Thermochemistry
Specific Heat of Air and Water
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Two clean plastic cups, one filled with room temperature water, the other empty, for a student to test with their finger.
Bomb Calorimeter
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An old bomb calorimeter made by the Parr Instrument Company for show-and-tell.
Specific Heat of Copper
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Copper is heated to 100°C and added to room temperature water in a calorimeter. Specific Heat calculated.
Liquid Nitrogen Trash Can
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An inverted trash can is launched into the air by an exploding bottle of liquid nitrogen.
Reaction of Hydrogen and Oxygen
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Balloons of hydrogen, oxygen, and a mixture of the two gases are burned.
Canned Heat - Colorful Flaming Gel
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Calcium acetate and ethanol form a flammable gel that gives off enough heat to keep food hot! Additional chemicals can be added to color the flame.
Hot and Cold Packs
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Ammonium nitrate instant cold packs, and supersaturated sodium acetate instant hot packs, to pass around to students.
Reaction of Sodium and Water
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Sodium undergoes a reaction with water.
Reaction of Magnesium and Air
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A magnesium ribbon is held with tongs and lit with a match or torch, making a bright flame that consumes the ribbon from the bottom up.
Reaction of Propane and Oxygen
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A oxy-propane torch is lit with just propane, and the flame examined, before oxygen is added, changing the flame character and temperature.
Contact Us
Mailing Address: Lecture Demonstration Services, Science Center, Rm B-08A, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Campus Location: Science Center B-08A | Tel: (617) 495-5824 | Email: scidemos-at-fas.harvard.edu