegar	Vinegar dissolves the eggshell, leaving a soft, rubbery membrane.
9. Water and Oil Separation	Water, oil, food coloring, jar	Oil floats on water due to its lower density and hydrophobic nature.
10. Red Cabbage pH Indicator	Red cabbage, water, lemon juice, baking soda	Red cabbage juice changes color when exposed to acids or bases, acting as a pH indicator.

 

Chemistry Experiments to try at Home

Chemistry is such a cool subject, and what better way to discover it than through hands-on experiments?

Here are three more fun Chemistry Experiments for kids to try during the school holidays. They’re perfect for older kids or can be done with a little help from mom or dad

You probably already have the materials at home, so grab your lab coats and let the experimentation begin!

Simple Chemistry Experiments That Your Child Can Do at Home

• Electrolysis of Water
• pH Indicator from Red Cabbage
• Preparing Soap from Vegetable Oil
• Vitamin C Titration
• Oxidation of Iron
• Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano
• Invisible Ink Experiment
• Milk and Food Coloring Experiment
• The Classic Mentos and Soda Experiment
• Growing Crystals

1. Electrolysis of Water 

Electrolysis of water is a classic experiment demonstrating the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen gases using an electric current.

Materials:

• Water
• Table salt (optional, as an electrolyte)
• A 9V battery
• Two pencils (graphite rods)
• Wires and alligator clips
• A plastic container
• A small piece of cardboard
• Two test tubes

Procedure:

• Fill the plastic container with water and add a pinch of table salt to increase conductivity.
• Sharpen both pencils on both ends to expose the graphite.
• Attach one end of each pencil to the terminals of the 9V battery using the wires and alligator clips.
• Insert the other ends of the pencils into the water, ensuring they don’t touch each other.
• Invert two test tubes filled with water over the pencils to collect the gases.
• Place a small piece of cardboard with holes for the pencils to hold the test tubes in place.
• Observe the gas bubbles forming at each pencil (electrode).

Explanation:

Water (H?O) is decomposed into oxygen (O?) at the anode and hydrogen (H?) at the cathode. The volume of hydrogen gas produced will be roughly twice that of oxygen, reflecting the 2:1 ratio in water.

2. pH Indicator from Red Cabbage

Creating a pH indicator from red cabbage allows you to test the acidity or alkalinity of various household substances.

Materials:

• Red cabbage
• Knife and blender (or grater)
• Hot water
• Filter paper or coffee filter
• Clear containers (small cups or test tubes)
• Household substances (e.g., vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice, soap)

Procedure:

• Chop the red cabbage into small pieces and blend with hot water until the mixture is purplish.
• Filter the mixture to obtain the cabbage juice, serving as your pH indicator.
• Pour the cabbage juice into clear containers.
• Add different household substances to separate containers and observe the colour change.

Explanation:

Red cabbage contains anthocyanins, which change colour depending on the pH. Acids turn the indicator red/pink, neutral solutions keep it purple, and bases turn it green/yellow.

3. Preparing Soap from Vegetable Oil

Making soap demonstrates the process of saponification, where fats react with an alkali to produce soap and glycerol.

Materials:

• Vegetable oil
• Sodium hydroxide (lye)
• Water
• A heat-resistant container
• A stirring rod
• Molds for the soap

Procedure:

• To prepare the lye solution, dissolve sodium hydroxide in water. (It is caustic, so Handle it with care.)
• Heat the vegetable oil in a heat-resistant container.
• Slowly add the lye solution to the oil while stirring continuously.
• Continue stirring until the mixture thickens to a trace (a custard-like consistency).
• Pour the mixture into moulds and set it for 24-48 hours.
• Remove the soap from the moulds and let it cure for several weeks before use.

Explanation:

Saponification is the reaction between a fat (vegetable oil) and a strong base (sodium hydroxide) to form glycerol and soap. The process involves breaking down the fat molecules and forming soap molecules.

4. Vitamin C Titration

Titration of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in fruit juices allows for the quantification of its concentration using a redox reaction with iodine.

Materials:

• Iodine solution
• Starch indicator
• Fruit juice (e.g., orange juice)
• Distilled water
• A titration setup (burette, pipette, and flask)

Procedure:

• Prepare the iodine solution and starch indicator.
• Measure a known volume of fruit juice and dilute it with distilled water in a flask.
• Add a few drops of starch indicator to the diluted juice.
• Titrate with the iodine solution, adding it dropwise until the solution turns blue-black, indicating the endpoint.

Explanation:

Vitamin C reduces iodine to iodide ions, and when all the vitamin C is reacted, the iodine-starch complex forms, indicating the endpoint. The amount of iodine used is proportional to the vitamin C content in the juice.

5. Oxidation of Iron

Investigating the oxidation of iron, commonly known as rusting, is a straightforward yet educational experiment.

Materials:

• Iron nails
• Water
• Salt
• Clear containers

Procedure:

• Place iron nails in several clear containers.
• Fill one container with plain water and another with salty water, and leave one nail in the open air as a control.
• Observe the nails over several days and record any changes.

