VELAMMAL VIDHYASHRAM

MAMBAKKAM

ALL INDIA SENIOR SCHOOL

CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION

CHEMISTRY

INVESTIGATORY PROJECT REPORT

ON

WHY CATALYTIC DECOMPOSITION IS

KNOWN TO BE:
“ELEPHANT’S TOOTHPASTE”

2023 – 2024

NAME: N. SAI ARAVIND

ROLL NO: 12B14
CLASS – XII-B
GROUP – COMPUTER MATHS
 BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this CHEMISTRY Investigatory Project on the

topic “why catalytic decomposition is known to be: “elephant’s
toothpaste”” has been successfully completed by N. SAI ARAVIND
of class XII-B(CHEMISTRY), Roll.no...................... at
Velammal Vidhyashram, Mambakkam for the partial fulfilment of
this project as a part of All India Senior School Certificate
Examination-CBSE, New Delhi for the academic Year 2022– 2023.

Date: ........................

Signature of Principal Signature of the Guide

Name: Name:

Submitted for AISSCE 2022-2023, CHEMISTRY Practical

examination on
......................

Signature of the Signature of the

Internal Examiner External Examiner
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The success of any project depends largely on people associated

with it. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the
enthusiasm of all these personalities. I hereby express my
heartfelt thanks to our Senior Principal for having given
this opportunity to do the project in the biology laboratory and for
her constant encouragement. I extend my sincere gratitude to my
Biology teacher for the valuable guidance offered to me. Her
wholehearted encouragement and constant stimulant
inspiration and advice enabled me to complete the project
successfully. I am also thankful to all our Teaching Staff and
Non-Teaching Staff for their help during my course of study.
I take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to my parents
for their encouragement and support. Last but not the least I am
thankful to the almighty.
 INDEX

SL.NO. CONTENT PG.NO

1 INTRODUCTION-AIM 1

2 DECOMPOSITION OF 2-3
HYDROGEN PEROXIDE
3 MATERIALS REQUIRED 4

4 THEORY 5-6

5 PROCEDURE 7

6 REACTIONS 8-9

7 METHODS TO MAKE 10-12

ELEPHANTS TOOTHPASTE
8 HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IN 13-15
LIVING CELLS
9 PRECAUTIONS 16

10 CONCLUSION 17-19

11 BIBLIOGRAPHY 20
 INTRODUCTION -AIM:

To determine why catalytic decomposition is known

to be “elephant’s toothpaste”?

Hydrogen peroxide is a chemical used in oxidation reactions,

treatment of various inorganic and organic pollutants, bleaching
processes in pulp, paper and textile industries and for various
disinfection applications. It is self-decomposing at high
temperatures or when a catalyst is present. Decomposing to yield
only oxygen and water (disproportionation), hydrogen peroxide is
one of the cleanest, most versatile chemicals available. The
catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide allows the use of
various catalysts that will increase the rate of decomposition.

Hydrogen peroxide is decomposed in the presence of a surfactant

by the enzyme catalase producing foam. A safer and cheaper
version of the popular catalysed decomposition of hydrogen
peroxide demonstration commonly called the “ELEPHANT’S
TOOTHPASTE” is presented in this activity.
 DECOMPOSITION OF HYDROGEN
PEROXIDE:

Hydrogen peroxide is a very unique substance due to its

molecular structure. It consists atoms of oxygen in oxidation state
of -1 unlike many substances, where oxygen occurs in oxidation
state of 0 or -2. This means that this substance can be used as both
an oxidizing and a reducing agent, depending of pH of its solution.
Due to those properties, particles of hydrogen peroxide can
decompose via reaction of disproportionation as shown below:

Hydrogen peroxide is a quite stable substance in low and

moderate pH. Although hydroxyl anions cannot trigger the
reaction on their own, an increase of alkalinity in the environment
of reaction up to a certain value may result in a rising rate of
reaction. Unfortunately, the influence of pH on the rate of reaction
is highly dependent on the purity of the solution. For example, in a
low purity solution, pH may not affect it at all. However, H2O2
easily decomposes when it is exposed to impurities or catalysts
like metallic surfaces or yeast. Other factors that affect the rate of
reaction are temperature, pressure, concentration of solution,
type, activity and area of active
catalytic surface of the catalyst, exposure to direct sunlight and
presence of inhibitors.

