One of my recent “discoveries” on the World Wide Web was the Pharaoh’s snake, which can be made using alcohol, sugar and soda. This amazing experiment fascinates children and can be done at home.

Is it possible to imagine a holiday for children without exciting competitions, sweepstakes, have fun and a variety of entertainment? Of course not! After all, our kids are waiting for a bright celebration, filled with magic, the atmosphere of a fairy tale and adventure.

For me, organizing such events is real torture.

But it’s enough to remember that careful preparation will light up the children’s eyes with a mischievous sparkle, and the room will be filled with loud, uncontrollable laughter, as the energy for searching for ideas begins to flow in full swing.

If you are looking for a way to surprise your little ones, then the magic of granulated sugar, sodium bicarbonate and other simple ingredients will help you turn the holiday into an incredible event, after which you will have vivid impressions.

How is the experiment carried out?

The experience follows one main principle. The components used enter into a chemical reaction and significantly increase in volume. These changes are carried out incredibly quickly and create the feeling of a crawling viper. It wriggles so realistically, moving up and to the sides, that the children watch in fascination every movement of the snake, marveling at the miracle.

Pharaoh's snake made from soda and sugar

The Soda and Sugar Pharaoh's Snake is a very simple experiment that can be done using readily available ingredients. But it is important to maintain proportions so that the focus does not disappoint with its effect.

I found many options for this experience on the Internet, but I chose the safest one, since the “show” was organized for children. To make adorable vipers with your own hands, you should prepare the following ingredients:

  • river sand;
  • soda;
  • alcohol (96 percent pure ethanol);
  • sugar (if you have powdered sugar, it is better to take it).

Take a deep container and place a small amount in it river sand. Soak this slide with alcohol, pouring it in a thin stream. Make a depression at the top of the sand “pyramid”.

Next, you will need to mix soda and powdered sugar (if this component is missing, grind the sugar in a blender) in a separate bowl. Sodium bicarbonate is taken 4 times less than the second component (for example, 2 tsp.

substances for 8 tsp. powdered sugar).

Carefully pour the resulting mixture into the created depression of the sand slide. In order for a writhing snake to appear, you only need to set fire to this “structure”. This should be done very carefully using a match. In this case, you will be able to control the “power” of the flame and easily rotate the match, setting fire to the desired places.

A chemical reaction will occur immediately after ignition. Gradually, the sand will turn into dark balls, but as soon as all the alcohol burns out, the mixture will take on a black tint and the Pharaoh's Beard (or Pharaoh's snake) will appear from it.

Explanation of experience

Surely every young chemist who loves to conduct experiments knows about this experience. If your child is not into these types of events, he will be impressed by what is happening.

The secret of the described experiment is that when soda and sugar react, the first component decomposes into steam, as well as carbon dioxide. This action “forces” the mass to move. The viper itself will be formed from the remains of combustion.

After the first snake appears, the composition can be set on fire again, and another viper will appear from it. As soon as the children see this miracle, they may have a desire to touch the “guest” who appeared at the celebration.

It is possible that they will want to feast on it, but if you take into account the peculiarities of the viper’s composition, it is better not to allow this idea to be realized. But you can touch the resulting “monster”.

What can you get “pharaoh snakes” from?

Cute and funny snakes can be obtained not only by using food. I conducted experiments with other components and took several options into account. They are perfect for organizing a fun weekend at the dacha.

Here are some simple options for obtaining pharaoh reptiles:

  1. Fertilizers. You can use ammonium nitrate or saltpeter. Powdered sugar, river sand, and alcohol are used as additional components. The experiment is carried out similarly to the above, only soda is replaced with fertilizer (this version of the experiment is accompanied by the release of harmful substances). When you light a fire and bring it to the recess, you will notice the appearance of a snake. In the case of soda, I made two options for deepening. During the first experiment, I built a small hole, and thin little vipers came out. The second time the depression was wider, from which a thick grass snake emerged. I think this factor should also be taken into account when using fertilizer.
  2. Calcium gluconate. In this case, a pharmaceutical agent is used in combination with dry fuel. The formation of a gray snake will be carried out directly from the tablet. The growth of the reptile is due to the release of gas, and they are not large in size (no more than 15 cm).
  3. Drugs representing the group “Sulfadimethoxins” (Biseptol, Streptocid, etc.). People who conducted experiments using this component claim that a grayish shiny viper will appear, and the reptile will be of impressive size. The experiment is carried out similarly to the experiment with calcium gluconate (dry alcohol and a burner are used) and is accompanied by the release of sulfur dioxide (a toxic substance), nitrogen, water vapor and hydrogen sulfide.

Cautions

Despite the simplicity and apparent safety of the experiments, they should be carried out exclusively in the presence of adults. In addition, the following rules must be observed:

  • the table where the experiment is carried out should be covered with non-flammable materials and empty of unnecessary objects;
  • Carefully control the fire level to avoid excessive ignition of the sand. If this happens, it means you made mistakes when following the recipe (the proportions were taken incorrectly);
  • It is advisable to protect your eyes and hands by using rubber gloves and goggles.

Besides, magic ritual should be carried out after you have stocked up on water for extinguishing. This will avoid serious consequences if the experience gets out of hand.

