Spartan Luminol

Chemistry, Biology:	Chemilluminescence
Grade Range:	Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Format:	Stage

This space is intended to describe the demonstration that is here. Please use this space to describe in short the demonstration, making sure to mention here if it will require any additional safety equipment or how easily it can be adjusted for varied grade levels. Use this page as a base layout for editing the wiki. Feel free to copy the layout onto other pages, and to put the content as needed into the page.

Materials

• 2000 mL Vacuum Flask with Tube Cork
• Vacuum Pump
• Spartan "S" Board
• 500 mL Bottle (for Water)

Solution A

• Luminol
• Sodium Carbonate
• Sodium Bicarbonate
• Ammonium Carbonate monohydrate
• Copper (II) Sulfate OR Copper (II) Chloride
• Water
• 1000mL Brown Bottle or similar

Solution B

• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Water
• 1000mL Brown Bottle or similar

Safety Precautions

Please read the Dry Chemical and Liquid Chemical sections of the Demonstration Safety page before performing this demonstration.

This demonstration requires: Safety Glasses, Gloves

Demonstration

Preparation

Solution A: Mix the following chemicals into 500 mL of DI water in order, stirring constantly. Do not add the next chemical until the one prior is fully dissolved. Mix these chemicals either within a dark bottle or in a room with the lights dimmed, as some of them are light sensitive.

• 4.0g Sodium Carbonate
• 0.2g Luminol (3-aminophthalhydrazide)
• 24g Sodium Bicarbonate
• 0.5g Ammonium Carbonate Monohydrate
• 0.4g Copper (II) Sulfate OR 0.25g Copper (II) Chloride

Once all of the chemicals are in solution, add 500mL of DI water to dilute fully. Store in an airtight brown bottle or similar, and label with the Demonstration name, Solution A, and date, as well as your initials.

Solution B: Dilute 5mL of the 30% Hydrogen Peroxide with 1L of DI water. Store in an airtight brown bottle or similar, and label with the Demonstration name, Solution B, and date, as well as your initials.

Presentation

1. Set up the Spartan "S" board, and connect the single ended tube to the tube cork. Put the tube cork on the vacuum flask, and connect it to the vacuum pump.
2. Show the audience the two solutions, and ask them if they have seen fireflies before. Can anyone guess how a firefly lights up? Explain that there is a chemical reaction, much like the one that will happen between the two solutions you have.
3. Put the double ended tube into the two solutions. Explain that the two chemicals will react when they mix and produce light. Ask for a countdown, and at the end flip the switch on the vacuum pump.
4. Watch as the solutions are pulled through the tubing and start to glow! The vacuum pump will pull the solutions pretty quickly, so make sure to watch the bottles for when they run out.
5. After explaining the demonstration, put both of the ends on the double ended tube into the water bottle. Vacuum the water through the tubing to clean it, and then let the vacuum run for a minute to pull air through and dry the tubing. The end solution can be poured safely down a drain.

Additional Information

• This demonstration pairs well the Fluorescent Liquids demonstration, as a way to compare the effects.