Reaction of decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is very slow in

moderate temperatures without the presence of a catalyst. It can
be sped up by increasing the temperature, which triggers the
reaction of thermal decomposition. This reaction can be carried
out in a liquid or vapour phase.

This reaction is exothermic. It produces large amount of heat

(ΔH=-2884.5 kJ/kg H2 O2 for pure compound), which further
increases rate of reaction and makes reaction self-sustaining after
phase of catalytic initiation. The mechanism of reaction is
dependent on the type of catalyst used.
 MATERIALS REQUIRED

~ To do this experiment we will need the following materials and

equipment:

 30% Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)

 Potassium iodide or Sodium iodide
 Food Colouring
 Liquid dish detergent (Palmolive)
 1 Litre Graduated Cylinder
 A large basin or tarp to facilitate clean-up
 glowing splint (optional)
 THEORY

During the reaction of hydrogen peroxide decomposition

catalysed by silver, four different reaction zones can be noticed,
each dominant for a range of bulk solution temperatures. In low
temperature zones, the rate of reactions is chemically controlled
by properties of the catalyst. This results in significant limitation
of area of contact between reactant and catalysts and a noticeable
decrease of the rate of reaction. Due to the heterogeneous nature
of the process of decomposition of H2O2 catalysed by silver exact
mechanism of this reaction is still unknown, probably it is based
on a radical mechanism.

Hydrogen Peroxide was discovered in 1818 by Louis – Jacques

Thenard, who observed that i t was rather unstable, presented a
novel form of chemical combination and that i t could be
decomposed vigorously by certain substances without discernible
effect on the decomposing agent ; Between the date of his
discovery and 1856, Thenard then published upwards of thirty
papers describing the properties and preparation of the
compound, He also made comprehensive observations on the
reactivity towards many metals and metallic oxides, including
AgO, MqO and PbO, and noted that ;
"In these decompositions, chemical action is necessary then to
attribute these actions to a physical cause which might probably
be electricity" .This work of Thenard constitutes one of the
earliest recognitions of catalysts. In many cases observations were
not made in regard to the effects of concentration, temperature
and the state of the catalyst.

¤ The catalyst is generally a metal, and once it is added, the

peroxide breaks down very rapidly. As the peroxide breaks
down, it releases a lot of oxygen. This results in a very
showy outpouring of tiny soap bubbles (because the
peroxide was mixed with soap). Hydrogen peroxide contains
a lot of oxygen. The more concentrated the peroxide is, the
more oxygen it releases. That’s why they are using 30% or
35% peroxide. (The hydrogen peroxide in brown bottles at
the drugstore is usually 3 %.)
¤ The peroxide reacts by breaking down into water and lots of
oxygen. What’s left is water and liquid soap, which are
turned into tiny bubbles by all that oxygen that is being
released.

Generally this experiment is done in a small-mouthed bottle, so

the stream of soapy bubbles is forced into a stream or tube of
bubbles – which looks a bit like a FAT stream of toothpaste.
Elephant toothpaste!
 PROCEDURE

1. Place the 1 Litre graduated cylinder in the centre of the large

basin or tarp.
2. Pour 50 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide into the graduated
cylinder. Add two to four drops of food colouring. Add a
small layer of liquid dish detergent to the mixture.
3. Prepare a saturated solution of potassium iodide or sodium
iodide by adding an excess of salt to deionized water.
4. Swirl the contents of the cylinder and quickly add 5 mL of
saturated potassium iodide solution before the agitation has
subsided. This reaction occurs rapidly, so stand back
immediately after adding the potassium or sodium iodide
solution.
5. The reaction produces water and oxygen gas. The oxygen gas
is trapped in the foam bubbles of the soap solution. To test
for the presence of oxygen, you can introduce a glowing
splint to the graduated cylinder.
 REACTIONS

