Whether you’re a student eager to explore the wonders of chemical reactions or a teacher seeking to inspire and engage your students, we’ve compiled a curated list of the top 68 chemistry experiments so you can learn about chemical reactions.
While the theories and laws governing chemistry can sometimes feel abstract, experiments bridge the gap between these concepts and their tangible manifestations. These experiments provide hands-on experiences illuminating the intricacies of chemical reactions, molecular structures, and elemental properties.
1. Covalent Bonds
By engaging in activities that demonstrate the formation and properties of covalent bonds, students can grasp the significance of these bonds in holding atoms together and shaping the world around us.
Learn more: Covalent Bonds
2. Sulfuric Acid and Sugar Demonstration
Through this experiment, students can develop a deeper understanding of chemical properties, appreciate the power of chemical reactions, and ignite their passion for scientific exploration.
3. Make Hot Ice at Home
Making hot ice at home is a fascinating chemistry experiment that allows students to witness the captivating transformation of a liquid into a solid with a surprising twist.
4. Make a Bouncing Polymer Ball
This hands-on activity not only allows students to explore the fascinating properties of polymers but also encourages experimentation and creativity.
Learn more: Thought Co
5. Diffusion Watercolor Art
This experiment offers a wonderful opportunity for students to explore the properties of pigments, observe how they interact with water, and discover the mesmerizing patterns and textures that emerge.
Learn more: Diffusion Watercolor Art
6. Exploding Baggie
The exploding baggie experiment is a captivating and dynamic demonstration that students should engage in with caution and under the supervision of a qualified instructor.
Learn more: Exploding Baggie
7. Color Changing Chemistry Clock
This experiment not only engages students in the world of chemical kinetics but also introduces them to the concept of a chemical clock, where the color change acts as a timekeeping mechanism.
Learn more: Color Changing Chemistry Clock
8. Pipe Cleaner Crystal Trees
By adjusting the concentration of the Borax solution or experimenting with different pipe cleaner arrangements, students can customize their crystal trees and observe how it affects the growth patterns.
Learn more: Pipe Cleaner Crystal Trees
9. How To Make Ice Sculptures
Through this experiment, students gain a deeper understanding of the physical and chemical changes that occur when water freezes and melts.
Learn more: Ice Sculpture
10. How to Make Paper
Through this hands-on activity, students gain a deeper understanding of the properties of cellulose fibers and the transformative power of chemical reactions.
Learn more: How to Make Paper
11. Color Changing Chemistry
Color changing chemistry is an enchanting experiment that offers a captivating blend of science and art. Students should embark on this colorful journey to witness the mesmerizing transformations of chemicals and explore the principles of chemical reactions.
12. Gassy Banana
The gassy banana experiment is a fun and interactive way for students to explore the principles of chemical reactions and gas production.
Learn more: Gassy Banana
13. Gingerbread Man Chemistry Experiment
This hands-on activity not only introduces students to the concepts of chemical leavening and heat-induced reactions but also allows for creativity in decorating and personalizing their gingerbread creations.
Learn more: Gingerbread Man Chemistry Experiment
14. Make Amortentia Potion
While the love potion is fictional, this activity offers a chance to explore the art of potion-making and the chemistry behind it.
Learn more: How to Make Amortentia Potion
15. Strawberry DNA Extraction
This hands-on experiment offers a unique opportunity to observe DNA, the building blocks of life, up close and learn about its structure and properties.
16. Melting Snowman
The melting snowman experiment is a fun and whimsical activity that allows students to explore the principles of heat transfer and phase changes.
Learn more: Melting Snowman
17. Acid Base Cabbage Juice
The acid-base cabbage juice experiment is an engaging and colorful activity that allows students to explore the pH scale and the properties of acids and bases.
By extracting the purple pigment from red cabbage leaves and creating cabbage juice, students can use this natural indicator to identify and differentiate between acidic and basic substances.
Learn more: Acid Base Cabbage Juice
18. Magic Milk
The magic milk experiment is a mesmerizing and educational activity that allows students to explore the concepts of surface tension and chemical reactions.
By adding drops of different food colors to a dish of milk and then introducing a small amount of dish soap, students can witness a captivating display of swirling colors and patterns.
Learn more: Magic Milk
19. Melting Ice with Salt and Water
Through this hands-on activity, students can gain a deeper understanding of the science behind de-icing and how different substances can influence the physical properties of water.
Learn more: Melting Ice with Salt and Water
20. Barking Dog Chemistry Demonstration
The barking dog chemistry demonstration is an exciting and visually captivating experiment that showcases the principles of combustion and gas production.
Learn more: Thought Co
21. How to Make Egg Geodes
Making egg geodes is a fascinating and creative chemistry experiment that students should try. By using common materials like eggshells, salt, and food coloring, students can create their own beautiful geode-like crystals.
Learn more: How to Make Egg Geodes
22. Make Sherbet
This experiment not only engages the taste buds but also introduces concepts of acidity, solubility, and the chemical reactions that occur when the sherbet comes into contact with moisture.