Give children joy and good mood very easy, so don’t miss the opportunity to please them with unusual and interesting experiments, because childhood is fleeting. By choosing safe “magical activities” and taking precautions, you can introduce them closer to the pharaoh snake, which will surely remain in their memory for a lifetime.

These pharaoh snakes...

How to attract children to chemistry? — Show an interesting, spectacular, stunning experiment! “But such an experiment requires equipment, materials, knowledge,” you say. AND…

you'll be wrong! For a minimal but equally spectacular pharaoh snake, all you have to do is go to a drug store and then a Hunter/Angler or hardware store.

And take some precautions, the same as, for example, when launching fireworks, that is, be careful with fire.

This is exactly the experiment - the classic “Pharaoh’s Snake”, which appears as if from nowhere, sways, sometimes hisses, sometimes sparkles and always makes an impression.

Pharaoh's Snakes includes a large number of chemical colorful demonstrations with various reagents and equipment.

I will try to tell you about the simplest chemicals in terms of availability and safety for humans, but not always the simplest in terms of preparation, so don’t be too lazy. Although the first “snake” will be for the lazy too :)

A small historical digression

I have come across a dozen explanations of where the name “Pharaoh’s Snake” came from. The three most frequently mentioned are:

  1. After the victory of the army of the pharaoh of the Southern Kingdom of Narmer over the army of the Northern Kingdom, it was as if a handful of priests from the North did not want to recognize Narmer as the winner, demanding divine evidence. And then the pharaoh’s scepter turned into a huge smoky snake and swallowed them up.
  2. The magician, priest and prophet Zarathushtra had two eldest sons: Urvatat-nara and Hvara-chitra. They argued among themselves who should be a warrior and who should be a farmer. Then Zarathushtra turned his staff into a fiery and smoky snake, turning its head towards Hvara-chitra, and its tail towards Urvatat-nara. The wise and cunning Zarathushtra said that the tail indicates a farmer, and the head indicates a warrior. True, there is not a word about pharaohs in the explanation :)
  3. From the Bible: “And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying: If Pharaoh says to you: perform a miracle, then you say to Aaron: Take your rod and throw it before Pharaoh - he will become a serpent. Moses and Aaron came to Pharaoh and did as the Lord commanded. And Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent. And Pharaoh called for wise men and sorcerers; and these magicians of Egypt did the same with their spells: each of them threw down his rod, and they became snakes, but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods. Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and he did not listen to them, just as the Lord had spoken.” "Exodus" Chapter 7. Verses 8 - 13.

Perhaps there is some truth in each explanation. I suspect that the priests and “magicians” of ancient times could well have been able to create such snakes, fooling the flock and spectators and convincing them of their power :) Be that as it may, we are not going to fool anyone; we will tell about each “snake”, why and how it turns out.

The simplest pharaoh snake or gluconate python

It is truly the easiest to implement. And you will need a maximum of 60 rubles worth of materials.

Buy a pack of dry fuel tablets from a hardware store or a store that sells hunting and fishing equipment. Buy calcium gluconate tablets at the pharmacy, the cheapest, uncoated.

You will also need matches (a lighter is also suitable, but it is more convenient to light a tablet of dry fuel with matches).

Attention! Conduct the display only in a fire-safe place! Make sure that children do not come close to a burning dry fuel tablet!

It is better to conduct the experiment in calm weather or in a windproof place. Place a tablet of dry fuel on a non-flammable surface and place a tablet of calcium gluconate on top.

Light the dry fuel (in the video the tablet is set on fire from only one side, as a result the “snake” tilts to one side; if you want a straighter “snake”, try to set the tablet on fire at the same time as different sides), watch.

A tablet of dry fuel burns from 8 to 13 minutes; as a rule, the “snake” will grow throughout this time. The maximum length of a snake that I have ever recorded is just over 30 centimeters.

What happens to calcium gluconate during heating? The reaction is simple:

Ca2 + O2 → CO2 + Ca(OH)2 + H2O + C

I deliberately did not equalize the coefficients:

  • it is not calcium hydroxide that is formed, but an oxide, but, as a rule, calcium oxide has time to react with the water released in the reaction

More dangerous snake or sulfa viper

Haven't you burned all the dry fuel tablets yet? Then go to the pharmacy again and buy the cheapest of the sulfonamides in the form of tablets of 0.5 grams (maybe there are more? Then you can take more) without a coating.

For example, streptocide, sulfadimethoxine, sulgin, etazol, phthalazole, sulfadimezin, norsulfazole, etc. Don't take Biseptol - it's expensive. Or look in your medicine cabinet, you might even find an expired one - even better: it won’t bother your conscience.

Attention! Conduct the display only in a fire-safe place! The experiment produces toxic gases! It is best to conduct the experiment under draft or outdoors with a light wind blowing away from you. Make sure that children do not come close to a burning dry fuel tablet!

So, place a tablet of dry fuel on a non-flammable surface, and place a tablet of sulfanilamide on top. Light it, move to the direction from which the wind is blowing, or close the draft glass and turn on the weak outflow. Depending on which sulfonamide you bought, the snake will have a different thickness.

By the way, this snake can be controlled (do it only under traction!) - you can pick up its tip with tweezers and drag it slightly - it will lose weight and stretch out.

