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Classic chemistry demonstrations
Inspire and energise your classes with these much-loved demonstrations.
These resources have been taken from a vast collection of practical demonstrations for stimulating and motivating students.
If you'd like to buy a copy of Classic chemistry demonstrations visit our online bookshop. If you're a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, you're entitled to a 35% discount.
‘Dissolving’ polystyrene in acetone
Investigate what happens to polystyrene when it is placed in propanone (acetone) in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
‘Magic’ writing with colour changing reactions
Reveal invisible messages or pictures drawn with aqueous solutions by spraying them with suitable reagents in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
A controlled explosion using hydrogen and air
Show how a hydrogen–air mixture can gain explosive properties using a plastic drink bottle in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
A hydrogen powered rocket
Try this spectacular demonstration to make a rocket using a plastic drink bottle fuelled by hydrogen and air. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
A simple oscillating reaction
Use this demonstration to illustrate an oscillating reaction as bromate ions oxidise malonic acid to carbon dioxide. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
A solid–solid reaction between lead nitrate and potassium iodide
Use this demonstration with kit list and safety instructions to prove that two solids can react together, making lead iodide from lead nitrate and potassium iodide.
A visible activated complex
A simple demonstration of catalysis also introducing the idea of an activated complex and to allow discussion of the mechanism of catalysis. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Allotropes of sulfur
Use this practical to explore the changes in the colour and consistency of sulfur as you heat it, melt it and eventually boil it. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Ammonia fountain demonstration
Try this experiment to make a miniature chemical fountain using only soluble ammonia and atmospheric pressure. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Ammonium dichromate volcano
Try this demonstration to create a mini volcanic eruption illustrating the decomposition of ammonium dichromate. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Anodising aluminium
Explore an application of electrolysis in this demonstration by anodising aluminium to improve corrosion resistance. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Bright sparks
The spontaneous combustion of high surface area iron
Burning milk powder
Gather a Bunsen burner, and some common powdered milk to help students grasp the ideas of surface area and reaction rates. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Burning money: what makes combustion happen?
Surprise your students by soaking a piece of paper (or an old £5 note) in ethanol and water and igniting it. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Cannon fire
Increase the rate of burning with the inclusion of oxygen, in this loud exothermic practical
Catalysing the reaction of sodium thiosulfate and hydrogen peroxide
Illustrate the effect of a catalyst as sodium thiosulfate is oxidised by hydrogen peroxide in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Catalysts for the thermal decomposition of potassium chlorate
Try this demonstration to investigate the effectiveness of various catalysts for the decomposition of potassium chlorate. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Chemiluminescence of luminol: a cold light experiment
Show how the energy of a chemical reaction can be given out as light. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Colourful reactions using ammonia solution
Turn ammonia solution red, white or blue by adding phenolphthalein, lead nitrate or copper(II) sulfate in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Combustion of ethanol
Illustrate the large energy changes that take place during the combustion of alcohols with this spectacular demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Cracking hydrocarbons in liquid paraffin with a catalyst
Model the industrial process of cracking larger hydrocarbons to produce smaller alkanes in this demonstration or class practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Dehydration of ethanol to form ethene
Use this class practical or demonstration to produce ethene gas as an example of an unsaturated hydrocarbon. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Determining relative molecular mass by weighing gases
Use this demonstration to determine the relative molecular masses of different gases using the ideal gas equation. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Determining the relative molecular mass of butane
Use this demonstration to calculate the relative molecular mass of butane using simple apparatus. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Diffusion of gases: ammonia and hydrogen chloride
A demonstration to show the diffusion of gases, using ammonia solution and hydrochloric acid. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Dyeing three colours from the same dye bath
Show how dyeing involves chemical interactions between dyes and the molecular nature of different fibres in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Electrolysis of molten lead(II) bromide
Introduce your students to the study of electrolysis through the production of metallic lead and bromine in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Endothermic solid–solid reactions
Observe an endothermic reaction between two solids in this demonstration or class experiment. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Equilibria involving carbon dioxide in aqueous solution
Use this demonstration or class practical to illustrate changes to equilibria in carbonated soda water. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Estimating the concentration of bleach
Compare the chlorine content and concentration of sodium hypochlorite in different bleaches in this class practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Exploding a tin can using methane
Use this demonstration to illustrate how methane can create an explosive mixture with the oxygen in air. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Exploding bubbles of hydrogen and oxygen
Create a small explosion in this demonstration by electrolysing water to produce hydrogen and oxygen bubbles. Includes kit list, video and safety instructions.
Extracting iron from breakfast cereal
Try this class practical or demonstration to extract food-grade iron from breakfast cereals using neodymium magnets. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Flame colours: a demonstration
Explore how different elements rect when exposed to a flame, and discuss how alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, and metal salts change the colour of fire.
