Chemical Dominoes Write-Up

By Nick Bergo, Logan Gleeson, Brandon Kelly, and Nightwhisper

The Balloon
Description - Hydrochloric acid and Calcium carbonate react in an erlenmeyer flask with
a deflated balloon attached over the top. The reaction creates carbon dioxide , inflating
the balloon. As the balloon inflates it raises a lever, releasing a marble which triggers
the next reaction.
Equation- 2 H+(aq) + CaCO3(s) --> Ca+2(aq) + H2O(l) + CO2(g)

Color Changing Liquid

Description - This step occurred when the lever was lifted and the string connected to
the canister pulled the canister of liquid into the air and poured the liquid into the petri
dish. When the film canister spilled the first clear liquid into the other clear liquid, it
combined to turn yellow. The liquid in the canister is Potassium Iodine (KI) and the liquid
in the petri dish is Lead Nitrate [Pb(NO3)2]. When they react, the structure of the
mixture changes, and therefore its appearance changed as well; a bright yellow mixture.
This is a double replacement reaction. The K switches with the Pb.
Equation - KI + Pb(NO3)2 -> PbI + K(NO3)2

Green Flame
Description - The mixing of ethanol and a salt when lit, produces a brilliant flame of any
of the available colors. We used a step where the mixture, lit by a candle tipping into the
watch glass containing it, burned green. This was the last step in our chemical domino
sequence. It actually contained two reactions, a combustion reaction, and an excitement
of electrons of the cuprous chloride. The first reaction is fairly straightforward - ethanol
is lit and combusts with oxygen, producing water vapor and carbon dioxide. The second
is a little more confusing. The reaction involved electrons of cuprous chloride getting
excited and jumping onto a higher energy level. After a short interval, the electrons
would fall back onto their original energy levels, releasing energy in the form of light,
causing the flame to turn green due to the emitted light frequency.