Water Gas Reaction
Description: Graphite is heated in a flame and plunged into a flask of oxygen. Water is dropped onto the hot carbon. There is a bright flash as hydrogen and carbon monoxide are produced. These in turn react to form carbon dioxide and water.
This is demonstration is also available on video and JCE “Chemistry Comes Alive!” Vol. 1 CD-Rom.
Source: UW Card Catalog
Year: 1999 Vol: 76 Page: 1311
Keywords: Graphite, Heat, Oxygen, Water, Hydrogen, Carbon monoxide
Ratings: 
Hazard: Some
- Flammability hazard
- Burn hazard
- Explosion hazard
- Serious eye damage
Effectiveness: Average
- Low reliability
- Significant failure rate
- Some connection from demo to course material
- Time to results is medium
- Good effects are seen by audience
- Results are observable without guidance
Difficulty: High
- Sensitive manipulations involving multiple steps
- Some sequential and concerted manipulations
- Precise control required
- Volume-dependent addition
- Prior practice required
- Use of open flame
- Complex lab manipulations
- Multi-step manipulations
Safety Precautions:
- Eye protection required
- Thermal gloves recommended
- Use of chemically resistant surface
- ABC fire extinguisher on hand
- Absorbent material on hand
- Perform in a well-ventilated area
Class: Thermochemistry, Groups IA, IIA, and IIIB (1,2, and 13), Main Group Elements
Division: General
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