Water Gas Reaction
Description: Graphite is heated in a flame and plunged into a flask of oxygen. Water is dropped on the hot carbon. There is a bright flash as the hydrogen and carbon monoxide are produced. These in turn react to form carbon dioxide and water.
Source: UW Card Catalog
Year: N/A Vol: N/A Page: N/A
Keywords: Graphite, Oxygen, Water, Hydrogen, Oxidation, Combustion
Rating: 
Hazard: Some
- Flammability hazard
- Burn hazard
- Explosion Hazard
- Serious eye damage
Effectiveness: Average
- Some connection from demo to course material
- Good effects are seen by audience
- Low reliability
- Results are observable without guidance
- Significant failure rate
- Time to results is medium
Difficulty: High
- Sensitive manipulations involving multiple steps
- Use of open flame
- Demos require training or extended practice
- Complex lab manipulations
- Some sequential and concerted manipulations
- Precise control required
- Volume-dependent addition
- Multi-step manipulations
Safety Precautions:
- Eye protection required
- Gloves required
- Thermal gloves recommended
- Perform in a well-ventilated area
- ABC fire extinguisher on hand
- Absorbent material on hand
- Use of chemically resistant surface
Class: Thermochemistry, Groups IA, IIA, and IIIB (1,2, and 13), Main Group Elements
Division: General, Inorganic Chemistry Chemistry
The demonstration Water Gas Reaction may be found under Groups IA, IIA, and IIIB (1, 2, and 13)- Water Gas Reaction.
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