Type of Reaction:
 Exothermic
 Gas Evolution


~ The catalysed reactions are shown below:

H2O2 (aq) + I–(aq) > H2O(l) + IO–(aq)

IO–(aq) + H2O2 (aq) –> H2O(l) + O2 (g)

The overall reaction is as follows:

2 H2O2 (aq) -- > 2 H2O(l) + O2 (g)

~ The basis of the early explanations of catalysis was an

alternating
oxidation - reduction cycle e.g. . as proposed for catalysis by iodine
:-

Oxidation: 2 HI + H2O2 –> I2 + 2H20

Reduction: I2 + H202 –> 2HI + O2

~ And, the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of
iodide ion occurs in two steps:

 H2O2 (aq) + I- (aq) = H2O (l) + OI- (aq)

 H2O2 (aq) + OI- (aq) = H2O (l) + O2 (g) + I- (aq)

~ The iodine produced can be titrated with a solution of

thiosulphate using starch indicator:

2H+ + H2O2 + 2I– → I2 + 2H2O

I2 + 2S2O32– → 2I– + S4O6 2

~ This is catalysed by a variety of transition metal compounds and

also by peroxidase enzymes found in many living things.

 Another decomposition reaction occurs when water (H 2O)

breaks down to produce hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2)
gases. This happens when an electric current passes through
the water, as illustrated below. The equation for this reaction
is: 2 H2O → 2 H2 + O2
 METHOD TO PREPARE ELEPHANT’S
TOOTHPASTE

Step 1 – Combine two tablespoons of warm water with one

teaspoon of yeast and mix until the yeast is completely dissolved
in the water.

Step 2 – Pour 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide into the empty bottle.
You’ll see here that we have two bottles. The bottle pictured on
the left is being filled with 3% hydrogen peroxide while the bottle
pictured on the right is filled with 6% hydrogen peroxide.
Step 3 – Add a few drops of food colouring into the bottle. Take a
moment to make a few observations. What happened when you
added the drops of food colouring?

Note: This step is optional, but adding the colour adds a fun
element to the experiment. You’ll see that we used a different
colour of food colouring for each bottle.
Step 4 – Next, add a squirt of dish soap into the bottle. Again, take
a moment observe what happened. Did adding the dish soap
appear to have any effect on the liquid already in the bottle?

Step 5 – Finally, pour the mixture of water and yeast into the
bottle. Watch carefully and observe what happens.
 HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IN LIVING CELLS

 Hydrogen peroxide naturally occurs in the human body as one

of the by-products of biochemical metabolism of many different
cells. For example, hydrogen peroxide is directly produced by
some oxidise enzymes like glycolateoxidise or monoamine
oxidise. Hydrogen peroxide is also created by the peroxisomal
pathway for oxidation of fatty acids. What is more, some
popular beverages, including instant coffee, black tea and green
tea, can contain hydrogen peroxide at low concentrations.
 Consumption of these beverages may conduct to diffusion of
hydrogen peroxide into the cells of the oral cavity and upper
part of the gastrointestinal tract. Another source of hydrogen
peroxide in the gastrointestinal tract are oral bacteria which
produce this substance.
 Hydrogen peroxide could also be found in exhaled air of living
organisms. It is uncertain whether the source of it is oral
bacteria, phagocytes or other lung cells. People with lung
diseases or cigarette smokers exhale more hydrogen peroxide
than healthy ones.
 Considering all the above it is not surprising that hydrogen
peroxide is also present in the blood.
 But concentration of hydrogen peroxide in human blood has
not been determined with satisfactory accuracy yet. There are
some conventional methods of hydrogen peroxide detection
but the absolute values remain uncertain. The literature is full
of data about the hydrogen peroxide level in blood but
credibility of it is questionable due to the great variability of
results.

