Chemistry Magic Show

For the last lab of the year, the older kids who have been doing Chemistry all year, performed a Chemistry Magic Show for the younger kids as well as a few guests. This was followed by a lunch together. It was a lovely day so we brought lunch and ate outside by the playground.

The tricks came from About.com:Chemistry and Countertop Chemistry. We practiced the tricks last week and I worked on them all week. Only 4 older kids were there for the last lab so I choose 4 tricks. I prepared a program written in Invisible Ink, phenolphthalein, that I developed onsite with dilute ammonia.

The first trick, here rendered by our Master of Ceremonies and his beautiful assistant, is Money to Burn. I missed the flames because I was helping the others but I was told they were a beautiful green because of the Copper Sulfate added to the alcohol.

The Cat's Meow was next. Everyone gathered around the table to watch this one. It is a bit slow but definitely cool.
The Witch's Potion required enthusiastic volunteers. Oohs and aahs followed.

We concluded the tricks with a Patriotic Flourish as the beakers contained Red, White and Blue solutions.

But the real finish was a previously prepared Smoke Bomb. The wind was brisk but plenty of smoke was produced. I used a recipe from Anne Marie Helmenstine and it was successful and amazingly easy to make.

This group has been a true pleasure to work with for the last two years. I will miss them.

Another year of labs concluded. I am planning to skip next year except for what Noach and I do at home. PRM