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Create a Magic Genie in a Bottle Effect (Chemistry)
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- Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
- B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Drop a chemical into a flask to produce a cloud of water vapor and oxygen, resembling a magic genie emerging from its bottle. This chemistry demonstration can be used to introduce the concepts of decomposition reactions , exothermic reactions , and catalysts .
Magic Genie Safety
Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles. The 30% hydrogen peroxide used in this demonstration is a strong oxidizing agent which should be handled with care. It is extremely corrosive and reactive. Sodium iodide should not be ingested. The chemical reaction evolves heat so it is important to use borosilicate glass and to take care that the mouth of the flask is directed away from people.
Magic Genie Demonstration Materials
- 50 ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )
- 4 g of sodium iodide, NaI [may substitute manganese(IV) oxide]
- 1-liter borosilicate (Pyrex or Kimax) volumetric flask
- Filter paper or tissue paper
The peroxide solution is considerably more concentrated than ordinary household peroxide (3%), so you'll either need to obtain it from a beauty supply store, chemical supply store or online. Sodium iodide or manganese oxide is best obtained from chemical suppliers.
Magic Genie Procedure
- Wrap the sodium iodide or manganese oxide in a piece of filter paper or tissue paper. Staple the paper so none of the solid can spill out.
- Carefully pour 50 ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide solution into the volumetric flask.
- Set the flask a counter and cover it with a towel to protect your hands from the heat of the reaction. When you are ready, drop the packet of solid reactant into the flask. Be sure the flask is pointed away from yourself and students. The magic water vapor genie will appear!
- After the demonstration is complete, the liquid may be washed down the drain with excess water. Rinse the flask and dilute any spills with water before cleanup.
Magic Genie Reaction
Hydrogen peroxide decomposes into water vapor and oxygen gas. The sodium iodide or manganese oxide catalyzes the exothermic reaction. The reaction is:
- 2H 2 O 2 (aq) → 2H 2 O (g) + O 2 (g) + heat
Helpful Tips for the Magic Genie Experiment
- Use of Pyrex, Kimax, or another type of borosilicate glass minimizes the risk of breakage.
- Rather than dropping the packet of sodium iodide or manganese oxide, you can hang it inside the flask by a string taped to the outside of the flask or secured (loosely) with a stopper. Do not tightly seal the flask! A stopper with a hole or two is safest.
- Use a large volume flask, even though you're only using a small volume of liquid. This is because the brown liquid can splash up near the conclusion of the reaction. This liquid is free iodine released from the oxidizing effect of the strong peroxide solution.
- Make sure you don't seal or tightly stopper the flask, as pressure buildup from a premature reaction can shatter the flask violently.
- Excess sodium iodide may be thrown away in the trash receptacle.
- Are you artistic? You can wrap the flask in foil to make it look like a magic genie bottle or lamp.
While you have the 30% peroxide out, why not try the elephant toothpaste demonstration? Another interesting demonstration to try involves making violet smoke .
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Genie in a Bottle
What appears to be a normal bottle reveals a genie... now that's magical.
Print this Experiment
Genies are imaginary, right?
Well, genies are the real deal when you have Steve Spangler around. What appears to be a normal bottle quickly reveals to have a genie inside! Be carefule, though! 30% hydrogen peroxide is a strong oxidizing agent; contact with eyes and skin should be avoided. In case of contact, flush with water for at least 15 minutes. Get medical attention if eyes are affected. Also avoid contact of hydrogen peroxide and combustible materials. 30% hydrogen peroxide must be stored in its original container.
Here's What You'll Need
2 liter soda bottle (or other container -beaker, flask, etc), mortar and pestle, 30% hydrogen peroxide, manganese dioxide.
- Pour 50-100 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide into 2 liter bottle (enough to cover the “dimples”) or container.
- Add a pea-sized amount of manganese dioxide to bottle or container.
- Gaseous oxygen will be emitted from the bottle. The reaction is exothermic; the soda bottle will get hot and shrink slightly.
How Does It Work?
Oxygen is a colorless, odorless gas at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The discovery of oxygen is typically attributed to Joseph Priestly. However, it was Lavoisier who first realized this gas was a unique component of air. Here oxygen is formed from the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is not a very stable compound and its decomposition can be induced by many means. Light will decompose it, which is why it is sold in brown bottles in drugstores. The surface of manganese dioxide provides a particularly favorable environment to catalyze the decomposition, though the mechansim is somewhat poorly understood.