During the combustion of sulfonamide, toxic gases are released (sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, possible small amounts of sulfuric anhydride and nitrogen oxides) and non-toxic (carbon dioxide, nitrogen), which swell the mass of forming carbon.

Such a snake, in addition to a colorful demonstration, also has more down-to-earth qualities: instead of fumigating the room with sulfur, you can use a couple of snakes like this. Rats do not enter a room that has been “fumigated” with a sulfa viper for a very long time; they leave the holes in which this snake was set on fire. However, remember that after fumigating a room, it is better not to stay in it for a while, as you risk getting poisoned!

The snake has a metallic tint and looks a lot like a giant steel wool. Once burned it is safe.

Well, let’s write the combustion reaction of sulfanilamide using sulfadimethoxine as an example:

C12H14N4O4S+ O2 → CO2 + N + SO2 + H2O + C + H2S

I didn't equalize the odds again:

  • in some cases, hydrogen sulfide is partially or completely oxidized to sulfur dioxide and water
  • nitrogen oxides and sulfuric anhydride (SO3) may be released
  • how much carbon is burned to form carbon dioxide depends on the conditions

sand snake

You will need washed (clean) dried sand, preferably coarse, pure alcohol, soda and sugar. This experiment is relatively safe (on a small scale) so that it can be carried out, for example, in the kitchen, but it is still necessary to remember safety precautions when working with alcohol and fire.

Create a slide of sand on a plate with a depression at the top (in fact, the larger the slide and the wider the diameter of the depression, the thicker and longer the snake will be. But do not overdo it - firstly, it is more dangerous, and secondly, it can fall into pieces), soak it in alcohol.

Pour a pre-prepared mixture of baking soda and sugar into the cavity (the ratio of soda and sugar is 1:4). You can be guided by an approximate ratio: for a glass of sand you need to take half a teaspoon of soda and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Set fire to the hill. The alcohol will ignite and the “slide” will begin to flame.

Gradually, the mixture at the top will begin to turn black and soon a black snake-like mass will climb out of the “crater” - our snake.

Now about what happens in the experiment: sodium bicarbonate turns into carbonate with the release of carbon dioxide and water vapor:

2NaHCO3 = Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2

alcohol burns in air, again producing carbon dioxide and water:

C2H5OH + 3O2 = 2CO2 + 3H2O

sugar burns with a lack of oxygen, forming carbon dioxide, water and carbon (the reaction is not equalized due to the fact that the amount of oxygen is unknown):

C12H22O11 + O2 → CO2 + H2O + C

Actually, coal together with sodium carbonate, foamed with gases, creates the effect of a snake.

I am not going to finish the material here. There are other options for creating a pharaoh snake, which I will talk about later.

For many, chemistry lessons are a real torment. But if you understand at least a little about this subject, you can carry out entertaining experiments and enjoy it. And it wouldn’t hurt for teachers to get their students interested. The so-called pharaoh snakes are perfect for this.

origin of name

Nobody knows for sure the origin of the name “Pharaoh’s snakes”, but it is dated to biblical events.

In order to impress Pharaoh, the prophet Moses, on the advice of the Lord, threw his staff on the ground, and it turned into a snake. Once in the hands of the chosen one, the reptile again became a staff.

Although in fact there is nothing in common between how these experiences are obtained and biblical events.

What can you get “pharaoh snakes” from?

The most common substance used to produce snakes is mercury thiocyanate. However, experiments with it can only be carried out in a well-equipped chemical laboratory. The substance is toxic and has an unpleasant, persistent odor.

And a “pharaoh’s snake” at home can be created from tablets that are sold in any pharmacy without a prescription, or mineral fertilizers from a hardware store.

To conduct the experiment, calcium gluconate, methenamine, soda, powdered sugar, saltpeter and many substances that can be purchased at a pharmacy or store are used.

The easiest way to conduct the “Pharaoh’s Serpents” experiment at home is from medicines sulfonamide group. These are products such as “Streptocid”, “Biseptol”, “Sulfadimezin”, “Sulfadimethoxin” and others. Almost everyone has these drugs in their home.

“Pharaoh snakes” made from sulfonamides are shiny gray in color, their structure resembles corn sticks. If you carefully grab the “head” of the snake with a clamp or tweezers, you can pull out a fairly long reptile from one tablet.

In order to conduct the Pharaoh's Snake chemical experiment, you will need a burner or dry fuel and the above-mentioned medications. Several tablets are laid out on dry alcohol, which is set on fire. During the reaction, substances such as nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulfide and water vapor are released. The reaction formula is as follows:

С11H12N4O2S+7O2 = 28C+2H2S+2SO2+8N2+18H2O

Such an experiment must be carried out very carefully, since sulfur dioxide is very toxic, just like hydrogen sulfide. Therefore, if it is not possible to ventilate the room during the experiment or turn on the hood, it is better to do this outside or in a specially equipped laboratory.

It is best to conduct experiments using substances that are safe, even if used outside a specially equipped laboratory. “Pharaoh’s snake” from calcium gluconate is obtained quite simply.

To do this, you will need 2-3 tablets of the drug and a cube of dry fuel. Under the influence of the flame, a reaction begins, and a gray “snake” crawls out of the tablet. Such experiments with calcium gluconate are quite safe, but you should still be careful when conducting them. The formula for the chemical reaction is as follows:

C12H22CaO14+O2 = 10C+2CO2+CaO+11H2O

As we can see, a reaction occurs with the release of water, carbon dioxide, carbon and calcium oxide. It is the release of gas that causes growth. “Pharaoh snakes” are up to 15 centimeters long, but they are short-lived. When you try to pick them up, they fall apart.

