Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Need ideas for experiments and chemistry project

maqce - 15-3-2020 at 13:35

Hi, this is my first post, I'm a french student who loves physics and chemistry. I did a lot of little experiments since I'm very young, but this year I began to do more and more experiments, like electrolysis, making metal compounds, extracting iodine from povidone, or the iodine clock reaction from NileRed videos.
I would like to do a project, enough simple for a beginner like me, but still a cool experiment. I have some glassware like becher, erlenmeyer etc, I can eventually buy other stuff.
Have you got any ideas for nice projects not too expensive ?
I thought maybe synthesis a smelly ester would be fun, but it's just an exemple.

(Sorry if there are faults sometimes)
Max

CharlieA - 15-3-2020 at 17:22

The laboratory manuals for chemistry courses are good sources of experiments with a purpose and teach good techniques at the same time. As you select an experiment to do and then acquire the necessary equipment and chemicals to do it, you will find that you will be building up a good laboratory.

caution : advice that may be decades out of touch with reality

Sulaiman - 15-3-2020 at 18:26

You could ask your chemistry and physics teachers for ideas.

One approach could be to keep yourself ahead of the sylabus,
- where interesting and doable,
try experiments before you learn them in class,
this way you can ask more useful questions to educate yourself,
and do well in class/examinations.
(sadly, we are sent to school to get indoctrinated, and obtain a few bits of paper, not an education)

I guess that extracting essential oils would be a good project ;
. no toxic chemicals required
. no nasy smells made
. try it as a business
- borrow startup capital from parents
- sell your extractions to fellow students
________________________________
If the business fails then you will have learned something
- and gained some chemicals and equipment.

If the business works then you will meet lots of your peers,
- and learned some business skills
- and gained some chemicals and equipment.
_______________________________________
or something like that

maqce - 16-3-2020 at 10:19

Quote: Originally posted by CharlieA  
The laboratory manuals for chemistry courses are good sources of experiments with a purpose and teach good techniques at the same time.

You mean the school books ? I'm 17 and the chemistry that we do in class is very basic, unfortunatly

maqce - 16-3-2020 at 10:25

Quote: Originally posted by Sulaiman  
I guess that extracting essential oils would be a good project ;
. no toxic chemicals required
. no nasy smells made
. try it as a business
- borrow startup capital from parents
- sell your extractions to fellow students

That could be fun, I hadn't thought about selling the products, clever idea, thanks !

CharlieA - 16-3-2020 at 17:58

Quote: Originally posted by maqce  
Quote: Originally posted by CharlieA  
The laboratory manuals for chemistry courses are good sources of experiments with a purpose and teach good techniques at the same time.

You mean the school books ? I'm 17 and the chemistry that we do in class is very basic, unfortunatly


You could search on Amazon or ebay for a used laboratory manual. I would start by looking for a laboratory manual for a general chemistry course at the university level. An older manual will be just as good as a newer one, and the price will be reasonable. I have purchased some textbooks and a laboratory manual on amazon for $10-20 USD each, which would have cost $100-200 USD for current editions. The fundamentals don't change; basic laboratory techniques don't change much. Many videos made by amateur chemists involving laboratory work demonstrate poor technique; I would rely on a good laboratory manual even if it is 10-20 years old. Try to find "Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments", by Robert Bruce Thompson. It has a lot of good advice on setting up a home laboratory and describes many good experiments.
Good luck!

Corrosive Joeseph - 16-3-2020 at 19:43

Quote: Originally posted by CharlieA  
"Illustrated Guide to Home Chemistry Experiments", by Robert Bruce Thompson


https://libgen.is/book/index.php?md5=8BF8E0D915E2F31812412CB...


/CJ

Syn the Sizer - 17-3-2020 at 08:53

The library section of this site has some decent but old books, I have skimmed through some and they have lots of experiments and knowledge.

http://library.sciencemadness.org/library/index.html

There is one book might be good for a younger person setting up a home lab its called

"The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments"

But either way there are lots of organic and inorganic chem books.

Corrosive Joeseph - 17-3-2020 at 09:00

Quote:

The Golden Book of Chemistry Experiments - Robert Brent


https://libgen.is/book/index.php?md5=1910376A17DD94C3819C39F...


/CJ

Heptylene - 17-3-2020 at 09:21

You could try some copper chemistry. Make copper sulfate by electrolysis in dilute sulfuric acid with copper electrodes, then make copper oxide by slowly adding NaOH solution to boiling copper sulfate solution. Copper acetate can be made easily from vinegar, hydrogen peroxide and copper metal.

Making copper sulfate was one of the first experiments I did actually.

Try making iron(II) sulfate also. It has a very pretty turquoise color.
Other metals are readily available like aluminum, zinc, magnesium, lead, silver, tin (RoHS solder), manganese (batteries), lithium, etc.