Miniature explosions in a test tube Concentrated sulphuric acid, potassium permanganate and alcohol can be used to make sparks and crackling noise in a test tube, which looks really spectacular, especially in a dimly lit room.

Miniature fireworks (bright flashes) in a test tube. A mix of red phosphorus, aluminium powder and a suitable oxidizer, such as potassium nitrate, when thrown in chlorine gas, gives a very bright flash.

Water-initiated violent reaction between magnesium and iodine. When a drop of water is added to a mix of finely ground iodine and powdered magnesium, then a violent reaction starts, with formation of copious amounts of purple iodine vapor.

Green fire . Methanol and ethanol burn with a very pale blue flame. When some boric acid is dissolved in them, then they burn with a beautiful bright green flame.

Reaction between bromine and aluminium . When a small piece of aluminium is put in liquid bromine, then after some induction period, a very violent reaction starts, with fire and brilliant sparks.

Liquid from hell -- fire on first contact . An organic solvent like acetone or ethanol inflames at once, when brought in contact with a mix of potassium permanganate and concentrated sulphuric acid.

High speed image capturing of miniature explosions (1) . A very small amount of mix of red phosphorus and finely ground potassium periodate explodes on ignition. This gives a bright flash, and after the explosion a nice small pink/purple cloud of smoke is formed. In this experiment, high speed images were captured of such an explosion.

High speed image capturing of miniature explosions (2) . This is another high speed image capturing experiment. Here, a drop of acetone is put on a mix of concentrated sulphuric acid and potassium permanganate. This results in immediate and very violent combustion of the acetone. A nice high speed image series is made of such an explosion.

Preparation of a highly explosive silver salt . Silver ions react with acetylene gas, even at low pH (around 0), giving an off-white precipitate of impure silver acetylide. This precipitate is highly explosive, when it is dry. It has no practical applications, but it makes a nice demo when prepared in small amounts.

High voltage electrolysis . The experiment, described in this page is somewhat at the border of physics and chemistry. A salt solution is electrolysed with a plasma beam as anode, generated from a high voltage source, supplying an output voltage of more than 10 kV.

Nitration of a piece of cellulose wadding . A classical experiment, in which ordinary white cellulose wadding is nitrated with a mix of concentrated nitric acid and concentrated sulphuric acid. It is shown, how fast such a nitrated piece of cellulose wadding can burn.

Beautiful green and blue light. This set of page describes the making of barium bromate and cesium bromate and shows how these compounds can be used to make a pyrotechnic mix with remarkably bright green and blue light emission when it is ignited.

Formation of dense smoke from bromine and ammonia . Ammonia gas and bromine vapor react with each other, giving dense smoke of ammonium bromide. In this experiment, some bromine vapor is poured into an erlenmeyer, containing dilute ammonia gas. The result is stunning.

Explosive mix with red phosphorus and a peroxo chromate . One of the most powerful explosive mixes, described on this entire website. Not of any practical value, but it makes a cool demonstration.

Violent 'combustion' of acetylene in chlorine gas . Acetylene gas (from calcium carbide, also known as 'carbid') is bubbled into an erlenmeyer, filled with pure chlorine gas. This results in violent explosion-like combustion of the acetylene in the chlorine gas. A rather scary, but spectacular experiment.

Colored smoke -- purple and yellow. This is a surprising experiment. A mix of potassium periodate and ammonium thiocyanate is ignited. Initially, the smoke, produced from the burning mix, is purple, but this smoke quickly turns golden yellow.

Water-initiated light and smoke . A mix of finely ground silver nitrate and magnesium powder gives an intensely bright and hot flash, when a small amount of water is added to this. This is a spectacular experiment, which must be carried out carefully.

Reaction between bromine/chlorine and phosphorus . When red phosphorus is immersed in an atmosphere of bromine vapor or chlorine gas, then it ignites and keeps burning in the bromine vapor or chlorine gas.

Electrolysis of water -- detonating gas. Water is decomposed by means of electrolysis of a dilute sulphuric acid solution. The resulting gases are mixed and the impressive explosive power of this gas mix is demonstrated.

Dehydration and oxidation of sugar by concentrated sulphuric acid. This is a spectacular experiment, in which sugar is charred by concentrated sulphuric acid. A lot of black foam, smoke and noise is produced.

Color of the flame of burning gases. Different gases are collected in a test tube, sucked in a syringe, and then ignited. Many different flame colors can be obtained from different gases. Some flame colors are remarkable, such as pink/rose and grey.

Barking dog reaction . Nitrous oxide is mixed with carbon disulfide vapor and this mix is ignited. This results in a very spectacular reaction with bright light and an impressive barking noise. This is a very old classical experiment of great entertaining value.

Preparation and properties of ammonium periodate. A simple experiment, in which ammonium (meta)periodate is made. This compound explodes when it is heated.

Violent reaction between hydrazine and periodate. In this experiment it is demonstrated that hydrazine and periodate react extremely violently and so much heat is produced that iodine escapes as vapor, even from aqueous solutions!

Self-ignition of phosphine in chlorine gas . In this experiment some phosphine is prepared, and the gas is bubbled in an atmosphere of chlorine, resulting in self-ignition of the gas and contraction of gas volume. This is a spectacular experiment and is suitable for a good demonstration.

Isolation of peroxo complex of vanadium. In this experiment a peroxo complex of vanadium is made and this complex is isolated as a dry powdered solid. The isolated compound is stable on storage and has energetic properties. A mix with red phosphorus deflagrates on ignition.

Formation of a self-igniting gas from fine sand powder and magnesium . Magnesium metal and finely powdered sand are reacted to form magnesium silicide, which in contact with dilute acids produces self-igniting silane gas. This is a spectacular experiment, which must be carried out carefully.

Ammonium halates, unstable compounds . Ammonium bromate and ammonium iodate are prepared and it is demonstrated how easily and violently they decompose on slight heating. This is a nice and fairly spectacular experiment, but it should not be scaled up.

Explosive properties of chlorine dioxide . The brightly colored chlorine dioxide gas is prepared and ignited. This results in a nice and quite spectacular decompositon reaction.

Explosion of chlorine dioxide, initiated by presence of ammonia . Another experiment, which demonstrates the danger of chlorine dioxide. This experiment shows how chlorine dioxide can be brought to explosion, simply by adding a few drops of household ammonia.

Violent decomposition of hydrazine perchlorate and fairy-like sparkles. A small quantity of hydrazine perchlorate is prepared and this compound is heated, leading to a peculiar fairy-like sparkling when heating is not too strong and violent deflagration on stronger heating.

Violent decomposition of an organic perchlorate salt. A perchlorate salt of a basic organic amine is prepared and it is shown how this salt decomposes violently when it is ignited.

Delayed self-ignition of mix of periodic acid and red phosphorus. Some red phosphorus and periodic acid are mixed. After a while, this mix suddenly self-ignites and a plume of fire and smoke is produced.