“Pharaoh’s snake” - how to make it from fertilizer?

If you have a vegetable garden personal plot or a dacha, then there are certainly various fertilizers. The most common one, which can be found in the pantry of any summer resident and farmer, is ammonium nitrate or ammonium nitrate. For the experiment you will need sifted river sand, half a teaspoon of saltpeter, half a teaspoon of powdered sugar, and a spoon of ethyl alcohol.

It is necessary to make a depression in the sand slide. The larger the diameter, the thicker the “snake” will be. A well-ground mixture of saltpeter and sugar is poured into the recess and filled with ethyl alcohol. Then the alcohol is set on fire, and a “snake” is gradually formed.

The reaction then occurs as follows:

2NH4NO3 + C12H22O11 = 11C + 2N2 + CO2 + 15H2O.

The release of toxic substances during the experiment requires compliance with safety precautions.

"Pharaoh's snake" from food products

"Pharaoh's snakes" are obtained not only from medicines or fertilizers. For experience, you can use products such as sugar and soda. Such components can be found in any kitchen. A slide with a depression is formed from river sand and soaked in alcohol. Powdered sugar and baking soda are mixed in a 4:1 ratio and poured into the recess. The alcohol is set on fire.

The mixture begins to turn black and slowly swell. When the alcohol almost stops burning, several wriggling “reptiles” crawl out of the sand. The reaction is as follows:

2NaHCO3 = Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2,

C2H5OH + 3O2 = 2CO2 + 3H2O

The mixture decomposes into sodium carbonate, carbon dioxide and water vapor. It is the gases that cause soda ash to swell and grow, which does not burn during the reaction.

Another “reptile” from a tablet

There is another simple way to get the “pharaoh’s snake” from medicines. To do this, you will need to purchase the drug “Urotropin” at the pharmacy. Instead of tablets, you can also use dry fuel containing this substance.

You will also need a solution of ammonium nitrate. The drug "Urotropin" must be soaked in it. However, you cannot immediately apply the entire solution to the source material, so you need to add a few drops and dry.

In this case, drying should occur at room temperature.

After this, the tablet is set on fire. The result is not so much a “snake” as a “dragon”. However, when you look at it, it's the same Pharaoh's Snakes experience. But due to the properties of the components, a more violent reaction occurs, which leads to the formation of a three-dimensional figure.

“Snake” made of mercury thiocyanate

The first chemical experiment on “Pharaoh’s Serpent” was performed by a medical student in 1820. Friedrich Wöhler mixed solutions of mercuric nitrate and ammonium thiocyanate and obtained a white crystalline precipitate. The student dried the resulting precipitate of mercury thiocyanate and set it on fire just out of curiosity. A black and yellow snake-like mass began to crawl out of the burning substance.

“Pharaoh’s snakes” from mercury thiocyanate are easy to make. The substance must be set on fire on a heat-resistant surface. The reaction will follow:

2Hg(NCS)2 = 2HgS + C3N4 + CS2

CS2 + 3O2 = CO2 + 2SO2

Under thermal influence, mercury thiocyanate decomposes into mercury sulfide (gives the “reptile” a black color), carbon nitride (responsible for the yellow color of the snake) and carbon disulfide (carbon disulfide).

The latter ignites and decomposes into gases - carbon dioxide and sulfur oxide, which swell carbon nitride. This, in turn, captures mercury sulfide, resulting in black and yellow “pharaoh’s snakes.”

Under no circumstances should this experiment be carried out in home conditions! In addition to the release of toxic gases, mercury vapor is released. Mercury itself is poisonous and can cause severe chemical poisoning.

Safety during experiments

Despite the fact that most of the substances from which “pharaoh snakes” can be obtained are considered safe, experiments must be carried out very carefully.

As can be seen from the above formulas, during decomposition quite toxic components are released that can lead to severe poisoning. All experiments can be carried out at home only in a ventilated area or with a high-power hood.

Experiments with mercury thiocyanate can only be carried out in a specially equipped laboratory, observing all safety regulations.

In conclusion, we can say that by conducting the “Pharaoh’s Snakes” chemical experiment in class, the teacher can interest students in his subject. Even those who do not understand and do not like chemistry will most likely be interested in the lesson. And those who prefer practice instead of boring theoretical calculations will receive an additional incentive to study science.

Experiment for children: Pharaoh's snake made from soda and sugar, reviews

Chemical reactions during which the reagents increase several times are called “Pharaoh’s snake.” Substances that interact react and this is reminiscent of the movements of a snake.

It is enough to watch videos on YouTube, of which there are several hundred, to be convinced of the similarity of the chemical reaction with the way this cold-blooded creature wriggles.

The etymology of the name is from a biblical story. There is a chapter in the holy book when Pharaoh ordered Moses to show him a real miracle.

He threw his staff to the ground, he became a huge python. Pharaonic ones are similar in their principle of operation. From small-volume, inactive reagents, an active, moving, growing creature is obtained.

Huge pharaoh snakes are transformed from reagents that are prohibited from having in the apartment (acids, mercury thiocyanate, ammonium nitrate, potassium dichromate).

