Favorite Demonstrations

1
Favorite Demonstrations

• Dr. Jason Brinkley

2
My Personal Favorites

• Tower of Flames
• Thermit
• Mentos and Diet Coke
• Methanol Cannon
• Alkali Metals and Water

3
Tower of Flames

• Methane bubbled through a soap solution
• Rising tower is ignited
• Flashy, the flames lick the ceiling
• Fun, satisfies the pyromaniac side of students
• Bit on the dangerous side

4
Thermit

• Aluminum metal mixed with iron oxide and ignited,
  molten iron is produced
• Hot, can be up to 2500oC
• Wow-factor, molten iron, sparks
• Classic demonstration can be very dangerous

5
Mentos and Diet Coke

• A cold bottle of Diet Coke explodes into a
  fountain when a whole roll of Mentos is added
• Fun, has become iconic
• Easy, no special apparatus required
• Can be done at home
• Need an open space, and makes a mess

6
Methanol Cannon

• Methanol vapor is ignited using a Tesla coil,
  cork shot out of a bottle
• Loud
• Exciting
• Scares administration

7
Alkali Metals and Water

• Classic Demonstration
• Exciting, especially the lower in the period
• Still want to see cesium in water in-person
• Just because its a classic, doesnt mean it
  cannot be reinvented!

8
Flinn Scientific, Inc. Demonstrations

• Many of the demos listed are available in one
  form or another from Flinn
• Smashing Thermit
• Piezo Ping Pong Popper
• Flaming Vapor Ramp
• Safe Swimming with Sodium