Clean speed ahead with catalysts
Activities
Surfing scientist (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
Elephant’s toothpaste – an exciting teacher demonstration of the effect of catalysis on the decomposition of coloured hydrogen peroxide.
University of Oregon (USA)
Household Fenton's reagent: A green homogeneous catalysis demo – uses household chemicals to demonstrate the action of a catalyst that is often used to treat contaminated groundwater.
ExploreLearning (USA)
Collision theory – students use an online simulation to observe a chemical reaction with and without a catalyst. The effect of concentration, temperature, surface area and catalysts on reaction rate are investigated. Includes a student guide (activity requires registration for a free 30 day trial).
The Royal Society of Chemistry (UK)
Catalysts for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide – students observe a laboratory demonstration of several different catalysts for the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
Catalysts for the thermal decomposition of potassium chlorate – students observe a demonstration of the thermal decomposition of potassium (or sodium) chlorate with the addition of various oxide catalysts. The catalyst can be separated and weighed to show that it is not used up in the reaction.
Creative Chemistry (UK)
The Haber process crossword – an online crossword on the Haber-Bosch process. Also available in pdf version.
Making ammonia: The Haber process – a worksheet which presents information and questions on the Haber-Bosch process.
Discover petroleum (Energy Institute, UK)
Catalytic cracker – students use an interactive animation to observe catalytic cracking including a close up of the catalyst zeolite.
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Page updated March 2009.