Organic Chemistry- Rod Climbing by a Polymer Solution

Bromination of Saturated and Unsaturated Hydrocarbons

Blue Bottle

Dehydration of Sugar by Sulfuric Acid

Disappearing Coffee Cup

Formation of a Silver Mirror

Models 360

Nylon 6 – 10

Organic Synthesis With Familiar Materials

Oxidation of Primary, Secondary, Tertiary Alcohols

Oxidation of Luminol

Polyurethane Foam

Slime

Underwater Fireworks: Chlorination of Acetylene

Carbide Lamp

Differences in Miscibility of  Organic Alcohols With Increasing Chain Length

Combustion of Cellulose Nitrate (Guncotton)

Different Smells of Carvone Isomers

Distinguishing Between HD and LD Polyethylene

Enviro-bond: Cleaning Oil Spills

Esterification Using a Dean-Stark Trap

Ethanol Cannon

Happy/Sad Balls

IR Demonstration I – Atomic Coupling

IR Demonstration II – Molecular Vibrations

IR Demonstration III – Molecular Vibrations

Making a Rubber Ball from Latex

Plastic Samples

Reaction Intermediates in Organic Chemistry

Reducing Sugars and Fehling’s Solution

Rod Climbing by a Polymer Solution

Rotating Rainbows

Silly Putty

Soap Emulsifies Hydrocarbons

Superabsorbent Polyacrylate Gel

Tubeless Siphon

Alkimers

Aniline Hydrochloride-Formaldehyde Polymer

Phenol-Formaldehyde Polymer

Saponification

Relative Reactivity of Reducing Agents

Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution Reaction/EAS Reaction

Reactivity of Alkanes vs Aromatic Compounds

Inductive Effect

Optical Activity of Racemic Mixtures With Limonene

Relationship of Absorbed Light to Observed Color 

Density and Miscibility of Liquids

Extraction of Copper Ions from Solution with Orform®

Gel Formation with Sodium Alginate and Calcium Chloride

Ozonolysis

Hydrolysis of T-Butyl Chloride: A Lecture and Lab Experiment

Rod Climbing by a Polymer Solution

Description: A solution of polyacrylamide in glycerin climbs a vertical rotating rod.

Source: Shakhashiri, B.Z. Chemical Demonstrations: A Handbook for Teachers of Chemistry

Year: 1998  Vol:Page: 335

Keywords: Solutions, Polyacrylamide, Rod-climbing liquid, Polymers

Rating:

Hazard: Low

  • Combustible dust

Effectiveness: Excellent

  • Profound connection to course material
  • Experiment challenges preconceived concepts
  • Obvious contrast between behavior of systems
  • Superior reliability
  • Time to result is low

Difficulty:  Low

  • Simple procedures
  • Simple manipulations for most to perform. Hand crank in use.

Safety Precautions:

  • Eye protection required
  • Gloves required

Class: Organic Chemistry, Intermolecular Forces, Non-Newtonian Behavior, Macromolecules and Solid State

Division: General, Organic Chemistry, Physical Chemistry