DalisAndy
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Posts: 129
Registered: 8-5-2015
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Mood: No Mood
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Summer Chemistry
Since that magical time of the year is here. Summer! I have nothing planned for over a month. I want to get into home chemistry. I am a high school
junior this current school year. I have passed a general chemistry course. What whould be some simple, and fun reaction/excitements for me to do to
get started? I was think, electrolysis of salt water, potassium permanganate and glycerin, elephant tooth paste, potassium chlorate and sucrose,
sucrose and sulfric acid, electroysis of Epsom salt or Borax. I have literally no proper equipment, I know what I will need I think. Beakers,
flasks, stir rods, filter paper, funnel, a heat source, wire stand and test tube holders and test tubes.
I do apoglize for my excessive noodishness
Elements Collected: 19/81 (Excluding all radioactive, using placecard for those)
Any tips or good sources are welcome.
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Zephyr
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Registered: 30-8-2013
Location: Seattle, WA
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Transition metal chemistry can be very fun and rewarding, as well as easy and educational. You can learn a surprising amount by changing a metal
through its salts. You'll be able to check out the copper compound competition soon for interesting displays of this.
I know some of their items are a bit over priced, but I still like United Nuclear for their wide variety of reagents and equipment and their beginner friendly website.
Many of the chemicals necessary for the experiments you mentioned can be found there.
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Texium
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Posts: 4587
Registered: 11-1-2014
Location: Salt Lake City
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I'm planning out my summer chemistry projects right now too (I also just finished my junior year)! The first object on the agenda for me is
TheAustralianScientist's Copper Carnival competition. Even as a beginner, you could get yourself some copper sulfate and some other basic OTC chemicals and try your hand
at it. Entering is free, so you'd have nothing to lose.
Definitely invest in some basic equipment and reagents as soon as possible. United Nuclear is alright for some very niche things that you can't find
anywhere else, but they're really overpriced for the most part. Elemental Scientific has better deals most of the time, but can still be a bit steep. Duda Diesel is awesome for some stuff. They have great deals on a handful of useful reagents, but not the widest selection. Any equipment is
probably most affordable from eBay or Aliexpress, such as this store, which sells a very broad selection of good quality glassware for affordable prices. I've also gotten some of my equipment from Cynmar. They're pretty good too.
Once you get an array of basic supplies, you'll be good to go, and then you can slowly build off of that over time as you continue to learn and try
new things. If you stick with it, before you know it, a year will pass and you'll triple your original inventory and be advising new people on how to get started. 
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