2 H2O2 (aq) O2 (g) + 2 H2O(l)
The “genie in the bottle” effect is finely divided water droplets propelled from the bottle by the oxygen formed via the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
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Genie in a Bottle
DESCRIPTION: This demo makes use of the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to produce a column of steam out of a flask, that looks like a genie coming out of a bottle. 2H 2 O 2 → 2H 2 O + O 2 , KI is a catalyst
TOPICS COVERED: – decomposition reactions – catalysis – exothermic reactions – evolution of a gas – color change – chemical change
MATERIALS NEEDED: – 1000mL volumetric flask w/ stopper – aluminum foil – kimwipe – a piece of string – KI – 30% H 2 O 2 – scissors
PROCEDURE: 1. Put 2g of KI on a kimwipe, wrap the kimwipe into a sachet, and tie shut, any extra wipe can be cut off the top 2. Put 40mL of H 2 O 2 into the flask 3. Suspend the sachet into the flask with the string, do not let the sachet touch the H 2 O 2 4. Stopper the flask so that the stopper holds the string dangling the sachet in place 5. Wrap the flask in foil so that students can’t see what is inside, now the flask is ready for students to see it 6. Pull the stopper so the sachet falls into the H 2 O 2 , releasing the “genie”
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: Baquacil (27% H 2 O 2 ) can be bought commercially at pool supply stores.
SAFETY: Concentrated hydrogen peroxide can cause severe burns, so gloves should be worn and caution taken. Goggles should be worn at all times. The stopper on the flask should have at least one hole in it just in case the reaction were to go off there would be a pressure release to prevent a buildup of pressure in the flask. Also, the flask should not be stoppered for long.
REFERENCES: Imreibe, Caroline. “Genie in a Bottle.” Elmhurst College: Demonstrations . Virtual Chembook, Elmhurst College, Accessed 28 Jul 2010. http://www.elmhurst.edu/~chm/demos/Geniebottle2.htm
STORY: This demo can really be played off by telling the student you have a magic flask with a genie inside. You can also put your ear to the flask, telling them that you hear someone knocking on the glass and talking.
This problem set practices calculating moles from a volume and density, calculating the mass of product formed, and calculating the molecules of product formed.
This lesson plan ‘s topic is stoichiometry. Genie in a Bottle is the hook for this lesson that has students calculating the amount of a reactant or a product in a chemical reaction.
Catalysis Chemical Change Color Change Decomposition Reactions Evolution of a Gas Exothermic Reactions Lesson Plans Problem Sets
6.4f BIO.2c CH.3b CH.3e CH.3f PS.5b
How to Perform the Genie in a Bottle Demonstration
Introduction: How to Perform the Genie in a Bottle Demonstration
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Danish university pauses chemistry demonstrations following accident
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Aalborg University in Denmark has indefinitely paused its public chemistry shows while it conducts a review after a demonstration it organised at a local library injured several people earlier this month. Two people had to be hospitalised – the student employee conducting the experiment who sustained damage to his hands, and a boy in the audience who was hit by a glass fragment on his shoulder. The demonstration is known as the ‘genie in the bottle’ because it generates a dramatic puff of ‘smoke’ from a bottle following the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
Standard safety protocols for conducting the experiment include wearing splash-proof goggles and chemical-resistant gloves, as well as using a wide-necked borosilicate glass flask. In addition, experts advise that audience members should be 5 metres away from the experiment and behind a safety screen.
Kim Lambertsen Larsen , who heads Aalborg’s chemistry department, said the cause of the 7 September accident can be attributed to ‘the incorrect choice of bottle’. He noted that a bottle with a screw cap was used instead of the prescribed bottle with a cork stopper.
‘We are now beginning to rebuild confidence and trust in the experiments and the execution of relevant and exciting chemistry show experiments,’ Larsen stated. ‘This will include reviewing all experiments in the chemistry show’s repertoire, reassessing safety requirements, and training and retraining chemistry show employees.’ In the meantime, he announced that this work will take some time and, therefore, no chemistry shows will be held in the coming months.
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An often-overlooked demonstration with a sense of magic and wonder is the 'genie in the bottle', in which a puff of 'smoke' escapes from a bottle when the lid is removed. Kit. 25 cm 3 hydrogen peroxide, 100 vol (30%), (harmful, risk of serious damage to eyes) c.0.5 g manganese(IV) oxide (harmful by inhalation and ingestion)
The genie in a bottle chemistry demonstration is an exciting reaction often performed as a science magic trick. The person doing the demonstration commands a genie to appear from a bottle, which produces a dramatic cloud of steam. The genie in a bottle demonstrates a decomposition reaction, catalysis, a chemical change, and an exothermic ...
