Question: Our text-book says to burn 2M solutions for flame tests, and I have tried solids too, but IT DOES NOT WORK! Can you please tell me what you do, and what actually works? Answer: Buy flame test bottles (atomisers) from Haines Educational. Use the following: All 0.5 M. Copper sulfate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, […]
Question: Gentian Violet for fingerprinting is a banned substance now and is not procurable any more. Are there any alternatives? Answer: 1. On wood in silver nitrate. 2. Finger prints on filter paper in iodine chamber. Use a fume hood. Put fingerprints on filter paper and attach a paper clip and cotton thread to it, […]
Add ethanol to a very small amount of the substance to be tested. Shake or crush to dissolve. In tough cases it can be warmed gently in a water bath. Filter or dilute if necessary to obtain a fairly clear liquid, which is the solution of fat in ethanol. Pour this solution into a test […]
Question: Can you please tell me the details of the experiment where you use jelly beans in lieu of esters? Answer: Esters – A Tasty Investigation (This activity compliments the Experiment 32 in STAWA Year 12 ATAR Exploring Chemistry Laboratory Manual). Key Ideas:Alcohols and carboxylic acids react to form esters. Esters have pleasant odours and […]
Place yellow sticky traps from a hardware store in different areas of a garden. The following results came from one set-up: The trap near the non-native ornamental plants were full of white fly, the trap near the worm farm mainly had vinegar flies and the two fruit tree traps had lots of fruit flies because […]
Wheat germ, kiwi fruit and onion DNA extractions all work well. The wheat germ method is simple, you get lots of DNA, and it isn’t smelly. Test the detergent, as only some brands promote the production of DNA. EXTRACTION OF DNA FROM WHEAT GERM From Jan McGaw, Ferny Grove State High School, Queensland Raw wheat […]
An interesting and memorable way of demonstrating digestion for Year 11 Human Biology. Tuna sandwich made from one piece of bread and spread. Length plastic tubing about 3.5cm x 20cm for the oesophagus Medium plastic bag for the stomach. Tubing about 7 to 10 cm in diameter, fashioned from a plastic bag, cut and taped […]
1. Gas jar with layers set up as follows: Pink tinted meths as the top layer Paraffin Oil Green coloured water Honey at the base Then, gently drop in a marble which will sink to the bottom. Followed by a 10c coin which sits on top of the honey. Then a piece of Perspex (cut […]
Salt (sodium chloride or table salt) produces big crystals and you can colour them to make them easier to see. Try phenyl salicylate also known as Salol. This solid melts at 41 to 43 degrees C so if some is placed in a test tube and then placed in hot water it becomes a liquid. […]
There are some good ideas for demonstration, on these websites: http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/experiment/00000031 This is the link to the ABC’s Surfing Scientist, great demos, etc with easy set ups. Good ideas for end of year pracs. http://www.abc.net.au/science/surfingscientist/