But lack of necessary ingredients is not a reason to give up. You can conduct the experiment yourself, in your apartment. You will need soda and sugar.

Necessary Precautions

Soda and sugar come into active interaction. Experiments with substances must be carried out in strict accordance with standards fire safety, when carried out, children observe.

Use:

  • a table with a non-flammable, non-smoldering surface (remove fabric tablecloths from the surface, a wooden table is prohibited);
  • latex gloves;
  • protective glasses.

Place a fire extinguisher nearby. If the reaction does not go according to plan, it will protect the home from fire.

Required Ingredients

Prepare your ingredients. The creation of the Pharaoh's snake must be done quickly. Mix the ingredients slowly - no reaction will occur.

You will need:

  • sifted clean sand (collect from the nearest playground);
  • baking soda (buy at a grocery store);
  • powdered sugar (sold by supermarkets);
  • 95 percent alcohol (found at the pharmacy).

The first ingredient of the composition will require 300 grams. The last three are less. The proportions of powdered sugar are 15 grams, soda is a quarter of a tablespoon. Usually some, all the components are at home.

How to make a pharaoh snake

The components have been assembled, including measuring instruments. Objects that are flammable have been removed from the work surface, and the curtains have been pulled back.

A stunning spectacle - the experiment is carried out in the dark. For the first time, it is better to observe the process - you will see the nuances. Place a fire extinguisher and a bowl of water will do.

  • a small mound is created from sand, with a hole inside (height - up to 30 centimeters);
  • pour alcohol over the top of the slide;
  • mix a teaspoon of powdered sugar, a quarter of NaHCO3;
  • place the composition in the recess;
  • light the alcohol (by eye, three tablespoons);
  • the mixture begins to darken;
  • dark balls appear;
  • the alcohol burns out;
  • the depression suddenly turns black;
  • Pharaoh's snake appears.

Sodium bicarbonate reacted with sugar activated by alcohol. The sand serves as a protective support.

The snake has grey colour, at first you can’t touch it with your hands - it’s hot. There is a cavity inside, cut like polyurethane foam. Please note - several snakes appear. If one appears and separates from the cavity, after a while a second one may appear (the reaction has not ended). Wait for the chemical reaction to complete.

How it happens

The ignition of alcohol begins with the interaction of sugar and baking soda. Sodium bicarbonate decomposes into water vapor, carbon dioxide.

The latter swells the mass of sugars and begins to increase in size. The body of the pharaoh snake is created from the results of burning sugars. As a result of the oxidation of carbon dioxide, the python crawls and wriggles.

other methods

Baking soda is a standard kitchen staple and easy to find. It is possible to demonstrate the effect of particle interaction using other techniques:

Calcium gluconate tablets

  1. Sold in city pharmacies. 1-5 tablets are placed on a refractory substrate.
  2. Light it with a fire starter and the effect begins within a few seconds.

They burn for a long time, but the material is fragile. It won't be possible to cut. Suitable for presenting the effect. The reaction lasts 2-3 minutes.

Potassium permangantsovka

Sold by pharmacies. Multiple increase in volume. Be sure to use sealed gloves.

  1. Into a glass clean water add a teaspoon of the substance, stir, place a few drops liquid soap, shampoo.
  2. Mix.
  3. Pour the contents into a long, narrow glass, vase, not made of plastic.
  4. Add half a glass of hydrogen peroxide (shelf life - up to six months, keep in mind that the reaction occurs only with fresh liquid).

The reaction occurs instantly, there are no combustion products. A column of foam appears from a vessel in red and pink shades.

soda viper

It's a very simple and elegant experience. To carry it out, pour 3 - 4 teaspoons of dry sifted river sand into a dinner plate and make a slide out of it with a depression at the top. Then prepare a reaction mixture consisting of 1 teaspoon of powdered sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate ( baking soda). The sand is soaked in 96-98% ethanol and the prepared reaction mixture is poured into the depression of the slide, and then the alcohol is set on fire. After 3 - 4 minutes, black balls appear on the surface of the mixture, and black liquid appears at the base of the slide. When almost all the alcohol has burned, the mixture turns black and a wriggling, thick black “viper” slowly crawls out of the sand. At the base it is surrounded by a collar of dying alcohol.

Carbon dioxide CO 2 released during the decomposition of sodium bicarbonate and the combustion of ethyl alcohol in accordance with the reaction:

2NaHCO 3 = Na 2 CO 3 + H 2 O + CO 2

It swells the burning mass, causing it to crawl like a snake. The longer the alcohol burns, the longer the snake becomes, consisting of sodium carbonate mixed with tiny particles of coal, which is formed when sugar oxidizes.

Saltpeter "snake"

Such a snake can be observed if ammonium nitrate is used for an experiment with setting sugar and alcohol on fire. In this case, the reaction mixture should consist of 1/2 teaspoon of ammonium nitrate and 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar, thoroughly ground in a mortar. This mixture is poured into the recess of a sand slide soaked in ethyl alcohol, and then the alcohol is ignited. After it has almost completely burned out, a “viper” begins to crawl from the top of the hill.

