React a jar of liquid and an apparently empty jar to make smoke. The white smoke chemistry demonstration is easy to perform and visually appealing.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: Minutes
Here's How:
- Pour a small volume of hydrochloric acid into one of the jars. Swirl it around to coat the jar, and pour the excess back into its container. Place a square of cardboard over the jar to cover it.
- Fill the second jar with ammonia. Cover it with the square of cardboard, which will now be separating the contents of the two containers.
- Invert the jars, so the ammonia is on top and the apparently empty jar is on the bottom.
- Hold the jars together and pull the cardboard away. Both jars should immediately fill with a cloud or 'smoke' of tiny ammonium chloride crystals.
Tips:
- Wear gloves and safety goggles and perform the demonstration in a fume hood. Both ammonia and hydrochloric acid can give nasty chemical burns. As always, observe safe lab procedure.
What You Need:
- Ammonia (NH3)
- Hydrochloric Acid (HCl)
- 2 clean glass jars, both the same size, about 250 ml
- square of cardboard large enough to cover the mouth of the jar