Floating and sinking bubbles
Make bubbles of carbon dioxide, hydrogen or methane in this demonstration exploring density, diffusion and solubility. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Halogen reactions with iron wool
Illustrate an exothermic redox reaction by heating iron wool with chlorine, bromine and iodine with this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Hydrogen peroxide decomposition using different catalysts
Collect a range of catalysts to explore the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide, paying close attention to the varied reaction rates. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Identifying the products of combustion
Illustrate the presence of water and carbon dioxide in the products of hydrocarbon combustion in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Indicators and dry ice demonstration
Create bubbles, ‘fog’ and a colour change adding dry ice to alkaline ammonia or sodium hydroxide solution in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Iodine clock reaction demonstration method
Use this iodine clock reaction demonstration to introduce your students to rates of reaction and kinetics. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Liquefying chlorine gas
Use this demonstration to produce liquid chlorine and compare it with bromine and iodine in their condensed state. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Making nylon: the ‘nylon rope trick’
The ‘nylon rope trick’ is a classic of chemistry classrooms, by mixing decanedioyl dichloride and in cyclohexane you can create a solution that will form nylon strings when floated on an aqueous solution of 1,6-diaminohexane. Kit list and safety instructions included.
Making rayon
Use this demonstration to produce rayon fibres in the classroom using cotton wool or filter paper. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Making silicon and silanes from sand
Create silicon in your classroom using just sand and magnesium. This exothermic practical will show learners the nuances of heat based reactions and how to perform them safely. Kit list and safety instructions included.
Modelling the greenhouse effect
Use this demonstration to illustrate the greenhouse effect and the role of carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Phenol-methanal polymerisiation
Make Bakelite in class and investigate its properties using phenol, methanal and ethanoic acid in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Reacting zinc and copper(II) oxide
Illustrate competition reactions using the exothermic reaction between copper(II) oxide and zinc in this class demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Reactions of chlorine, bromine and iodine with aluminium
Try this demonstration to produce some spectacular exothermic redox reactions by reacting aluminium with halogens. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Reactivity trends of the alkali metals
Use this experiment to demonstrate the trend in reactivity down group 1 of the Periodic Table, exploring the physical and chemical properties of the alkali metals.
Rechargeable cells: the lead–acid accumulator
Use this practical to demonstrate the chemistry behind rechargeable batteries, using a lead–acid accumulator cell. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Reduction of copper(II) oxide by hydrogen
Determine the formula of copper(II) oxide by reducing it using hydrogen or methane, in one of three methods available to you in this practical. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Sodium ethanoate ‘stalagmite’
Quickly grow your own ‘stalagmite’ from a supersaturated solution of sodium ethanoate in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Sulfuric acid as a dehydrating agent
Try these two demonstrations to illustrate the difference between dehydration and drying using sulfuric acid. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The ‘blue bottle’ experiment
In this demonstration, the redox indicator Methylene blue can be oxidised many times by shaking. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The ‘breathalyser’ reaction | 16–18 years
Try this demonstration to recreate an early ‘breathalyser’ test, passing ethanol vapour through potassium dichromate. Includes kit list and safety instructions
The ‘Old Nassau’ or Halloween clock reaction
Illustrate dramatic colour changes as a result of redox and precipitation reactions in this vivid demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The combustion of iron wool
Try this quick teacher demonstration to demonstrate the increase in mass as iron wool is heated in air. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The cornflour ‘bomb’
Create a small explosion inside a tin can using cornflour in this demonstration, illustrating energy transformation. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The density of carbon dioxide
Illustrate the higher density of carbon dioxide relative to air by pouring it over a lighted candle in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The density of ice
Demonstrate to students what happens as ice cubes floating on oil start to melt and the density of the water changes. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The effect of pressure and temperature on equilibrium | Le Chatelier’s principle
Try this demonstration to explore the effects of pressure and temperature on an equilibrium mixture with your students. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The equilibrium between two coloured cobalt species
In this demonstration the equilibrium between two different coloured cobalt species is disturbed. Le Chatelier’s principle is used to predict a colour change.
The oxidation states of vanadium
Introduce your students to the idea that different oxidation states of transition metal ions often have different colours, and that electrode potentials can be used to predict the course of the redox reactions. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The reaction of aluminium and copper(II) sulfate
Try this practical or demonstration to illustrate the displacement of copper from copper sulfate using aluminium foil, with kit list and safety instructions.
The reaction of ethyne with chlorine
Try this teacher demonstration with your students to illustrate the spontaneous reaction of ethyne and chlorine. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The reaction of magnesium with steam
Plunge a burning magnesium ribbon into the steam above boiling water and allow the hydrogen that is formed to burn – or collect it over water and test it with a lighted spill.
The silver mirror test with Tollens’ reagent
Try this practical to explore the mirror-making reaction between silver nitrate (Tollens’ reagent) and glucose. Includes kit list, video and safety instructions.
The thermal properties of water
Explore water’s boiling point, specific heat capacity and thermal conductivity in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
The thermite reaction between aluminium and iron(III) oxide
Illustrate a highly exothermic thermite reaction resulting in molten iron in this teacher demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Thermal decomposition of nitrates: ‘writing with fire’
Make an invisible message ‘glow’ by applying a lighted splint to filter paper treated with sodium nitrate in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Turning ‘red wine’ into ‘water’
Use acidified potassium permanganate – or ‘red wine’ – to make ‘water’, ‘milk’ and ‘lemonade’ in this engaging demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Turning copper coins into ‘silver’ and ‘gold’
Perform what looks like alchemy with ordinary copper coins in this teacher demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Universal indicator ‘rainbow’
Try this demonstration to create a rainbow effect using universal indicator, hydrochloric acid and sodium hydroxide. Includes kit list and safety instructions.
Urea-methanal polymerisation
Explore condensation polymerisation by creating and investigating the properties of a thermosetting polymer in this demonstration. Includes kit list and safety instructions.