How To: Make elephant toothpaste with H2O2 and Nal

Making a Elephant Toothpaste Volcano!

Dr. Carlson is demonstrating rates of chemical reactions in his video. He takes a solution of 3 % Hydrogen Peroxide and some dish soap and adds Sodium Iodine to the graduated beaker and we get a slow reaction of the two major chemicals. He explains that the chemical molecules of the peroxide and the chemical molecules of the salt colide to make a new molecule and in the process release oxygen which gives us the bubbles. The next experiment was a solution of 30% hydrogen peroxide and sodium iodine and some dish soap and the reaction was fast and much larger in volume of oxygen being released so the bubbles were like a volcano erupting. This is proof that the more concentrated the material used the faster the reaction of the chemicals. The concentration that is larger provides more molecules that can collide where the weaker concentration has less molecules so the reaction is much slower in comparison. You will learn by demonstration that it is not volume, but increased concentration that determines the speed of reaction.