If you’ve seen our previous blog posts on experiments for kids, you’ll know the common signifiers of a chemical reaction; colour changes, production of gas or heat, luminescence, and the formation of a precipitate.
But, do you know which factors affect a reaction?
In this post, we look at one of the main factors that affect chemical reactions and explain how children can discover it for themselves.
In this post:
What Factors Affect a Reaction?
One of the main factors that affect chemical reactions is temperature. In this case, we’ll be using a glow stick to see how temperature affects a reaction.
The glow stick is a good example of a reaction that produces light. There are three chemicals inside the glow stick; hydrogen peroxide, diphenhydramine oxalate, and a dye (which will be different for each colour).
When these chemicals are mixed, it produces two compounds. One of these compounds will eventually activate the dye to produce fluorescence.
Ingredients:
- Several glow sticks
Method
- Gently bend the glow sticks to activate them and place them under different conditions.
- Examples of conditions you could try include in the freezer, in warm water and at room temperature.
Compare how long the brightness lasts and how bright each glow stick is. You should find that warmer temperatures accelerate the rate at which reactions occur. This should make your glow stick brighter but as the reagents are used up quicker, it should last for less time than the one you put in the freezer.
The key to this experiment is to use your observation skills and be really clear on how different conditions have affected the glow of your glow stick.
See More from ‘Chemical Reactions for Kids’
Heat and Release of Gas
Green Pennies and Copper Plated Nails
Electrolysis