Magic Genie Procedure. Wrap the sodium iodide or manganese oxide in a piece of filter paper or tissue paper. Staple the paper so none of the solid can spill out. Carefully pour 50 ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide solution into the volumetric flask. Set the flask a counter and cover it with a towel to protect your hands from the heat of the reaction.
Craig Beals shows a classic science demonstration called Genie in a Bottle which is a decomposition reaction of hydrogen peroxide using manganese dioxide as ...
Bradley teaches us about decomposition reactions and catalysts with a little help from a genie in a bottle. Have questions or want us to walkthrough a certai...
Experiment. Pour 50-100 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide into 2 liter bottle (enough to cover the "dimples") or container. Add a pea-sized amount of manganese dioxide to bottle or container. Gaseous oxygen will be emitted from the bottle. The reaction is exothermic; the soda bottle will get hot and shrink slightly.
Genie in a Bottle continued 3 21 linn cientific nc ll ights esere Flinn Scientific—Teaching Chemistry™ eLearning Video Series A video of the Genie in a Bottle activity, presented by John Little, is available in The Exciting Nature of Chemistry, part of the Flinn Scientific—Teaching Chemistry eLearning Video Series. Materials for Genie in a Bottle are available from Flinn Scientific, Inc.
Put the funnel onto the neck of the glass bottle and pour the mixture through the funnel into the bottle. 6. Immediately, put the balloon over the bottle neck, taking care not to topple over the bottle in the process. The bottle neck should be closed airtight by the balloon. 1 - ropean earnin aborator or the ie cience
The catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide provides teachers with a whole range of exciting demonstrations. An often-overlooked demonstration with a se...
The "genie in the bottle" effect is finely divided water droplets propelled from the bottle by the oxygen formed via the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. References. B. Z. Shakhashiri, Chemical Demonstrations, A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry, Wisconsin, 1989, Vol.2, p.137-141
Preparation. Work in a well-ventilated room and wear eye protection. Place the beakers / basins on the heat-resistant mats and spread 2.5 - 3.0 g of each salt around the base of the container. Dampen the solid with approximately 0.5 cm3 of water and add approximately 6 cm3 ethanol over each. Stopper the ethanol bottle and remove it to at ...
tion was manganese dioxide. It would not be included as a reactant, because it was all recovered after the experiment, therefore it is a catalyst. Flinn Scientific—Teaching Chemistry™ eLearning Video Series A video of the Magic Genie activity, presented by Lee Marek, is available in Decomposition Reactions and in Catalysis, part of the
Chemical Genie in a Bottle. Description: When a stopper is removed from an opaque bottle, an increasingly vigorous cloud of white vapor emanates from the bottle.This action results from the catalytic decomposition of 30% hydrogen peroxide by manganese dioxide. Source: ed. by Sarquis, Mickey, Sarquis Jerry. Institute of Chemical Education Fun with Chemistry: A Guidebook of k-12 Activities, Vol. 1
This demo makes use of the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to produce a column of steam out of a flask, that looks like a genie coming out of a bottle. 2H 2 O 2 → 2H 2 O + O 2, KI is a catalyst. TOPICS COVERED: - decomposition reactions - catalysis - exothermic reactions - evolution of a gas - color change - chemical ...
by a heat induced rearrangement of the bonds in the plastic bottle . 2 H. 2. O. 2 2 H. 2. O + O. 2 + heat . Clean-Up • Remove the tea bag and put in the solid white waste container. Any liquid left should be rinsed into regular white waste. Recycle the bottle NOTES: You really don't need much MnO 2, since it's acting as a catalyst. Genie ...
"Spirit-filled" decomposition of hydrogen peroxide!This video is part of the Flinn Scientific Best Practices for Teaching Chemistry Video Series, a collectio...
This Demonstration shows the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. 100mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide is pour into a flask that is wrapped in aluminum foil. A small packet of 2 grams of manganesse dioxide MnO2 is wedged between the rubber stopper and the rim of the glass. When opened the packet releases and the reaction starts.
The Genie in a Bottle experiment is an exothermic reaction. This means it releases heat. The soda bottle will get hot and shrink slightly. Oxygen is stored in liquid…
Check out this and other cool science experiments at http://www.stevespanglerscience.com/e... Genie in a Bottle is not meant to do at home. Your chemistry te...
Kim Lambertsen Larsen, who heads Aalborg's chemistry department, said the cause of the 7 September accident can be attributed to 'the incorrect choice of bottle'.He noted that a bottle ...
Genie in a Bottle is not meant to do at home. Your chemistry teacher is a good resource to perform this experiment in the classroom.About Steve Spangler…Stev...
Hello Students,In this video our expert Sneha Ma'am will show you how the genie comes out of the bottle by explaining it through the live chemistry experimen...