An activity is described in which items found around the home are used in electrochemical experiments to create messages and artistic designs. To do so, a battery is connected to wires fashioned out of aluminum foil. When these wire electrodes are touched to a paper towel soaked in fluids obtained from household cleaners or disinfectants, the resultant redox reactions cause color changes on the paper towel. For example, the reduction of water at a cathode can cause a blue color to develop on a paper towel soaked in foam cleaner that contains thymolphthalein, and oxidation of iodide ions at an anode can produce a black color on a paper towel soaked in decolorized iodine. The experiments are very simple to set up and carry out; produce striking visual results; and relate to concepts in electrochemistry, acid–base chemistry, and thermodynamics. As such, the activity may be tailored for use in settings that range from outreach events to general- and analytical-chemistry courses.
© 2001-2024 Fundación Dialnet · Todos los derechos reservados