Explanation:

Rusting is an oxidation reaction where iron reacts with oxygen in water. Salt accelerates the process by increasing the conductivity of the water, facilitating the transfer of electrons.

6. Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano

This classic experiment is a hit with kids and a fantastic way to see an acid-base reaction in action!

What You’ll Need:

• Baking soda
• Vinegar
• Dish soap (optional, for extra bubbles)
• Food coloring (optional, for a colorful touch)
• A small container (like a cup or bottle)

Steps:

1. Place your small container in a larger tray to catch any overflow.
2. Add 2-3 tablespoons of baking soda to the container.
3. (Optional) Mix in a few drops of dish soap and some food coloring.
4. Pour vinegar into the container and watch the bubbly eruption happen!

The Science: When baking soda (a base) meets vinegar (an acid), they react to produce carbon dioxide gas, creating that awesome bubbling effect—just like a volcano!

7. Invisible Ink Experiment

Time to write secret messages with some homemade invisible ink!

What You’ll Need:

• Lemon juice or a baking soda solution
• Q-tip or small brush
• White paper
• Light bulb or another heat source

Steps:

1. Dip the Q-tip or brush into the lemon juice or baking soda solution.
2. Write your secret message on the paper.
3. Let it dry completely.
4. To reveal the message, hold the paper near a light bulb or heat source (but be careful not to burn it!).

The Science: Lemon juice and baking soda have acidic or basic properties, which make the paper burn slightly faster when heated, revealing your hidden message!

8. Milk and Food Coloring Experiment

This one is visually stunning and demonstrates surface tension beautifully.

What You’ll Need:

• Whole milk
• Food coloring
• Dish soap
• Shallow dish

Steps:

1. Pour milk into the shallow dish.
2. Add a few drops of different food colors to the milk.
3. Dip a Q-tip into dish soap and touch the milk’s surface.

The Science: When you add dish soap, it breaks the surface tension of the milk, causing the food coloring to spread out in mesmerizing patterns!

9. Growing Crystals

Watch beautiful crystals form right before your eyes!

What You’ll Need:

• Water
• Salt or sugar
• String
• A pencil
• A jar

Steps:

1. Boil some water and dissolve as much salt or sugar as you can to make a saturated solution.
2. Tie a string to a pencil and balance the pencil over the jar so the string hangs into the solution.
3. Leave the jar undisturbed for a few days and watch the crystals grow!

The Science: As the water evaporates, the salt or sugar molecules bond together, forming stunning crystals.

10. The Classic Mentos and Soda Experiment

Get ready for a spectacular reaction with this fun experiment!

What You’ll Need:

• Mentos candies
• A bottle of diet soda

Steps:

1. Remove the cap from the soda bottle and set it on a flat surface outside.
2. Quickly drop a few Mentos candies into the bottle.
3. Step back and enjoy the explosive reaction!

The Science: The rough surface of the Mentos causes a rapid release of carbon dioxide from the soda, resulting in an impressive jet of foam!

Conclusion

These experiments provide a hands-on approach to understanding fundamental chemical concepts. Each experiment aligns with the PUC chemistry curriculum, offering practical applications and insights into theoretical principles. Always prioritise safety, follow instructions carefully, and have adult supervision when necessary. Exploring these experiments can make learning chemistry engaging and memorable, fostering a deeper appreciation for the subject.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What gas is produced when baking soda reacts with vinegar?

Oxygen Carbon Dioxide Hydrogen Nitrogen

2. In the invisible ink experiment, what is used to reveal the secret message?

Water Heat source (like a light bulb) Vinegar Food coloring

3. What do you need to create crystals in the growing crystals experiment?

Sugar or salt and water Baking soda and vinegar Food coloring and milk Red cabbage and hot water

4. What is the main purpose of using red cabbage in a pH indicator experiment?

To provide a color for food To test the acidity or alkalinity of substances To create a natural dye To make salad

5. In the electrolysis of water, what two gases are produced?

Hydrogen and Carbon Dioxide Oxygen and Nitrogen Hydrogen and Oxygen Helium and Oxygen

6. What happens to the color of red cabbage juice in the presence of a strong base?

It turns red It remains purple It turns green or yellow It turns blue

7. What is the primary ingredient used to create a homemade lava lamp?

Oil and water Vinegar and baking soda Milk and food coloring Sugar and salt

8. Which experiment involves dropping Mentos into a bottle of soda?

Baking Soda Volcano Milk and Food Coloring The Classic Mentos and Soda Experiment Rusting of Iron

9. In the Oobleck experiment, what unusual property does the mixture demonstrate?

It glows in the dark It is both a solid and a liquid It conducts electricity It changes color with temperature

10. Which experiment allows you to test the effect of different light conditions on plant growth?

Growing Crystals Plant Growth Experiment Electrolysis of Water Baking Soda and Vinegar Volcano

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