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  5. Demo 14a: Belousov-Zhabotinskii Reaction (variation)

Belousov-Zhabotinskii Reaction (variation)

Materials

Large Glass Petri Dish or Crystalizing Dish

10 and 25 mL Graduated Cylinders

1 mL Pipet

50 mL Erlenmeyer Flask

Gloves and Goggles

    

Solutions

  • Solution A: 0.6M Sodium Bromate (NaBrO3 )
                     0.6M Sulfuric Acid  (H2SO4)
  • Solution B: 0.48M Malonic Acid (CH2(COOH)2)
  • Solution C: 1gm Sodium Bromide (NaBr) per 10ml H2O
  • Solution D: 0.025M Ferroin Sulfate
     

Procedure

  1. Mix 14ml solution A with 7ml solution B and 2ml solution C in that order and stir or shake until the orange (bromine) color disappears from the solution.
  2. Add 1ml solution D and stir until the solution is a homogeneous red.
  3. Pour enough into a petri dish on an overhead projector to cover the bottom with a thin (~1mm) layer.
    

Waste Management

Carefully neutralize the solution then pour it down the drain.