Kid-Friendly Elephant Toothpaste Demo

The elephant toothpaste demo is one of the most popular chemistry demonstrations, in which a steaming tube of foam keeps erupting from its container, resembling a smooshed tube of elephant-sized toothpaste. The classic demo uses 30% hydrogen peroxide, which is not safe for kids, but there is a safe version of this demonstration that is still very cool. Materials Empty 20-ounce plastic bottle (or other container)3% hydrogen peroxide solution (available at nearly any store)Packet of active yeast (from the grocery store)Liquid dishwashing detergent (such as Dawnâ„ ¢)Warm waterFood coloring (optional, but it looks nice) Make Elephant Toothpaste Pour 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide solution, 1/4 cup dishwashing soap, and a few drops of food coloring into the bottle. Swish the bottle around to mix the ingredients. Set the bottle in a sink or outdoors or some other place where you wont mind getting wet foam everywhere.In a separate container, mix a packet of active yeast with a little warm water. Give the yeast about 5 minutes to activate before proceeding to the next step.When you are ready to do the demo, pour the yeast mixture into the bottle. The reaction occurs immediately upon the addition of the yeast. How It Works Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a reactive molecule that readily decomposes into water (H2O) and oxygen: 2H2O2 → 2H2O O2(g) In this demonstration, yeast catalyzes the decomposition so it proceeds much more rapidly than normal. Yeast need warm water to reproduce, so the reaction wont work as well if you use cold water (no reaction) or very hot water (which kills the yeast.) The dishwashing detergent captures the oxygen that is released, making foam. Food coloring can color the film of the bubbles so you get colored foam. In addition to being a nice example of a decomposition reaction and a catalyzed reaction, the elephant toothpaste demo is exothermic, so heat is produced. However, the reaction just makes the solution warmer, not hot enough to cause burns. Christmas Tree Elephant Toothpaste You can easily use the elephant toothpaste reaction as a holiday chemistry demonstration. Just add green food coloring to the peroxide and detergent mixture and pour the two solutions into a Christmas tree-shaped container. A good choice is an Erlenmeyer flask because it has a cone shape. If you dont have access to chemistry glassware, you can make a tree shape by inverting a funnel over a glass or making your own funnel using paper and tape (which you could decorate, if you like.) Comparing the Original Reaction With the Kid-Friendly Recipe The original elephant toothpaste reaction, which uses a much higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide, can cause both chemical burns and thermal burns. While it produces a larger amount of foam, its not safe for kids and should be performed only by an adult using proper safety gear. From a chemistry perspective, both reactions are similar, except the kid-safe version is catalyzed by yeast, while the original demonstration is usually catalyzed using potassium iodide (KI). The kids version uses chemicals that are safe for children to touch. The lower concentration of peroxide can still discolor fabrics. Care should be taken to avoid ingestion because the project includes detergent, which can cause vomiting. Key Takeaways The elephants toothpaste chemistry demonstration produces heated foam when chemicals are mixed.The original demonstration results from decomposition of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by potassium iodide. Detergent solution captures gases to form the foam. The kid-friendly version uses a lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide, with the decomposition catalyzed by yeast.While both versions of the reaction may be performed for a young audience, the original version uses concentrated hydrogen peroxide, which is a strong oxidizer, and potassium iodide, which may not be readily available.The kid-friendly version uses chemicals that are safe for children to touch, in case of a splash.As with all chemistry demonstrations, adult supervision is recommended. Sources Dirren, Glen; Gilbert, George; Juergens, Frederick; Page, Philip; Ramette, Richard; Schreiner, Rodney; Scott, Earle; Testen, May; Williams, Lloyd. Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry. Vol. 1. University of Wisconsin Press, 1983, Madison, Wis.Elephants Toothpaste. University of Utah Chemistry Demonstrations. University of Utah.

