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Overflowing

Cauldron

Outlined Boy Cooking
Cauldron Silhouette Illustration
Finger
Illustration of a Bone
Eyeball
Cartoon Witch's Hat
Green slime. Goo blob splashes, toxic dripping mucus. Slimy
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There’s a reason you’ve never seen a witch on Food Network: they’re horrible chefs! Every last one of them. They intentionally put disgusting things in their recipes. This experiment will guide you through a classic witch recipe that includes items that you probably already have at home, but never once thought belonged in the same vessel. Witches also tend to be pretty messy in the kitchen, so be prepared for some clean up!

Intro

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Health Bottle Medicine  Organic Drawn   Style Icon

Hydrogen

Peroxide

3% Hydrogen peroxide - 125 ml

Mineral Water Bottle

Clear, empty bottle - 500 ml

Pastelcore Household Dishwashing Soap

Dish

Soap

clean dishes

Liquid dish soap - 1 tbsp

Termometer
Water Droplets Flat Icon
ketchup
yeast
baguette bread
Measuring Spoon Scoop

1 TBSP

Materials

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Warm water - 3 tbsp

Dry yeast - 1 packet (1 tbsp)

Measuring spoon - 1 tbsp

Clean Ceramic White Bowl for Soup or Salad

Small bowl

Spoon Illustration

Mixing spoon

baking  icon

Baking sheet

measuring gradient icon

Liquid measuring cup

Semi-Detailed Funnel

Small funnel

Dropper Icon

Food colouring - 10 drops (optional)

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3. Using a funnel, add the hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and food colouring to the water bottle and gently swirl to combine. Be sure not to mix too vigorously as to avoid making bubbles.

Health Bottle Medicine  Organic Drawn   Style Icon

Hydrogen

Peroxide

measuring gradient icon
Water Splash. Dripping Water, Tear Blob and Waters Swirls, Fluid Droplets, Clear Aqua Elements Isolated Vector Icons Illustration Set
Pastelcore Household Dishwashing Soap
Pastelcore Household Dishwashing Soap

Dish

Soap

clean dishes
Dropper Icon
Pastelcore Household Dishwashing Soap
Water Splash. Dripping Water, Tear Blob and Waters Swirls, Fluid Droplets, Clear Aqua Elements Isolated Vector Icons Illustration Set
MonoLine arow Simple Panah
Measuring Spoon Scoop
Water Splash. Dripping Water, Tear Blob and Waters Swirls, Fluid Droplets, Clear Aqua Elements Isolated Vector Icons Illustration Set

1 TBSP

Straight arrow
MonoLine arow Simple Panah
Semi-Detailed Funnel

Prep time: 10 min

Active time: 5 min

Observation time: 5 min

1. Add the warm water and dry yeast to a small bowl and mix until dissolved. Do not use the measuring spoon to mix.

Measuring Spoon Scoop
Water Splash. Dripping Water, Tear Blob and Waters Swirls, Fluid Droplets, Clear Aqua Elements Isolated Vector Icons Illustration Set

1 TBSP

Spoon Illustration
ketchup
yeast
baguette bread
Abstract watercolor brushstroke element
Water Splash. Dripping Water, Tear Blob and Waters Swirls, Fluid Droplets, Clear Aqua Elements Isolated Vector Icons Illustration Set
Clean Ceramic White Bowl for Soup or Salad

2. Set the yeast mixture aside for 5 minutes. If after 5 minutes, the yeast mixture has begun to foam, you can proceed to the next step. If there are no bubbles forming, discard this mixture and try again with fresh yeast.

Five Minutes Timer
Clean Ceramic White Bowl for Soup or Salad
Checkmark
Beer Foam
Clean Ceramic White Bowl for Soup or Salad
X Icon Illustration
Mineral Water Bottle
Semi-Detailed Funnel
Mineral Water Bottle
Mineral Water Bottle
baking  icon

5. Quickly pour the yeast solution into the hydrogen peroxide solution and remove the funnel.

Semi-Detailed Funnel
Brushstroke Arrow Rapid Curved Long
Mineral Water Bottle
Mineral Water Bottle
baking  icon
baking  icon
Clean Ceramic White Bowl for Soup or Salad
Semi-Detailed Funnel
Mineral Water Bottle
Mineral Water Bottle
Water Splash. Dripping Water, Tear Blob and Waters Swirls, Fluid Droplets, Clear Aqua Elements Isolated Vector Icons Illustration Set
Arrow Shape

4. Place the bottle with the hydrogen peroxide solution in the middle of the baking sheet.

Procedure

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1. Why is it important to use warm water and not hot water?


2. Why do you need to check that the yeast bubbles before adding it to the hydrogen peroxide mixture?


3. Why does the reaction get warm?

Questions

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When the yeast mixture is added to the hydrogen peroxide solution, the bottle quickly fills with foam and overflows. By placing your hand over the foam, you can feel the heat coming off of it.


If your reaction did not foam, make sure that your yeast is not expired and that you are using warm – not hot – water.

Observations

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All chemicals are made of building blocks, called atoms, that are bound together by chemical bonds. The chemical structure of water (H2O) is very similar to that of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). The only difference between the two is that hydrogen peroxide has an extra atom of oxygen weakly bound to it.


Yeast is a living organism. It’s a type of fungus, like mushrooms, and contains an enzyme called catalase. Enzymes are proteins in living things that help to speed up chemical reactions. When catalase is mixed with hydrogen peroxide, it

Explanation

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breaks the bond between the weakly attached oxygen atom and the remainder of the hydrogen peroxide molecule, and rearranges the 3 remaining atoms. This produces oxygen gas and water. As oxygen gas is released, it is trapped by the dish soap, creating bubbles.

O

H

H

O

hydrogen peroxide

catalase

H

H

O

water

plus sign

O

oxygen

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Applications in the Real World

Yeast isn’t the only living organism that has catalase in it – so do you! Hydrogen peroxide is an unwanted byproduct of chemical reactions that happen in humans. It can spontaneously break down into reactive molecules called hydroxide radicals which can damage DNA in healthy cells and tissues. Catalase in human liver cells works to prevent DNA damage by converting hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen gas to prevent the formation of hydroxide radicals and keep you healthy.

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There are several things that you can change in the materials and procedure above that can have a dramatic effect on the outcome of this reaction. Try one of the following options and compare your results to what you observed following the experiment as written above.


  1. Increase the concentration of hydrogen peroxide to 35% and replace yeast with potassium iodide (you can find this at most health food stores or pharmacies). How do the amount of foam produced and the rate of the reaction change? ***
  2. Change the size of the opening at the top of the reaction vessel. If you use a cup or bowl with a wider opening, how does the outcome differ compared to using a water bottle with a smaller opening?


*** Make sure that you are wearing gloves and appropriate eye protection as hydrogen peroxide can be irritating to the skin and eyes at any concentration, but more so at higher concentrations. Adult supervision is recommended for younger learners.


Further Experiments

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