When lab safety is kept in mind, chemistry experiments in a lab can both a safe and joyous activity, leading to a lifelong passion of learning, science, and exploration. We strongly recommend using gloves, googles and a lab coat whenever toxic or corrosive compounds are used in an experiment, or high heat is involved. These experiments are from the ChemTalk youtube channel.
Elephant Toothpaste Experiemnt
Elephant Toothpaste – Safety
Goggles must be used with this experiment, as the foam can quickly shoot out of the container. This experiment can be performed with 3% or 30% hydrogen peroxide. If 30% hydrogen peroxide is used, we highly recommend using gloves as it can cause mild burns on the skin. It will also turn your skin very white, that is your skin being oxidized. That will usually go away in a few hours of a couple of days. Potassium permanganate is a strong oxidant and should not be mixed with organic substances. Avoid contact with the skin and breathing the dust. You can read our elephant toothpaste article.
Maze-Solving Experiment
Maze-Solving – Safety
Dilute sodium hydroxide solutions and dilute hydrochloric acid solutions are irritating to skin, and can burn the eyes. Dilute solutions are used in the maze, but may need to be prepared from concentrated solutions. Concentrated solutions of NaOH and HCl can burn the skin and eyes. Vapors from concentrated hydrochloric acid are extremely irritating to the eyes, skin and respiratory system.
Prussian Blue Experiment
Prussian Blue – Safety
Soluble compounds of iron, like iron (III) chloride can be toxic when ingested and irritating to skin.
Tin Crystals Experiment
Tin Crystals – Safety
Stannous chloride can irritate the skin and eyes. Dust from tin crystals can be irritating to the skin and lungs.
Tin Crystals – Disposal
Dry your tin element and store it as part of your element collection.
Making Cobalt Ferrocyanide Experiment
Making Cobalt Ferrocyanide – Safety
Cobalt compounds are mildly toxic – use gloves and do not mix the chemicals in kitchen or eating areas.
Making Cobalt Ferrocyanide – Disposal
Wash down the drain with excess water.
Cyanide solves a mystery Experiment
Cyanide solves a mystery – Safety
Ferricyanide compounds should never be mixed with hot or concentrated strong acids. as this could result in generation of hydrogen cyanide, which can be fatal in small quantities.
Hydrochloric acid can cause burns, and the vapors are extremely irritating when breathed in. We recommend pouring concentrated HCl outside or in a fume hood. Wear goggles when using HCl.
Cyanide solves a mystery – Disposal
Acids should be neutralized with sodium bicarbonate.
Magnesium Carbonate Experiment
Magnesium Carbonate – Safety
Oven can get very hot and burn little fingers. This experiment generates intense enjoyment, that results in requests for further experiments.
Magnesium Carbonate – Disposal
Nothing special.
Reactions of Magnesium Experiment
Reactions of Magnesium – Safety
Compounds of copper, nickel, lead, vanadium and cobalt can be toxic when ingested and irritating to skin. Some nickel compounds are suspected carcinogens. Do not inhale dust from these compounds, especially nickel, vanadium and lead. Effects to exposure to lead can be cumulative and cause anemia and loss of appetite.
Hydrochloric acid can cause burns, and the vapors are extremely irritating when breathed in. So we recommend pouring concentrated HCl outside or in a fume hood. Wear goggles when using HCl.
Nitric acid can cause severe burns to the skin and eyes, and is a powerful oxidizing agent. It can cause fire and explosions with combustible materials. Reaction of 68% nitric acid with many metals produces nitrogen dioxide. Nitric acid is poisonous and should not be inhaled. Handle nitric acid with care. Nitric acid will destroy nitrile gloves within seconds.
Sulfuric acid is an extremely strong acid that can burn the skin and eyes. Adding water to concentrated sulfuric acid can cause violent and dangerous splattering. Therefore, always handle it with care.
Read more about the element magnesium.
Reactions of Magnesium – Disposal
Always slowly neutralized the acids with sodium bicarbonate. Therefore, use caution and googles, as the reaction producing carbon dioxide can be violent and uncontrolled.
Copper from Aluminum Foil Experiment
Safety
Copper compounds are toxic if taken internally. The dust will irritate mucous membranes. Therefore, always wear gloves when handling copper compounds.
Copper from Aluminum Foil – Disposal
No special instructions.
Alkali Metal Converter Experiment
Alkali Metal Converter – Safety
This experiment is extremely dangerous and should not be attempted unless you have significant chemical engineering experience. Alkali metals like cesium are extremely reactive and can form peroxide layers that can be explosive, and can explode upon contact with water.
Disposal
Alkali metals must be stored in mineral oil, or converted to salts in extremely small quantities at a time due to their extreme reactivity.
Cobalt Molybdate Experiment
Safety
Cobalt compounds are mildly toxic – use gloves and do not mix the chemicals in kitchen or eating areas. Read more about the element molybdenum.
Cobalt Molybdate – Disposal
Cobalt molybdate can be dried and stored in a small vial, or thrown in the trash.
Gallium + Aluminum Experiment
Gallium + Aluminum – Safety
When a gallium aluminum alloy is added to water, the water can get quite hot.
Gallium + Aluminum – Disposal
Wash the remaining solution down the sink. The gallium is heavier than the aluminum or water. Therefore, physical separation allows the recovery and reuse of gallium.
Bismuth Admiration Experiment
Bismuth Admiration – Safety
Warning – collecting beautiful elements like the element bismuth can be addictive, and can lead to a lifelong passion for science and chemistry. Proceed with caution.
Bismuth Admiration – Disposal
Never dispose of your elemental bismuth. Simply pass it on to a young future scientist, or use it to make bismuth crystals.
Photo Credit
Cover image by Debbie Freeman-Griffith. Thank you Debbie!