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Is Elephant Toothpaste a science experiment?
Create foamy fun with your kids with this DIY science project! The foam your kids will create in this at-home science experiment resembles toothpaste being squeezed from a tube — just be sure they don’t get it in their mouth!
What is the science behind elephant toothpaste for kids?
The elephant’s toothpaste chemistry demonstration produces heated foam when chemicals are mixed. The original demonstration results from decomposition of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by potassium iodide. The kid-friendly version uses a lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide, with the decomposition catalyzed by yeast.
Why is elephant toothpaste a chemical reaction?
This reaction occurs when the yeast acts as a catalyst to separate the oxygen from the hydrogen peroxide. The foam is a result of oxygen-filled bubbles from the hydrogen peroxide being broke into water (H2O) and oxygen (O2). We know this because the bottle will feel warm to the touch when the chemical reaction occurs.
How does elephant toothpaste experiment work?
The oxygen gas forms bubbles. These bubbles would usually escape from the liquid and pop quickly. But, adding a little dish soap provides additional surface tension, allowing the bubbles to get trapped and creating lots of foam. This foam looks like a giant squeeze of toothpaste—almost big enough for an elephant!
Is Elephant toothpaste harmful to the environment?
It’s also eco-friendly, which means all of the foam that spilled out into the surrounding vegetation probably didn’t harm it.
What type of science is elephant toothpaste?
Elephant’s toothpaste is a foamy substance caused by the rapid decomposition of hydrogen peroxide using potassium iodide or yeast and warm water as a catalyst. How rapidly the reaction proceeds will depend on the concentration of hydrogen peroxide.
What is in Devil’s toothpaste?
What is devil toothpaste? However, devil toothpaste is a mass explosion that requires a catalyst like potassium iodide or yeast, hydrogen peroxide, and soap to get started. This makes the reaction colossal.
What causes elephant toothpaste to explode?
When hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposes, it breaks down to form water (H2O) and oxygen (O2). The soap bubbles that erupt from the cylinder are actually filled with oxygen. You’ll notice that the foam has a brown tint.
Is Elephant toothpaste safe to touch?
It is safe to touch because all that foam is just soap, water and oxygen. Let your kids have some fun with the foam too. Just be sure to have a towel handy!
What are the procedures for making elephant toothpaste?
Elephant Toothpaste Procedure Put on gloves and safety glasses. Pour ~50 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide solution into the graduated cylinder. Squirt in a little dishwashing detergent and swirl it around. You can place 5-10 drops of food coloring along the wall of the cylinder to make the foam resemble striped toothpaste. Add ~10 mL of potassium iodide solution.
What are the results of elephant toothpaste?
The original elephant toothpaste reaction, which uses a much higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide, can cause both chemical burns and physical burns . The light version uses chemicals that are safe for children to touch. Nevertheless, the lower concentration of peroxide can till discolor fabrics.
What is the chemistry of elephant toothpaste?
Elephant Toothpaste. Description: Elephant toothpaste is a dramatic chemistry demonstration that involves the decomposition of concentrated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into water and oxygen. Potassium iodide is used as a catalyst to speed up the reaction.
What is the hypothesis of elephant toothpaste experiment?
Elephant toothpaste experiment. My hypothesis is that the reaction will have a greater production of bubbles when used with the 3 oz dish soap. This is my hypothesis because the dehydration of hydrogen peroxide produces oxygen, which makes the dish soap foam up.