60 Writing Topics for Extended Definitions

Simply put, a definition is a statement of the meaning of a word or phrase. An extended definition goes beyond what can be found in a dictionary,  offering an expanded analysis and illustration  of a concept that might be abstract, controversial, unfamiliar, or frequently misunderstood. Take, for example, writings such as William James Pragmatic Theory of Truth or John Bergers The Meaning of Home. Approaching the Abstract Abstract concepts, including many of the broad terms in the list that follows, need to be brought to earth with an example to relate what they mean to your reader and to get your point or opinion across. You could illustrate the concepts with anecdotes from your personal life or examples from the news or current events, or write an opinion piece.  Theres no single method for  developing  and  organizing  a paragraph or essay by extended definition. The 60 concepts listed here can be defined in various ways and from different points of view. Brainstorming and Prewriting Start with brainstorming your topic. If you work well with lists, write the word at the top of the paper and fill the rest of the page with all the things that the word makes you think of, feel, see, or even smell, without stopping. Its OK to go off on tangents, as you might find a surprising connection that could make a powerful, insightful, or even humorous essay. Alternatively, brainstorm by writing the word in the middle of your paper and connect other related words to it and each other. As you develop your angle, think about the concepts background, features, characteristics, and parts. What is the concepts opposite? What are its effects on you or others? Something in your list or word map will spark a writing idea or theme to use to illustrate the abstract concept, and then its off to the races. If you run into a dead end the first time, go back to your list and pick another idea. Its possible that your first draft turns out to be prewriting and leads to a better idea that can be developed further and can possibly even incorporate the prewriting exercise. Time spent writing is time spent exploring and is never wasted, as sometimes it takes a bit of pursuit to discover the perfect idea. If seeing examples will help spark your essay, take a look at Gifts, by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Gore Vidals Definition of Prettiness, or A Definition of Pantomime, by Julian Barnes. 60 Topic Suggestions Looking for a place to start? Here are 60 words and phrases so broad that writings on them could be infinite: TrustKindnessSexismGumptionRacismSportsmanshipHonorModestySelf-assuranceHumilityDedicationSensitivityPeace of mindRespectAmbitionRight to privacyGenerosityLazinessCharismaCommon senseTeam playerMaturityIntegrityHealthy appetiteFrustrationOptimismSense of humorLiberalConservativeA good (or bad) teacher or professorPhysical fitnessFeminismA happy marriageTrue friendshipCourageCitizenshipSuccessA good (or bad) coachIntelligencePersonalityA good (or bad) roommatePolitical correctnessPeer pressureLeadershipPersistenceResponsibilityHuman rightsSophisticationSelf-respectHeroismThriftSlothVanityPrideBeautyGreedVirtueProgressA good (or bad) bossA good (or bad) parent

Analysis Of The Poem Suicides Note - 776 Words

The poem â€Å"Suicide’s Note† by Langston Hughes is a deep and emotional poem that is shown as the result of the imagery and literary devices present in the poem. Imagery is a strong element that helps portray a lot of internal feelings for the audience to fathom with, thus creating an experience that the audience can enjoy. Imagery is the language represented by sense experience and a literary device that helps create a mental picture for the reader to understand what the writer is trying to say to the audience (Johnson, Arp 779). The following is the poem by Langston Hughes: â€Å"The calm,/Cool face of the river/Asked me for a kiss.† (Hughes 1-3) When examining the poem, â€Å"Suicide’s Note†, it is full of imagery with only three lines present. The†¦show more content†¦The tone is the speaker’s attitude toward a certain subject (Johnson, Arp 887). When describing the tone of this poem many would say is it depressing or tragic. However, once encountering this poem and being through the very experience that the speaker is going through others would describe this poem as calm, relaxed, and tender. This poe m is calm and relaxed because the speaker is ready for death to take over his body. The speaker is more relaxed than ever due to the very potent response that the speaker is ready to kiss the river. If this character in this poem was not contemplating suicide, then he would of never even wrote this poem. This speaker is ready to give up life as he/she dies. This poem is tender being the author implements a feeling of control for the reader, which makes you feel like if you do or say one wrong thing then the speaker’s life would come to an end. The author puts the life of the speaker into the audience’s hands to decide what they will do with it, thus why leaving the poem as an opened ended poem. The speaker portrays a tone of tenderness, but also helps portray mood throughout this also. Though given tone, the author also implements mood into the poem. Mood is the emotional feeling created in the reader throughout the poem. One of the many ways that mood is created is through the tone of the author. Creating mood through tone is when â€Å"The attitude of the writer, speaker, or narrator evokes feelings and emotions

Scenes from an Execution Essay Example For Students

Scenes from an Execution Essay In English playwright Howard Barkers black comedy Scenes from an Execution, Galactica, a 16th-century woman painter, is commissioned by the Venetian republic to commemorate a bloody battle until her honest portrayal of the event has her condemned as an enemy of the state and imprisoned. Director Robert Allan Ackerman, who directs the plays U.S.-premier production, running through May 9 at Los Angeless Mark Taper Forum, was drawn to the script because he found the politics in the play all too similar to those just across town in Hollywood. He was happy to discover that acclaimed British actor Juliet Stevenson (whom he directed in London in Lanford Wilsons Burn This, and who makes her American stage debut as Barkers foursquare heroine) detected the same parallel which is one reason she suggested the play to the Taper in the first place. Ackerman, who recently directed the PBS film Mrs. Cage, says Barkers play calls to mind the movie industrys proclivity for judging artistic merit on the basis of a single work, noting that heads can roll if a film doesnt do what its supposed to. Scenes from an Execution designers Richard Macdonald (scenic concept) and Yael Pardess (sets) juxtapose contemporary Hollywood clothing with Venetian architecture, using stone and lattice to evoke the labyrinthine quality of the ancient citys streets. For Ackerman, the thematic correspondences reflect the timeless struggle between the desire for fame and the need to maintain artistic integrity. I think those tensions can be found in almost any serious artist, he reasons. Thats why the play is accessible.