Chemistry Shows
The Department of Chemistry occasionally performs magic shows for high schools, open house visitors, and other local groups in the community. These shows are intended to increase both awareness and interest in both the aspects and possibilities of chemistry. Above is a video of one of these magic shows being performed for a local high school's Science Olympiad team by Professor Dennis Peters, Aliese Sarkissian, and Amanda Ellis.
If you're interested in having one of these magic shows performed for your school, class, or group, contact frarmstr@iu.edu or by phone at (812) 855-1192.
Demonstrations Performed
While each Magic Show is different and the demonstrations performed during one pull from a wide range of Chemistry Demos we have available, here is a list of demonstrations that tend to be performed more frequently than others. If you'd like specific demonstrations to be performed during your magic show or science night, we'd be more than happy to make the necessary arrangements.
- Phosphorus Sun
- The Combustion of Lycopodium Powder
- The Glowing Pickle
- Luminol
- Oscillating Clock
- Silver Mirror
- Liquid Nitrogen
- Hydrogen Balloons with Metal Salts
- The Rainbow Connection
- Elephant's Toothpaste
- Gummy Bear Combustion
- Methane / Oxygen Explosion
- Dry Ice Titration
- Hydrogen Peroxide Iodine Clock
- Red Cabbage Juice pH Indicator
- Dehydration of Sugar by Sulfuric Acid
- Alkali Metals
- Nylon 6-10
- Polyurethane
- Collapsing Can
- Boyle's Law in a Vacuum
- The Bubble Machine
- Happy and Sad Balls
- Super Absorbant Polymers
- Using Ninhydrin for Detecting Fingerprints
- Supersaturated Solutions
- Orange Flash
- Blue Bottle Demonstration