Genie+in+a+Bottle-Justin

Genie in a bottle By: Justin Hofmann Materials : 2 liter soda bottle (or other container -beaker, flask, etc)  goggles spatula Funnel 30% hydrogen peroxide manganese dioxide Procedure: 1. Fill bottom of bottle with 50-100mL of 30% hydrogen, this is approximately the amount it takes to fill the bottom “dipples” of the bottle. 2. Using a scoop spatula, add a small amount manganese dioxide to the bottle, this would be about the tip of the spatula with manganese dioxide. 3. Stand back and watch the genie emerge. Equation : 2H2O2-->2H2O + O2(g) Practical Uses : Catalysts are used to make plastic items like garbage bags or rain coats. Catalysts are used in laundry detergents to help speed up the cleaning process. Gas contains catalysts to make it more suitable to be used for specific machines like car motors. Yeast used in bread.

Description : The genie in the bottle shows a decomposition reaction that is sped up by the use of a catalyst. A decomposition reaction is when one substance is broken up into two or more different substances by chemical means in this case hydrogen peroxide is broken down into oxygen and water. Hydrogen peroxide normally comes in brown bottles because if it didn’t it would react with light and become useless. This experiment also demonstrates an exothermic reaction which means when the hydrogen peroxide decomposes it also releases heat. A Catalyst is used in this experiment and that is the manganese dioxide; this helps speed up the reaction, otherwise it would take much longer for the “genie” to take effect. What a catalyst does is it provides an alternative way for the reaction that has lower activation energy. Activation energy is how much energy it takes for a chemical reaction to occur. In nature catalysts are called enzymes which are basically nature’s catalysts. These are usually found in laundry detergent to speed up cleaning time and in the human body in cells to help in reproduction and growth.

Photos : Sources :  "The effect of catalysts on rates of reaction." //Chemguide: helping you to understand Chemistry - Main Menu//. Web. 18 Feb. 2010. ."Use of Catalysts in everyday things, or to produce everyday things." //Google Answers//. Web. 17 Feb. 2010. .