Net reaction
4 KClO3 (s) + C12H22O11 (s) + 6 O2(g) → 4 KCl + 12 CO2 (g) + 11 H2O (g)
"Screaming Jelly Babies" (British English), also known as "Growling Gummy Bears" (American and Canadian English), is a classroom chemistry demonstration in which a piece of candy bursts loudly into flame when dropped into potassium chlorate. [1] The experiment is practised in schools around the world and is often used at open evenings to show the more engaging and entertaining aspects of science in secondary education settings. [2] [3]
The experiment shows the amount of energy there is in a piece of candy. Jelly babies [4] or gummy bears [5] are often used for theatrics. Potassium chlorate, a strong oxidising agent, rapidly oxidises the sugar in the candy causing it to burst into flames. The reaction produces a "screaming" sound as rapidly expanding gases are emitted from the test tube. [6] The aroma of caramel is given off. [7] Other carbohydrate or hydrocarbon containing substances can be dropped into test tubes of molten chlorate to produce similar results. [8] [9]
4 KClO3 (s) + C12H22O11 (s) + 6 O2(g) → 4 KCl + 12 CO2 (g) + 11 H2O (g)
The solid potassium chlorate is melted into a liquid.
KClO3 (s) + energy → K+ClO3-(l)
The liquid potassium chlorate decomposes into potassium perchlorate and potassium chloride.
4 KClO3 → KCl + 3 KClO4
The potassium perchlorate decomposes into potassium chloride and oxygen.
KClO4 → KCl + 2 O2
The sugar in the candy reacts with oxygen, forming water and carbon dioxide. The reaction is exothermic and produces heat, smoke, and fire.
C12H22O11 (s) + 12 O2 (g) → 12 CO2 (g) + 11 H2O (g) + energy. [10]
Care should be taken in performing this experiment, which should only be attempted by a professional. Potassium chlorate is a strong oxidizer and can cause fire or explosions. It is toxic by inhalation or ingestion and is hazardous to aquatic environments. [11] Reagent grade potassium chlorate should be used. Upon completion of the demonstration, all chemicals should be disposed of in designated chemical waste containers to prevent harm to people or the environment. [7]
All participants in the experiment should wear personal protective equipment, including eye protection, and should stand a safe distance away from the demonstration. [12] A face-shield and heat resistant gloves should be worn by the person adding the jelly baby to the molten potassium chlorate. [12]
Deviation from the experiment is not recommended, and has been linked with accidents. [12] Candy with low moisture content or high surface area may cause explosions. [12]
An oxidizing agent is a substance in a redox chemical reaction that gains or "accepts"/"receives" an electron from a reducing agent. In other words, an oxidizer is any substance that oxidizes another substance. The oxidation state, which describes the degree of loss of electrons, of the oxidizer decreases while that of the reductant increases; this is expressed by saying that oxidizers "undergo reduction" and "are reduced" while reducers "undergo oxidation" and "are oxidized". Common oxidizing agents are oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and the halogens.
Potassium chlorate is the inorganic compound with the molecular formula KClO3. In its pure form, it is a white solid. After sodium chlorate, it is the second most common chlorate in industrial use. It is a strong oxidizing agent and its most important application is in safety matches. In other applications it is mostly obsolete and has been replaced by safer alternatives in recent decades. It has been used
Potassium permanganate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula KMnO4. It is a purplish-black crystalline salt, which dissolves in water as K+ and MnO−
4 ions to give an intensely pink to purple solution.
Chlorate is the common name of the ClO−
3 anion, whose chlorine atom is in the +5 oxidation state. The term can also refer to chemical compounds containing this anion, with chlorates being the salts of chloric acid. Other oxyanions of chlorine can be named "chlorate" followed by a Roman numeral in parentheses denoting the oxidation state of chlorine: e.g., the ClO−
4 ion commonly called perchlorate can also be called chlorate(VII).
Potassium perchlorate is the inorganic salt with the chemical formula KClO4. Like other perchlorates, this salt is a strong oxidizer when the solid is heated at high temperature although it usually reacts very slowly in solution with reducing agents or organic substances. This colorless crystalline solid is a common oxidizer used in fireworks, ammunition percussion caps, explosive primers, and is used variously in propellants, flash compositions, stars, and sparklers. It has been used as a solid rocket propellant, although in that application it has mostly been replaced by the more performant ammonium perchlorate.