Its birth is caused by the reaction of ammonium nitrate with sugar:

2NH 4 NO 3 + C 12 H 22 O 11 = 11C + 2N 2 + CO 2 + 15H 2 O

The “viper” is again set in motion by the resulting gases: nitrogen N 2, carbon dioxide CO 2 and water vapor.

Black boa constrictor from a glass

This experience is a breathtaking sight. Powdered sugar in the amount of 75 g is placed in a tall glass glass, moistened with 5-7 ml of water and stirred with a long glass rod. Then 30-40 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid H 2 SO 4 is added to the wet sugar over this stick. (Carefully!)

Then quickly mix the contents with a glass rod, which is left in a glass filled with the mixture. After one or two minutes, the contents of the glass begin to turn black, swell and rise in the form of a voluminous, loose and spongy mass, carrying the glass rod upward. The mixture in the glass gets very hot and even smokes a little. She slowly crawls out of the glass.

Sulfuric acid oxidizes sucrose C 12 H 22 O 11 and turns into sulfur dioxide SO 2. At the same time, carbon dioxide CO 2 is produced. These gases swell the resulting coal and push it out of the glass along with the stick. The equation that conveys these chemical transformations is:

C 12 H 22 O 11 + 2H 2 SO 4 = 11C + 2SO 2 + CO 2 + 13H 2 O

Carbon and sulfur dioxides, together with water vapor, increase the volume of the reaction mass and cause it to move. You can also add sulfuric acid to a glass of dry sugar. The substances are mixed with a glass rod, after which the glass is placed in a jar with hot water. In less than a minute, a violent reaction will begin. A column of black mass will “shoot” out of the glass.

In another version of the experiment, hot acid is carefully poured into a glass with sugar. This experience has already been described in the last issue of the magazine.

Hi all! Friends, today I want to conduct a cool experiment, I will try to grow a huge scary monster out of sand, which is very similar to a giant black worm. This experiment is also called Pharaoh's Sand Snake. To do this, I collected some sand in the children's sandbox, I think the kids won't be offended by me. I poured it into a cup and dried it on the radiator. I will also need sugar, baking soda and lighter fluid.

I'll soak the sand in lighter fluid.

I’ll take 40 grams of sugar and 10 grams of soda, mix and pour into a cup of sand.

All that remains is to set it on fire, I hope I won’t need this thing. By the way, all monsters are very afraid of water and fire extinguishers. I'll leave it just in case.

I set it on fire. See what happens, sugar turns into a scary black worm. I’m already getting scared, at first I wanted to conduct this experiment in complete darkness, but now I won’t turn off the light.

The body of a huge scary monster emerged from the fire, something that reminds me of a horror movie. But if you look at it from a distance, it’s a very cute little worm.

The length of this monster is approximately 50 centimeters and it all grew from a small pile of sugar and soda.

Let's see what's inside this huge worm. It cuts very easily, like polyurethane foam, there is emptiness inside.

I won't taste it. Although it is made from sugar, you cannot eat it, because burnt sugar is very bitter.

I hope you enjoyed the Pharaoh's Serpent experiment. If you want to grow a sand snake, do it outside and be sure to follow safety rules!

Good luck to you dear friends!

A large black snake grows out of a pile of sugar and soda

Complexity:

Danger:

Do this experiment at home

Reagents

Safety

    Wear safety glasses before starting the experiment.

    Conduct the experiment on a tray.

    When conducting the experiment, keep a container of water nearby.

    Place the burner on a cork stand. Do not touch the burner immediately after completing the experiment - wait until it cools down.

General safety rules

  • Do not allow chemicals to come into contact with your eyes or mouth.
  • Keep people away from the experiment site without protective glasses, as well as small children and animals.
  • Keep the experimental kit out of the reach of children under 12 years of age.
  • Wash or clean all equipment and fixtures after use.
  • Ensure that all reagent containers are tightly closed and stored properly after use.
  • Make sure all disposable containers are disposed of correctly.
  • Use only the equipment and reagents provided in the kit or recommended by current instructions.
  • If you have used a food container or glassware for experiments, throw it away immediately. They are no longer suitable for storing food.

First aid information

  • If reagents come into contact with your eyes, rinse thoroughly with water, keeping the eye open if necessary. Contact your doctor immediately.
  • If swallowed, rinse mouth with water and drink some clean water. Do not induce vomiting. Contact your doctor immediately.
  • If reagents are inhaled, remove the victim to fresh air.
  • In case of skin contact or burns, flush the affected area with plenty of water for 10 minutes or longer.
  • If in doubt, consult a doctor immediately. Take the chemical reagent and its container with you.
  • In case of injury, always seek medical attention.
  • Improper use of chemicals can cause injury and damage to health. Carry out only the experiments specified in the instructions.
  • This set of experiences is intended for children 12 years and older only.
  • Children's abilities vary significantly even within age groups. Therefore, parents conducting experiments with their children should use their own discretion to decide which experiments are appropriate and safe for their children.
  • Parents should discuss safety rules with their child or children before experimenting. Special attention Care should be taken to safely handle acids, alkalis and flammable liquids.
  • Before starting experiments, clear the experiment site of objects that may interfere with you. Avoid storing food near the test site. The testing area should be well ventilated and close to a tap or other water source. To conduct experiments you will need a stable table.
  • Substances in disposable packaging must be used completely or disposed of after one experiment, i.e. after opening the package.

