We all know what elephant toothpaste is, but what's the best way to make this massive growing foam? Dr. Lithium from NurdRage has answers. He'll show you the best way to reproduce this chemical reaction to get the best foaming action! This is a classic science class
demonstration. Warning: hydrogen peroxide causes burns, wear gloves. The procedure is very simple. First mix 50mL of detergent with 100mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide. Then add in 10mL of a saturated solution of potassium iodide. The mixture will then produce a massive foam. A variation is to also add 5g of starch to the peroxide mixture. When it foams, the foam will have light and dark patches due to the uneven reaction of starch and triodide that forms. Yeast can be used in
place of iodide for a slower reaction, but this also allows you to add fluorescent dye to the mixture to make a "glowing elephant toothpaste" when you shine ultraviolet light on it. In all of these experiments, what's happening is the hydrogen peroxide is being catalytically decomposed into water and oxygen by the iodide or the yeast. This creates bubbles of oxygen that then foam up due to the detergent. Want to master Microsoft Excel and take your work-from-home job prospects to the next level? Jump-start your career with our
Premium A-to-Z Microsoft Excel Training Bundle from the new Gadget Hacks Shop and get lifetime access to more than 40 hours of Basic to Advanced
instruction on functions, formula, tools, and more. Buy Now (97% off) > Other worthwhile deals to check out:
Did your mom ever pour hydrogen peroxide on a cut when you were younger? It bubbled up and made you cry because it felt like burning and stinging but mom promised it was going to make your cut "all better". Turns out mom was lying about it helping your cut, most evidence suggests that it does little to disinfect a wound. But, it was cool to look at
with all those bubbles coming out of your skin! The real questions it, why does hydrogen peroxide bubble when you put in on a cut? Why does hydrogen peroxide bubble on a cut? Hydrogen peroxide has the chemical formula H2O2 which means it is very
similar to water, H2O, with an extra oxygen added to it. Hydrogen peroxide naturally breaks apart into water and oxygen on its own, this is called a decomposition reaction, but it happens very slowly. Animals, including humans, have an enzyme in their body called catalase. An
enzyme is a biological catalyst, which means it speeds up or slows down a reaction inside the body. The catalase enzyme speeds up the decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide inside the body. Why do we have hydrogen peroxide in our bodies? It is produced naturally when cells extract energy from food. This process is called metabolism. This byproduct of metabolism is
harmful to your cells so the enzyme catalase is needed to quickly break down the hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen - thus keeping the cell healthy. The liver has very high concentrations of the catalase protein. When hydrogen peroxide is dripped on liver it comes into contact with the catalase and we can see the visible
decomposition reaction occur. Craig Beals elephant toothpaste experiment in infrared shows the heat that is generated in this exothermic decomposition reaction. The recipe used is the same as the one listed below but we started with 2000 ml of hydrogen peroxide. Elephant Toothpaste Demonstration The biological catalyst,
catalase, speeds up the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide fairly quickly but there are chemical catalysts that cause the reaction to occur much more rapidly. Potassium Iodide (KI) is one such chemical catalyst. The Elephant Toothpaste demonstration, which is also commonly called Old Foamy, shows this reaction very well. How
to make elephant toothpaste: (click supplies for ordering information) 50 ml 30% hydrogen peroxide (I use FLINN Scientific for school) (If 30% is not available, use 150 ml of 12% Hydrogen
Peroxide)
10 g potassium iodide (KI)
(If potassium iodide is not available, use 1 Tablespoon of dry yeast mixed with 3 tablespoons [15 ml] of water)
5 ml water
40 ml dish soap
2000 ml Graduated cylinder (or large beaker)
Food coloring (optional)
Pour 40 ml of dish soap into a large graduated cylinder or large beaker. Mix 10 g of potassium iodide and 5 ml of water together in a small beaker. In a separate beaker, measure 50 ml of hydrogen peroxide. Drip food coloring down both sides of the graduated cylinder so the toothpaste will have colored stripes. Pour potassium iodide/water mixture into the large graduated cylinder and, at the same time, pour in the hydrogen peroxide.
Stand back and watch the reaction produce a huge column of soapy bubbles that rises up and spills out onto the table. The bubbles are the products of the reaction: water and oxygen gas. The yellow color is from the iodine in the potassium iodide.
Hydrogen peroxide reaction equation (Decomposition)
H2O2 --> H2O + O2
Hydrogen peroxide reaction balanced chemical equation
2H2O2(l) --> 2H2O(l) + O2(g)
**Warning: 30% hydrogen peroxide is very harmful. This experiment should not be performed by children and protective gloves, apron, and googles should be worn at all times**
Craig Beals visits the news crew at KTVQ on Montana This Morning to host the Science Spot and share the awesome science behind hydrogen peroxide and Elephant Toothpaste.
Keep on Learning!
~Craig
The Science of Elephant Toothpaste
#HydrogenPeroxide #Liver #Enzyme #Catalyst #Catalase #ElephantToothpaste #OldFoamy #Experiment #Demonstration #Demo