Written by the author of the award–winning "Chemische Kabinettstücke" this book demonstrates over 80 enjoyable, impressive and sometimes almost unbelievable chemical experiments for classroom, lecture hall or home. Every experiment is explained in full, and has been tested several times such that the successful reproduction is guaranteed. Grouped into several cycles –– water, the color blue, the color red, soles, and self–organization –– the topics are perfect for experimental lectures or school projects. Detailed illustrations and the lively writing style make this book attractive to every reader interested in chemistry who will be spellbound and educated at the same time.

Table of Contents:
Foreword V Preface XIII Part I: Water 1 Experiment 1 Spontaneous ignition by adding water 3 Experiment 2 Blowing-up an iron ball 5 Experiment 3 Hydration 7 Experiment 4 Osmosis 11 Experiment 5 Re-gelation of ice 15 Experiment 6 Sugar coal by splitting off water from sugar with sulfuric acid 17 Experiment 7 Sodium billiards 19 Experiment 8 Boiling water in a paper bowl 23 Experiment 9 The density differences of H2O and D2O 25 Experiment 10 Fire under water 27 Experiment 11 Safe production of detonating gas 29 Experiment 12 Fuel cell for hydrogen and oxygen 33 Experiment 13 Hydrogen in status nascendi 35 Experiment 14 Effusion of hydrogen 37 Experiment 15 Freezing mixture 39 Experiment 16 Rapid crystallization 41 Experiment 17 Magic eggs 43 Experiment 18 Colored kinetics 47 Experiment 19 Flushing peppermint tea 49 Experiment 20 Chemiluminescence 51 Experiment 21 The colors white-yellow-black 53 Experiment 22 Nitrogen and hydrogen by electrolysis 55 Experiment 23 Demonstration of the plasma state: “A sparkling cross” 57 Part II: The color blue 59 Experiment 24 Witching hour 61 Experiment 25 Molybdenum blue 63 Experiment 26 Combustion of sulfur in oxygen 65 Experiment 27 Phosphorus salt pearl or cobalt salt pearl 67 Experiment 28 Fehling’s solution 69 Experiment 29 Activated carbon decolorizes water blue 71 Experiment 30 Blue bottle – The blue miracle 73 Experiment 31 Generation of blue (N2O3) dinitrogen trioxide 75 Experiment 32 Bleaching with a household product 77 Experiment 33 Ink blue – solvated electrons 79 Part III: The color red 81 Experiment 34 Purple or colorless – an entertaining demonstration 83 Experiment 35 A “red component” in newspapers 85 Experiment 36 Bleaching of tomato juice with chlorine on a micro scale 87 Experiment 37 Production of non-drinkable red wine 89 Experiment 38 Red wine as a color indicator 91 Part IV: Colloids, sols, and gels 93 Experiment 39 Silica gel from alkali silicates 95 Experiment 40 Red gold 97 Experiment 41 Red gold sol 99 Experiment 42 Blue gold sol 101 Experiment 43 Cherry red gold sol 103 Experiment 44 The blue gold 105 Experiment 45 Silver sol by electric discharge 107 Experiment 46 How to make a silver sol 109 Experiment 47 The reaction of silver nitrate with tannin 111 Part V: Fascinating experiments by self-organization 113 Experiment 48 Dissipative structures: Chemical patterns in aqueous solution 115 Experiment 49 Acidic acid butyl ester in the presence of bromocresol green 119 Experiment 50 Precipitation using the gas phase 121 Experiment 51 Methods become accepted: Nessler’s reagent and gaseous ammonia 123 Experiment 52 Reduction of KMnO4 with ethyl alcohol 125 Experiment 53 Alcohol test 129 Experiment 54 An old hat with new feathers: the precipitation of AgCl with HCl gas 133 Part VI: Chemical varieties 135 Experiment 55 A chemical buoy 137 Experiment 56 Flower power 139 Experiment 57 Münchhausen: the flying styrofoam ball 141 Experiment 58 The remarkable rocket 145 Experiment 59 Eatable burning banana 149 Experiment 60 Burning pecan 151 Experiment 61 Sparks and shining fire 153 Experiment 62 Like magic . . . the reduction of copper oxide 157 Experiment 63 Electric current from a beer can 159 Experiment 64 Magnesium powder burning in the air 161 Experiment 65 The alchemist’s gold 163 Experiment 66 Imitate a spider 165 Experiment 67 Is it methyl alcohol or ethyl alcohol? 167 Experiment 68 Oxygen content of the air 169 Experiment 69 Rapid rust 171 Experiment 70 Shining dry ice 173 Experiment 71 Smoke rings 177 Experiment 72 Saturn’s rings 181 Experiment 73 Oxygen from Ag2O 183 Experiment 74 Flour dust explosion 185 Experiment 75 Bromine and potassium 189 Experiment 76 Current-free shining flat-bottomed cylinder 191 Experiment 77 Rotating advertising column 193 Experiment 78 S4N4 – A pick-me-up 195 Experiment 79 Thunderclap 197 Experiment 80 A heavyweight does not stick to the bottom 199 Experiment 81 Icarus and the sun 201 Experiment 82 Disposal of sodium and potassium residues 203 Part VII: The art gallery of chemistry 205 Experiment 83 Color composition: Chemistry is art 207 Experiment 84 Underwater dance 209 Experiment 85 Blue mist 211 Experiment 86 Colorful clouds 213 Conclusion 217 Index 219