FAQ

Dry fuel (urotropine) does not spill out of the jar. What to do?

Hexamine may clump during storage. To still pour it out of the jar, take a black stick from the set and carefully break up the lumps.

It is not possible to form methenamine. What to do?

If methenamine is not pressed in the mold, pour it into a plastic cup and add 4 drops of water. Mix the moistened powder well and put it back into the mold.

You can also add 3 drops of soap solution from the Tin set that you received with the Monster Chemistry set.

Can this snake be eaten or touched?

When working with chemicals you need to follow an unshakable rule: never taste anything that you have obtained as a result of chemical reactions. Even if in theory it is a safe product. Life is often richer and more unpredictable than any theory. The product you get may not be the one you expected, chemical glassware may contain traces of previous reactions, and chemical reagents may not be pure enough. Experiments with tasting reagents can end sadly.

This is why eating anything is prohibited in professional laboratories. Even the food you brought with you. Safety first!

Is it possible to touch the “snake”? Be careful, it may be hot! The coal that makes up the snake can smolder. Make sure the snake is cool enough to handle. The snake gets dirty - don’t forget to wash your hands after the experiment!

Other experiments

Step-by-step instruction

    Take a dry fuel burner from the starter kit and place foil on it. Attention! Use a cork stand to avoid damaging your work surface.

    Place the plastic ring in the center of the foil.

    Pour all the dry fuel (2.5 g) into the ring.

    Press the mold into the ring to create a hole in the pile of dry fuel. Carefully remove the mold.

    Remove the plastic ring by tapping it lightly.

    Pour two level scoops of sugar (2 g) into a jar with 0.5 g of soda (NaHCO3) and close it with a lid.

    Shake the jar for 10 seconds to mix the sugar and soda.

    Pour the baking soda and sugar mixture into the hole in the dry fuel.

    Set fire to dry fuel - very soon a black “snake” will begin to grow from this hill!

Expected Result

Dry fuel will begin to burn. A mixture of sugar and soda in the fire will begin to turn into a large black “snake”. If you do everything correctly, you will grow a snake 15-35 cm long.

Disposal

Recycle solid waste experiment together with household waste.

What happened

Why is such a “snake” formed?

When heated, part of the sugar (C 12 H 22 O 11) burns, turning into water vapor and carbon dioxide. Combustion requires an influx of oxygen. Since the flow of oxygen into the internal areas of the sugar slide is difficult, another process occurs there: due to high temperature, sugar decomposes into coal and water vapor. This is how our “snake” turns out.

Why is soda (NaHCO 3) added to sugar?

When heated, soda decomposes, releasing carbon dioxide (CO 2):

Soda is added to the dough to make it fluffy when baking. And that is why we add soda to sugar in this experiment - so that the released carbon dioxide and water vapor make the “snake” airy and light. Therefore the snake can grow upward.

What is this “snake” made of?

Basically, the “snake” consists of coal, which was obtained by heating sugar and did not burn in the fire. It is coal that gives the “snake” its black color. It also contains Na 2 CO 3, resulting from the decomposition of soda when heated.

What chemical reactions occur during the formation of a “snake”?

  • Combustion (combination with oxygen) of sugar:

C 12 H 22 O 11 + O 2 = CO 2 + H 2 O

  • Thermal decomposition of sugar into carbon and water vapor:

C 12 H 22 O 11 → C + H 2 O

  • Thermal decomposition of baking soda into water vapor and carbon dioxide:

2NaHCO 3 → Na 2 CO 3 + H 2 O + CO 2

What is sugar and where does it come from?

A sugar molecule is made up of carbon (C), oxygen (O) and hydrogen (H) atoms. This is what she looks like:

To be honest, it's hard to see anything here. Download the MEL Chemistry app on your smartphone or tablet and you can look at the sugar molecule from different angles and better understand its structure. In the application, the sugar molecule is called Sucrose.

As you can see, this molecule consists of two parts, connected by an oxygen atom (O). You've probably heard the names of these two parts: glucose and fructose. They are also called simple sugars. Regular sugar is called compound sugar to emphasize that a sugar molecule is made up of several (two) simple sugars.

This is what these simple sugars look like:

fructose

Sugars are important building blocks of plants. During photosynthesis, plants produce simple sugars from water and carbon dioxide. The latter, in turn, can be combined into both short molecules (for example, sugar) and long chains. Starch and cellulose are long chains (polysugars) made up of simple sugars. Plants use them as building material and to store nutrients.

The longer the sugar molecule, the more difficult it is for our digestive system digest it. That's why we love sweets containing simple short sugars so much. But our bodies were not designed to rely primarily on simple sugars; they are rare in nature. Therefore, be careful with your consumption of sweets!

Why does soda (NaHCO 3) decompose when heated, but table salt (NaCl) does not?

This is not an easy question. First you need to understand what binding energy is.

Imagine a train carriage with a very uneven floor. This carriage has its own mountains, its own hollows, and depressions. A sort of small Switzerland in a carriage. A wooden ball rolls on the floor. If you let him go, he will roll down the slope until he reaches the bottom of one of the depressions. We say that the ball “wants” to occupy the position with minimum potential energy, which is just at the bottom of the depression. Similarly, atoms try to line up in a configuration in which the bond energy is minimal.

