Heat it up!

MATERIALS :

1. A cup made of paper

2. One fourth (1/4) cup of hydrogen peroxide (Can be found at drugstores; Warning: Direct contact with this chemical can be harmful)

3. A scientific thermometer (Can be found in any science supply store)

4. One tablespoon of quick rising dry yeast (Can be found in grocery stores)

INSTRUCTIONS :

1. Put the hydrogen peroxide in the paper cup.

2. Use the scientific thermometer to measure the temperature of the hydrogen peroxide.

3. Now record the temperature.

4. Now put some quick rising dry yeast to the hydrogen peroxide in the cup and then stir it.

5. Feel the temperature of the side of the paper cup with your hands.

6. If you notice any change in temperature than record it.

7. After a couple of minutes, measure the temperature of the mixer of hydrogen peroxide and yeast.

8. Now record the temperature of the mixer.

RESULT :

When the hydrogen peroxide and the yeast mix with one another the temperature of the mixer increases a bit.

EXPLANATION :

When the chemical reaction takes place heat is released. This fine experiment is a very good example of an exothermic reaction. The term exothermic means that the heat is released when the chemical reaction takes place. The mixer of hydrogen peroxide and yeast produces oxygen gas, water and also heat. The oxygen gas can be seen as bubbles rising from the solution. In the chemical reaction the yeast acts as a catalyst. A catalyst helps to speed up the reaction. It doesn’t originally undergo any chemical change. But the hydrogen peroxide undergoes decomposition reaction. Each molecule of hydrogen peroxide is made up with 2 atoms of hydrogen and 2 atoms of oxygen. That’s why hydrogen peroxide is denoted with the equation H2O2. When hydrogen peroxide decomposes it breaks down into two parts. One is water (H2O) and another is oxygen (O2). At the time of decomposition or breakdown of the hydrogen peroxide heat is released. You can feel the increase of the temperature of the solution with your hands. You can also measure the change in temperature with the scientific thermometer.

MORE EXPERIMENTS FOR YOU :

1. Use double amount of hydrogen peroxide and then record what happens.

2. Use double amount of yeast and record what happens.

3. Use double amount of both hydrogen peroxide and yeast and record what happens.

4. Use half amount of hydrogen peroxide and then record what happens.

5. Use half amount of yeast and record what happens.

6. Use half amount of both hydrogen peroxide and yeast and record what happens.