Learn more: Make Sherbet
23. Hatch a Baking Soda Dinosaur Egg
As the baking soda dries and hardens around the toy, it forms a “shell” resembling a dinosaur egg. To hatch the egg, students can pour vinegar onto the shell, causing a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas.
Learn more: Steam Powered Family
24. Chromatography Flowers
By analyzing the resulting patterns, students can gain insights into the different pigments present in flowers and the science behind their colors.
Learn more: Chromatography Flowers
25. Turn Juice Into Solid
Turning juice into a solid through gelification is an engaging and educational chemistry experiment that students should try. By exploring the transformation of a liquid into a solid, students can gain insights of chemical reactions and molecular interactions.
Learn more: Turn Juice into Solid
26. Bouncy Balls
Making bouncy balls allows students to explore the fascinating properties of polymers, such as their ability to stretch and rebound.
27. Make a Lemon Battery
Creating a lemon battery is a captivating and hands-on experiment that allows students to explore the fundamentals of electricity and chemical reactions.
28. Mentos and Soda Project
The Mentos and soda project is a thrilling and explosive experiment that students should try. By dropping Mentos candies into a bottle of carbonated soda, an exciting eruption occurs.
29. Alkali Metal in Water
The reaction of alkali metals with water is a fascinating and visually captivating chemistry demonstration.
30. Rainbow Flame
The rainbow flame experiment is a captivating and visually stunning chemistry demonstration that students should explore.
31. Sugar Yeast Experiment
This experiment not only introduces students to the concept of fermentation but also allows them to witness the effects of a living organism, yeast, on the sugar substrate.
32. The Thermite Reaction
The thermite reaction is a highly energetic and visually striking chemical reaction that students can explore with caution and under proper supervision.
This experiment showcases the principles of exothermic reactions, oxidation-reduction, and the high temperatures that can be achieved through chemical reactions.
33. Polishing Pennies
Polishing pennies is a simple and enjoyable chemistry experiment that allows students to explore the concepts of oxidation and cleaning methods.
34. Elephant Toothpaste
The elephant toothpaste experiment is a thrilling and visually captivating chemistry demonstration that students should try with caution and under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor.
35. Magic Potion
Creating a magic potion is an exciting and imaginative activity that allows students to explore their creativity while learning about the principles of chemistry.
36. Color Changing Acid-Base Experiment
Through the color changing acid-base experiment, students can gain a deeper understanding of chemical reactions and the role of pH in our daily lives.
Learn more: Color Changing Acid-Base Experiment
37. Fill up a Balloon
Filling up a balloon is a simple and enjoyable physics experiment that demonstrates the properties of air pressure. By blowing air into a balloon, you can observe how the balloon expands and becomes inflated.
38. Jello and Vinegar
The combination of Jello and vinegar is a fascinating and tasty chemistry experiment that demonstrates the effects of acid on a gelatin-based substance.
Learn more: Jello and Vinegar
39. Vinegar and Steel Wool Reaction
This experiment not only provides a visual demonstration of the oxidation process but also introduces students to the concept of corrosion and the role of acids in accelerating the process.
Learn more: Vinegar and Steel Wool Reaction
40. Dancing Rice
The dancing rice experiment is a captivating and educational demonstration that showcases the principles of density and buoyancy.
By pouring a small amount of uncooked rice into a clear container filled with water, students can witness the rice grains moving and “dancing” in the water.
Learn more: Dancing Rice
41. Soil Testing Garden Science
Soil testing is a valuable and informative experiment that allows students to assess the composition and properties of soil.
By collecting soil samples from different locations and analyzing them, students can gain insights into the nutrient content, pH level, and texture of the soil.
Learn more: Soil Testing Garden Science
42. Heat Sensitive Color Changing Slime
Creating heat-sensitive color-changing slime is a captivating and playful chemistry experiment that students should try.
Learn more: Left Brain Craft Brain
43. Experimenting with Viscosity
Experimenting with viscosity is an engaging and hands-on activity that allows students to explore the flow properties of liquids.
Viscosity refers to a liquid’s resistance to flow, and this experiment enables students to investigate how different factors affect viscosity.
Learn more: Experimenting with Viscosity
44. Rock Candy Science
Rock candy science is a delightful and educational chemistry experiment that students should try. By growing their own rock candy crystals, students can learn about crystal formation and explore the principles of solubility and saturation.
Learn more: Rock Candy Science
45. Baking Soda vs Baking Powder
Baking soda and baking powder have distinct properties that influence the leavening process in different ways.
This hands-on experiment provides a practical understanding of how these ingredients interact with acids and moisture to create carbon dioxide gas.
Learn more: Steam Powered Family
46. Endothermic and Exothermic Reactions Experiment
The endothermic and exothermic reactions experiment is an exciting and informative chemistry exploration that students should try.
By observing and comparing the heat changes in different reactions, students can gain a deeper understanding of energy transfer and the concepts of endothermic and exothermic processes.
Learn more: Education.com
47. Diaper Chemistry
By dissecting a diaper and examining its components, students can uncover the chemical processes that make diapers so effective at absorbing and retaining liquids.