There are several subtle points here that I would like to draw your attention to. Firstly, remember that this explanation, which is said “on the fingers”, is not very accurate, but it will suit us for understanding the overall picture.

So where will the ball roll? To the lowest point of the carriage? No matter how it is! He will roll into the nearest depression. And, most likely, it will remain there. Maybe there is another depression on the other side of the mountain, deeper. Unfortunately, our ball “doesn’t know” this. But if the car shakes strongly, then with a high probability the ball will jump out of its local depression and “find” a deeper hole. There we shake a bucket of gravel to compact it. The gravel knocked out of the local minimum will most likely find a more optimal configuration, and our ball will sooner reach a deeper depression.

As you may have already guessed, in the microworld the analogue of shaking is temperature. When we heat a substance, we make the entire system “shake,” just as we rocked a carriage with a ball. Atoms are detached and reattached in the most different ways, and with a high probability they will be able to find a more optimal configuration than it was at the beginning. If it exists, of course.

We see such a process in very large quantities chemical reactions. The molecule is stable because it is located in a local depression. If we move it a little, it will get worse, and it will come back, similar to a ball, which, if you move it a little from the local depression to the side, will roll back. But it is necessary to heat this substance more strongly so that our “car” is shaken properly, and the molecule finds a more successful configuration. This is why dynamite won't explode until you hit it. This is why the paper won't catch fire until you heat it up. They are happy in their local holes and need a noticeable effort to force them to leave, even if there is a deeper hole nearby.

Now we can return to our original question: why does baking soda (NaHCO 3) decompose when heated? Because it is in a state of local minimum binding energies. In a kind of hollow. There is a deeper depression nearby. This is what we are talking about about the state when 2NaHCO 3 decayed into 2Na 2 CO 3 + H 2 O + CO 2. But the molecule does not “know” about this and until we heat it up, it will not be able to get out of its local hole in order to look around and find a deeper hole. But when we heat the soda to 100-200 degrees, this process will go quickly. Soda decomposes.

Why doesn't table salt NaCl break down in a similar way? Because she is already in the deepest hole. If it is broken into Na and Cl or any other combination of them, the bond energy will only increase.

If you've read this far, well done! This is not the simplest text and not the simplest thoughts. I hope you were able to learn something. I want to warn you at this point! As I said at the beginning, this is a beautiful explanation, but not entirely correct. There are situations when the ball in the carriage will tend to occupy a hole that is not the deepest. Likewise, our substance will not always tend to a state with minimal bond energy. But more about this some other time.

Every home is full of substances that can be used as reagents for experiments. Complex chemical experiments Of course, not everyone can do it at home, but even a novice chemist can carry out several interesting reactions.

Pharaoh snakes

Pharaoh snakes are not reptiles, as one might think, but a group chemical reactions, during which a porous mass similar to a snake is formed from a very small volume of the reagent. Some of these processes are only feasible in the laboratory due to the toxicity of the reagents or their lack of commercial availability. However, several varieties of “snakes” can be obtained at home.

Most affordable option This experience is a snake made of baking soda and sugar. To obtain it we will need:

  • river sand;
  • a teaspoon of sugar, crushed into powder;
  • a quarter of the same spoon of baking soda;
  • a little ethyl alcohol (96% will be enough);
  • plate;
  • matches or lighter.

Pour river sand onto a plate and soak it in alcohol. Make a depression at the top of the mound. Place a mixture of sugar and soda in it. Set fire to the slide. The alcohol with which it is soaked will catch fire. A few minutes later, when it almost burns out, a black, wriggling mass, very reminiscent of a viper, will crawl out of the sand cone.

The experiment has a simple rationale. Sugar and alcohol burn, and baking soda decomposes when heated. All these processes are accompanied by the release of carbon dioxide and water vapor. They give porosity to the burning mass. The “snake” itself consists of a mixture of sodium carbonate, formed from the decomposition of soda, with coal obtained from the combustion of powdered sugar:

Another “reptile” can be obtained from dry fuel and calcium gluconate. The latter are tablets that are sold at any pharmacy without a prescription and are quite inexpensive.

Place calcium gluconate on a tablet of dry fuel and set it on fire. It will crawl out of the tablet gray snake. This experiment can be done without fuel. It is enough to bring the calcium gluconate tablet to the flame.

When heated, the medicine decomposes into carbon dioxide, water, calcium oxide, and carbon. The last two substances form the basis of the snake, and carbon dioxide and vaporous water make it porous and force it to crawl:

Volcano

Volcanoes are another type of spectacular reaction. In chemistry class you may have seen ammonium dichromate volcano. However, the same chemical experiment can be repeated at home.

You will need:

  • plate;
  • plasticine or clay;
  • acetic acid (vinegar);
  • dishwashing liquid;
  • food coloring, fucorcin from the medicine cabinet or beet juice.

From plasticine, fashion a volcano cone, hollow inside, but with a dense bottom at the bottom that does not allow water to pass through. Charge up your volcano. To do this, pour a tablespoon of soda into its mouth, pour in the same amount of dishwashing liquid and add a few drops of dye. Then pour a quarter cup of vinegar into it.

A brightly colored foam consisting of carbon dioxide and soda residues will crawl out of the crater of the volcano:

As you can see, even using such accessible substances as soda and vinegar, you can conduct interesting chemical experiments at home.