Genie in the Bottle!

The Genie in the Bottle! - Chemistry Club - Years 9, 10 and 11

This week in Chemistry Club students were amused by a demonstration in which a puff of ‘smoke’ escaped from a flask when the lid was removed.  The reaction was the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into oxygen gas and water vapour.  Students saw how a catalyst can speed up the rate of a chemical reaction.  Hydrogen peroxide decomposes slowly on its own, but adding a catalyst greatly increases the speed of this reaction. The ‘genie’ that shoots up from the flask is the water vapour that is propelled from the flask by the evolved heat and oxygen gas produced in the reaction. 

Unfortunately for the students this ‘genie’ was unable to grant any wishes! 

Chemistry Club takes place every Thursday lunchtime in S4 from 1.30pm. Chemistry Club is open to all students in Years 9, 10 and 11, so do come along! 

Mrs Arain, Science