Smoke Bomb

[amt0616]

I am wanting to do an experiment where I show my students a chemical reaction. I was thinking of doing a smoke bomb that I made at home, but I am not sure if a smoke bomb is a chemical reaction.

 

Can anyone please help me with this?! If it is not a chemical reaction, then does anyone have any ideas of a safe chemical reaction to do with my students?

[dragonstar57]

use LN2 to and water to make a mist cloud

[Mr Skeptic]

Do you want to also get the credit when one of your students decides to go around playing with smoke bombs? Especially if they go wrong? It is a chemical reaction though.

 

How about the barking dog reaction? You'll need a fume hood or to do it outdoors.

 

What is safe depends on where you do your experiment, is it a classroom, lab, outdoors?

[CaptainPanic]

When you show a chemical reaction to students, you MUST focus on safety. I know it sounds boring... but it is paramount that you, as a teacher, do that.

I also agree with Mr Skeptic that you must realize that students will think this is "cool", and will attempt to repeat it at home. No need to tell you that students usually think that "bigger = better" and will undoubtedly attempt to create the Mother Of All Smoke Bombs (MOASB)...

 

That said, a smoke bomb is most definitely a chemical reaction. The substances left afterwards are not the same as before the reaction.

 

What level are your students?

[rogerxd45]

first off i mean NO disrespect.... but am i the one that finds it odd that a teacher didn't know a smoke bomb is a chemical reaction?

[insane_alien]

no. i talked to him on IRC. he stormed off when i suggested something safer and to go buy a book on experiments that can be done in the classroom with instructions for teachers.

[dragonstar57]

the LN2 cloud would be safest