u tube and jelly babies and potassium chloride

[Jen1]

Ok think I need a bit of help here.
A graduate teacher has asked for equipment for her students to explode jelly babies as she saw it on u tube and it looked like fun. Now I dont have access to u tube at work (a banned site at this school) so I havent had a look at it but the teacher says you heat up potassium chloride over a bunsen until it melts and drop a jelly baby in it. The result is the reaction of the jelly baby in the melted potassium chloride produces a flash of white light.
I did manage to find a website that showed me a picture and brief description of what they were about and some of them said things like "teacher nearly loses hand" "boy's jumper catches on fire" and from the pictures it looks pretty dangerous!
Has anyone else done this before?
Is it a teacher demo only?
Would you let year 9's do this?
Does u tube drive you mad with their "real" experiments? Last term we had 10 mobile phones pointed at popping corn and making them ring at the same time to mimic a u tube video which showed 4 mobiles emmitting enough radiation to pop the corn. We just wasted a lot of credit on our phones and the corn didnt move!

[Joy]

We've done this with grade nines before but only as a demo. We use large test tubes to accommodate the jelly bean or gummie bear (the tt gets thrown out afterwards), and it is done in a fume cupboard. The chemical we use is potassium chromate not potassium chloride. The kids don't think it is that spectacular anyway
Joy

[Jen1]

Thanks for the info Joy, Don't you just hate it when they say "I saw this on u tube" amd then cant even get the details right!!!!

[smiley]

We've done it with potassium chlorate, but I think the fun-suckers have banned that substance now. It can indeed look spectacular, but it's right up there with "don't try this at home". Be safe - say No!

Cheers, K

[Lyn]

"Screaming Jelly Babies"
Safety:
1. Make sure test tube is squeaky clean. Any trace of an oxidizable material can cause an explosion.
2. Surround the apparatus with safety screens.
3. Ensure the pupils/audience are seated several metres away and that they are wearing eye protection.

Materials/equipment:
Jelly babies.
Large test tubes. (I provide boiling tubes.)
Retort stand with clamp.
Potassium Chlorate.
Tongs.
Access to a fume cupboard.
Bunsen burner.
Safety goggles and protective clothing.
Fire resistant surface.

Method:
1. Put 0.5g potassium chlorate in large test tube (boiling tube).
2. Clamp test tube in a clamp stand at approx. 60 degrees (just off vertical) then melt powder in a fume cupboard with a bunsen burner. Wear full face visor.
3. Turn the bunsen off, then, using tongs and wearing heat resistant gloves, drop in the jelly baby.

Results: If all goes well the jelly baby will burst into flames and make a screaming sound as it burns to death.

This information came from a free access site on the web. It was called - thefreedictionary.com
I downloaded this in 2004 and modified the quantity of chemical from 10g to 0.5g. Once you do the experiment using the lesser quantity you will see why caution is necessary. It would be classified as a teacher demonstration only. It can be used for chemistry, biology, physics. Try different brands of jelly babies.
Lyn.

[Jen1]

Thank you so much.
I shall print off your instructions and give it to the teacher and say she can do it if she wants but I'm not hanging around!
I suspect she will decide not to do it.
Thank goodness I didnt just give her the gear and let the students do it themselves.
I think I will be double checking ALL her requests in future.
This site is fantastic for information and support!!!

[Labbie]

Any DET schools in NSW we can not use Potassium Chlorate, it is banned.

[Joy]

Any idea why potassium chlorate is banned in NSW? I have had a teacher doing this experiment recently and had a difficult time convincing him to be careful with it but my msds only states that it is moderately harmful. The worst part seems to be that it emits toxic smoke. Teacher wanted to do the experiment outside the fume cupboard!:crazy:
(Earlier in this thread I said we used potassium chromate. Wrong! Its potassium chlorate. Don't know what I was thinking!)
Joy

[Whspa]

According to CSIS:

"Toxic if ingested; skin irritant.
Potassium chlorate forms violently explosive mixtures with combustible materials, organic compounds, ammonium compounds, sulfur and sulfides, and finely divided metals.
Explosive mixtures may detonate as a result of friction, on contact with strong acid, or by ignition. Forms dangerously unstable chlorine dioxide gas on reaction with concentrated sulfuric acid. Solutions of potassium chlorate, which have soaked into wood, render the wood explosive."

I'd say it has way too much potential for creating mayhem!

Carol

[dime]

And thats why the test tube should be squeaky clean. I was told many years ago (before it was banned) to make sure I used a clean spoon, cause it could cause an explosion if another chemical residue was on it. Thank goodness I had always used a new spoon for each chemical anyway, and wasn't surprised that it was banned later on.

[Joy]

I have had some further advice about this experiment. The main danger is the extreme temperature that is reached and in the small chance of the test tube bursting - well nasty, nasty thought.
The difficulty is in convincing inexperienced teachers (males are the hardest) to take care. They think "She'll Be Right" but as we know that "is never alright"
Joy

[macca]

When unsure of safety concerning who or what, the answer is no no no
Find something else safer to do

[pkij]

I think potassium chlorate is banned in Qld schools, I had to get rid of some a few years back. It does sound nasty, and I am pretty sure it is one of those ingredients that can make homemade "bombs", and is banned like ammonium nitrate due to the potential for it falling into the "wrong" hands...............and I don't mean Science Teachers!

[Wayne]

I don't know if it is banned here in Tassie or not, but I got rid of mine years ago (along with the white phosphorus and other nasties). It was just too nasty to have in a school.

[vlclabbie]

LOL Pilar..... you just never know where those science teachers have been either!!!

[smiley]

BTW Jen1 - I meant to say earlier - Mythbusters did a show on u-tube experiments exposed, and the one with 4 phones ringing and the popcorn popping has a simple yet bizarre explanation. The guys who filmed it had taken a magnetron out of a microwave and were holding it - yes holding it!!! - under the table. So while the phones were ringing the magnetron was putting out microwaves big time. Being held by boys who didn't want to be fathers, I guess.

[J]

Probably just as well.
Julie

[Jen1]

Thanks for the info on the popcorn mythbusters Kirsten. We came to the conclusion that they must have rigged it and all were very thankful that it didnt work. Anyway, it made an interesting morning tea.