It Needs a Battery - Chemistry Demonstration

Watch as a colorless solution changes to blue when a 9V battery is dropped into the beaker. The blue color then fades when the battery is removed. A red cloth is dipped into the colorless solution and appears to absorb the elusive blue color. The blue cloth is dipped into another beaker where the blue color disappears until it is rung out of the cloth over the final beaker. This trick is a great example of electrochemistry, acids, bases and indicators.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• chemistry
• demonstration
• color
• acid
• base
• indicator
• wisconsin
• university
• shakhashiri

[misterflip20]

isnt this how litmus papers work?

[djmoog1]

Very observant! This is all done by indicators.

[xxGLhrMxx]

What kind of sorcery is this??

[lekunberriko1]

Years ago, I wrote to Kurt Herrman in order to know the chemicals and he does not answer me.

[neonmagik31]

Is it possible for you to send me a procedure of this?

[avatar098]

LOL acids and bases with indicators(:

[UltimateLPs]

This is why I love chemistry.

[JINNAKANISHI]

oh.. it's a very good demos...

but could u tell me the substance of this experiment?

what did he put into the water?

what is the name of the indicator?

how can i do this?

pls answer to me.. thx very very very much////...///

[JINNAKANISHI]

er... could u translate it?

[misterflip20]

haha thanks. i like chemistry.

i spend more time on the nottingham science channel than 13 year olf girls spend time on the nigahiga channel :P

[djmoog1]

You are correct but the battery does not contain base. The battery supplies a charge to the solution which is enough to oxidize iodide ions into elemental iodine. Iodine in the presence of starch indicator is deep blue, so it doesn't take much to see the color.