Australia's Science Forum

Hi Cheltie,

If you were using ammonium nitrate to demonstrate an endothermic reaction try using potassium nitrate instead. Not as spectacularly effective as the ammonium nitrate but will still show temperature reduction.

Lyn

Can anyone tell me if Chemwatch is a user pay service. I have been trying to access this site for MSDS sheets and am having no joy.

Thanks, Lyn.

Hi Kazza,

Look in the main forum listing - Biology, Physics. You will find the van de graaf info there.

Lyn

Hi Richard, Half expected a blast from Slartibartfast. Seriously though after twenty five years as a lab tech am still learning the ropes. Yes I do minor running repairs on many things and time is not enough to do all that is required of me. Therefore I let the qualified experts do things like maint...

Rosalie, You need to speak to the maintenance person at your school and have him organise to get in a qualified plumber/gasfitter to do maintenance on all of your gas taps in all your labs. This is an important safety issue and you should not personally be doing anything to the gas taps. This mainte...

Lada,

I think it's time your biology teacher had a reality check. Crocodiles are a protected species and unless someone provides a snake from roadkill, (probably also inadvisable) the three specimens you spoke of should be sufficient.

P.S. A chook carcass is a bird specimen.

Lyn

Hi Robb,

Please keep up the astronomy thread with all its technical aspects. That's what makes it interesting. I check in every so often and am intrigued as to where you get all this information. Keep it coming.

Lyn.

Hi Carol,

Try the following website. http://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk
There is a practical on anodising aluminium with a downloadable file that includes student notes, teacher notes and technician notes. It is worth checking out as is the general site itself.

Lyn.

This is a message for Smiley and any others who experience the humidity of the tropics. The Van de Graaf will work in airconditioning. We have been able to use ours all year round. Only discovered this when some bright spark insisted on doing electrostatics in February. I told them it wouldn't work ...

Hi Pommy, Use a fine steel wool to get the shine back, wipe over with damp paper towelling to get rid of any residue from the steel wool and give a final polish with paper towelling. I do this with our Van de Graaf machine before it is used each time. I must have done a good job this year because th...

Didee, This might be a bit late for your request but I googled the following - toilet roll rocket experiment - and found some really good rocket projects. Your dunny roll rocket may be among them. Check the site that just says Projects. thor.nesc.k12.ar.us/MSProject/09/index.html Lyn

RosalieM,

Aluminium Sulfate 0.1M

Dissolve 67g of aluminium sulfate in distilled water and make up to 1 litre of solution.

The use of a magnetic stirrer will assist the dissolving process.

* The above is a plain english explanation for the chemically challenged.

Lyn.

Robo,

Next time you do this practical advise the teachers that they need to use disposable plastic petri dishes. We did this some time back and the solution crystallised beautifully but also set like concrete. Fortunately we had used the plastic petri dishes.

Lyn

Hi, You will only need 0.1M silver nitrate solution for this prac. Use clean copper wire about 20cm in length, which has been lightly coiled around a pencil or pen (students can do this as part of their prac).Bend the end of wire so that it hooks over the edge of a normal size test tube. By using a ...

Rainbow-sky, There are some times when you just need to provide the equipment asked for and let the teacher go. If a teacher is worth their salt they will trial the practical themselves beforehand. The warm copper sulfate and steel wool practical is a good one. You can trial that one with a cold cop...

Hi Mojo, I have always tested my limewater solution beforehand to make sure it works for the kids. Breathing through a straw will turn limewater milky in about 30 seconds. It will become clear again if you continue to breath through the straw and will take between 5 and 10 minutes for the change to ...

Hi Louie,

It's always been my understanding that once the plates have been exposed and sealed that they are never to be opened again for any reason. Disposal has been a problem but this website has very useful information with regards to correct disposal of this biological hazard.

Lyn.

Chemical, You will need to provide more detailed information about the practical that you have to set up before anyone can assist you. Also you need to provide the correct name for the chemical that you mentioned. Is it potassium ferrate or potassium permanganate? I couldn't find the chemical you me...

We have had a system in place where pracs are set up on trays and left on bench inside prep room door for the teacher to collect. When the lesson is finished the equipment is put back on the trays and placed back inside on the prep room bench. Teachers names can be put on trays. Students are require...

I am still trying to perfect this prac. I no longer add the marble chips. Convinced the teachers that the students would destroy too many mortar and pestles with all the frantic pounding. The last lot was a disaster because the plaster went off too fast before I could add the copper sulfate crystals...