Hello,

Can anyone think of a simple school chemistry experiment, suitable for thirteen year olds, that would include dilute sulphuric acid?

When I was at school, dilute sulphuric acid was always on the bench, within reach of the kids. Is this still the case, or has modern safety standards put them behind lock and key?

Colin M

Synthesis of aspirin can use sulphuric acid as a catalyst, but I don't know if this is something the children themselves would do or if the teacher would demonstrate.
(Synthesis of esters, using sulphuric acid catalysts)

Or the use of sulphuric acid to neutralise a base in acid-base reactions - to make a salt.
e.g. Sulphuric Acid + 2xSodium Hydroxide = Sodium Sulphate + 2xWater
(Don't know if you can see the formula)

2NaOH(aq) + H2SO4 (aq) ----> Na2SO4 (aq)+ 2H2O(l) Eq.1
Base Acid Salt Water

The reaction is exothermic (produces heat)
The sodium hydroxide solution is added to the acid.
The temperature is measured to determine the enthalpy of neutralisation.

Try a google search and see what you come up with as I'm not sure if this is done in schools.

HTH

Thanks for that. I didn't get much response so I googled and went for the reaction with metals experiment.

In the novel, there are three benches are in the room. I gave one bench uses nitric acid, one sulphuric acid and one hydrochloric acid, and on each bench they have a range of metals, copper, zinc and magnesium. They plonk them in a beaker of 0.1 dilute acid and watch.


Cheers for the reply though.

Colin M

You could try this, Colin http://www.chemicalforums.com/

The forum looks quite active so might be worth a try.

Cheers,

Derek.