Flash powder is a pyrotechnic composition, a mixture of oxidizer and metallic fuel, which burns quickly (deflagrates) and produces a loud noise regardless of confinement. It is widely used in theatrical pyrotechnics and fireworks and was once used for flashes in photography.
Sodium chlorate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula NaClO3. It is a white crystalline powder that is readily soluble in water. It is hygroscopic. It decomposes above 300 °C to release oxygen and leaves sodium chloride. Several hundred million tons are produced annually, mainly for applications in bleaching pulp to produce high brightness paper.
Chemical decomposition, or chemical breakdown, is the process or effect of simplifying a single chemical entity into two or more fragments. Chemical decomposition is usually regarded and defined as the exact opposite of chemical synthesis. In short, the chemical reaction in which two or more products are formed from a single reactant is called a decomposition reaction.
A permanganate is a chemical compound with the manganate(VII) ion, MnO−
4, the conjugate base of permanganic acid. Because the manganese atom has a +7 oxidation state, the permanganate(VII) ion is a strong oxidising agent. The ion is a transition metal ion with a tetrahedral structure. Permanganate solutions are purple in colour and are stable in neutral or slightly alkaline media. The exact chemical reaction depends on the carbon-containing reactants present and the oxidant used. For example, trichloroethane (C2H3Cl3) is oxidised by permanganate ions to form carbon dioxide (CO2), manganese dioxide (MnO2), hydrogen ions (H+), and chloride ions (Cl−).
Sodium perchlorate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula NaClO4. It consists of sodium cations Na+ and perchlorate anions ClO−4. It is a white crystalline, hygroscopic solid that is highly soluble in water and ethanol. It is usually encountered as sodium perchlorate monohydrate NaClO4·H2O. The compound is noteworthy as the most water-soluble of the common perchlorate salts.
A chemical oxygen generator is a device that releases oxygen via a chemical reaction. The oxygen source is usually an inorganic superoxide, chlorate, or perchlorate. Ozonides are a promising group of oxygen sources, as well. The generators are usually ignited by a firing pin, and the chemical reaction is usually exothermic, making the generator a potential fire hazard. Potassium superoxide was used as an oxygen source on early crewed missions of the Soviet space program, in submarines for use in emergency situations, for firefighters, and for mine rescue.
Gummies, gummi candies, gummy candies, or jelly sweets are a broad category of gelatin-based chewable sweets. Gummy bears, Sour Patch Kids, and Jelly Babies are widely popular and are a well-known part of the sweets industry. Gummies are available in a wide variety of shapes, most commonly seen as colorful depictions of living things such as bears, babies, or worms. Various brands such as Bassett's, Haribo, Albanese, Betty Crocker, Hersheys, Disney and Kellogg's manufacture various forms of gummy snacks, often targeted at young children. The name "gummi" originated in Germany, with the terms "jelly sweets" or "gums" more common in the United Kingdom.
Explosophores are functional groups in organic chemistry that give organic compounds explosive properties.
The chemical chameleon is a redox reaction, well known from classroom demonstrations, that exploits the dramatic color changes associated with the various oxidation states of manganese.
Methods of oxygen storage for subsequent use span many approaches, including high pressures in oxygen tanks, cryogenics, oxygen-rich compounds and reaction mixtures, and chemical compounds that reversibly release oxygen upon heating or pressure change. O2 is the second most important industrial gas.
Perchlorate reductase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reactions:
Copper(II) chlorate is a chemical compound of the transition metal copper and the chlorate anion with basic formula Cu(ClO3)2. Copper chlorate is an oxidiser. It commonly forms the tetrahydrate, Cu(ClO3)2·4H2O.
The chemical redox reaction between potassium permanganate and glycerol is often used to demonstrate the powerful oxidizing property of potassium permanganate, especially in the presence of organic compounds such as glycerol. The exothermic (heat producing) reaction between potassium permanganate (KMnO4), a strong oxidizing agent, and glycerol (C3H5(OH)3), a readily oxidised organic substance, is an example of an experiment sometimes referred to as a "chemical volcano".
Rubidium permanganate is the permanganate salt of rubidium, with the chemical formula RbMnO
4.