Learn more: Diaper Chemistry
48. Candle Chemical Reaction
The “Flame out” experiment is an intriguing and educational chemistry demonstration that students should try. By exploring the effects of a chemical reaction on a burning candle, students can witness the captivating moment when the flame is extinguished.
49. Make Curds and Whey
This experiment not only introduces students to the concept of acid-base reactions but also offers an opportunity to explore the science behind cheese-making.
Learn more: Tinkerlab
50. Grow Crystals Overnight
By creating a supersaturated solution using substances like epsom salt, sugar, or borax, students can observe the fascinating process of crystal growth. This experiment allows students to explore the principles of solubility, saturation, and nucleation.
Learn more: Grow Crystals Overnight
51. Measure Electrolytes in Sports Drinks
The “Measure Electrolytes in Sports Drinks” experiment is an informative and practical chemistry activity that students should try.
By using simple tools like a multimeter or conductivity probe, students can measure the electrical conductivity of different sports drinks to determine their electrolyte content.
52. Oxygen and Fire Experiment
The oxygen and fire experiment is a captivating and educational chemistry demonstration that students should try. By observing the effects of oxygen on a controlled fire, students can witness the essential role of oxygen in supporting combustion.
53. Electrolysis Of Water
The electrolysis of water experiment is a captivating and educational chemistry demonstration that students should try.
Learn more: Electrolysis Of Water
54. Expanding Ivory Soap
The expanding Ivory Soap experiment is a fun and interactive chemistry activity that students should try. By placing a bar of Ivory soap in a microwave, students can witness the remarkable expansion of the soap as it heats up.
Learn more: Little Bins Little Hands
55. Glowing Fireworks
This experiment not only introduces students to the principles of pyrotechnics and combustion but also encourages observation, critical thinking, and an appreciation for the physics and chemistry behind.
Learn more: Glowing Fireworks
56. Colorful Polymer Chemistry
Colorful polymer chemistry is an exciting and vibrant experiment that students should try to explore polymers and colorants.
By combining different types of polymers with various colorants, such as food coloring or pigments, students can create a kaleidoscope of colors in their polymer creations.
Learn more: Colorful Polymer Chemistry
57. Sulfur Hexafluoride- Deep Voice Gas
This experiment provides a firsthand experience of how the density and composition of gases can influence sound transmission.
It encourages scientific curiosity, observation, and a sense of wonder as students witness the surprising transformation of their voices.
58. Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream
Liquid nitrogen ice cream is a thrilling and delicious chemistry experiment that students should try. By combining cream, sugar, and flavorings with liquid nitrogen, students can create ice cream with a unique and creamy texture.
Learn more: Thought Co
59. White Smoke Chemistry Demonstration
The White Smoke Chemistry Demonstration provides an engaging and visually captivating experience for students to explore chemical reactions and gases. By combining hydrochloric acid and ammonia solutions, students can witness the mesmerizing formation of white smoke.
Learn more: Thought Co
60. Nitrogen Triiodide Chemistry Demonstration
The nitrogen triiodide chemistry demonstration is a remarkable and attention-grabbing experiment that students should try under the guidance of a knowledgeable instructor.
By reacting iodine crystals with concentrated ammonia, students can precipitate nitrogen triiodide (NI3), a highly sensitive compound.
Learn more: Thought Co
61. Make a Plastic- Milk And Vinegar Reaction Experiment
Through the “Make a Plastic – Milk and Vinegar Reaction” experiment, students can gain a deeper understanding of the chemistry behind plastics, environmental sustainability, and the potential of biodegradable materials.
Learn more: Rookie Parenting
62. Eno and Water Experiment
This experiment not only introduces students to acid-base reactions but also engages their senses as they witness the visible and audible effects of the reaction.
63. The Eternal Kettle Experiment
By filling a kettle with alcohol and igniting it, students can investigate the behavior of the alcohol flame and its sustainability.
64. Coke and Chlorine Bombs
Engaging in this experiment allows students to experience the wonders of chemistry firsthand, making it an ideal choice to ignite their curiosity and passion for scientific exploration.
65. Set your Hand on Fire
This experiment showcases the fascinating nature of combustion and the science behind fire.
By carefully following proper procedures and safety guidelines, students can witness firsthand how the sanitizer’s high alcohol content interacts with an open flame, resulting in a brief but captivating display of controlled combustion.
66. Instant Ice Experiments
The Instant Ice Experiment offers an engaging and captivating opportunity for students to explore the wonders of chemistry and phase changes.
By using simple household ingredients, students can witness the fascinating phenomenon of rapid ice formation in just a matter of seconds.
67. Coke Cans in Acid and Base
Engaging in this experiment allows students to gain a deeper understanding of the chemical properties of substances and the importance of safety protocols in scientific investigations.
68. Color Changing Invisible Ink
The Color Changing Invisible Ink experiment offers an intriguing and fun opportunity for students to explore chemistry and learn about the concept of chemical reactions.
Learn more: Research Parent