 To sum up, it seems that most human cells are exposed to

hydrogen peroxide.H2 O2 can have significant impact on aging
processes. During decomposition of hydrogen peroxide with,
 for example, copper (I) and iron (II) ions as a catalyst, hydroxyl
radical (OH●) is formed. Free radicals are molecules, atoms or
ions which have single, unpaired electron at the outer orbits.
High activity individuals have this chemical and oxidize each
compound with which they have contact in order to join or
donate electrons.
 The objects of the attacks of free radicals in the human body are
mainly compounds having double bonds in the molecules like
proteins, DNA, polysaccharides, lipids (like cholesterol in the
blood) or unsaturated fatty acids which are part of cell
membranes.

 The Accumulation of hydrogen peroxide may have very bad

influence on cells and can even kill them, so it has to be
decomposed. The natural process of hydrogen peroxide
decomposition is very slow. In case of hydrogen peroxide
decomposition, it occurs in the same way. One of such
substance is an enzyme called Catalase, which lowers the
energy of activation needed for decomposition.
 PRECAUTION

 This experiment utilizes 30% hydrogen peroxide, which is a

strong oxidizing agent (household hydrogen peroxide is
typically about 3%). Concentrated hydrogen peroxide can
cause burns. Wear latex gloves, safety glasses, and avoid
contact with the skin and mucous membranes.
 A safer version of this demonstration that utilizes 3%
(household) hydrogen peroxide instead of 30% hydrogen
peroxide is also available.
 Do not stand over the reaction – steam and oxygen are quickly
produced. Potassium iodide is slightly toxic. Safety goggles and
gloves should be worn during the demonstration.
 Disposal of Waste Products:

~ The foam and solution left in the cylinder and all waste
products may be safely disposed of down the drain upon addition
of plenty of water.
 CONCLUSION

Hydrogen peroxide is one of the cleanest, most versatile chemicals

available. Due to its beneficial properties, it is used in a broad
variety of application areas e.g.: in aseptic packaging as sterilizing
agent, in cosmetics and medicine as an antimicrobial agent, in
chemical synthesis as a powerful and environmentally benign
oxidizing agent, in pulp, paper and textile industry as a versatile
bleaching agent and also in transportation high concentrated, high
purity hydrogen peroxide is used as a propellant. Hydrogen
peroxide is the object of diverse studies due to its useful
properties. Although there are many varied applications of this
substance, its usage remains limited. The main reason for this is
high production costs. Moreover, in lower concentration it is
chemically unstable and requires addition of stabilizers, which
change the kinetics of reaction of its decomposition. A separate
direction of research concerning hydrogen peroxide is its
presence in the human body, which can have a significant
influence on biochemical reactions that occur in our cells.
o Therefore, this simple substance is more important than it
seems and further studies concerning its production, usage
and appropriate concentration measurement can make a
breakthrough in many areas of our lives.

o When hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) decomposes, it breaks

down to form water (H2O) and oxygen (O2). The soap
bubbles that erupt from the cylinder are actually filled with
oxygen. You’ll notice that the foam has a brown tint. This
colour is due to the presence of free iodine produced by the
extreme oxidizing power of the 36% hydrogen peroxide. As
the reaction takes place, you’ll also see steam rising from the
erupting foam. This shows that the reaction is exothermic,
meaning that it gives off heat.

o Hydrogen peroxide (36% strength) will act as an oxidizing

agent with practically any substance. This substance is
severely corrosive to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract.
Potassium iodide is slightly toxic by ingestion. Given these
safety precautions, it’s best to leave this one to the experts.
~ The final reaction which can be observed:

o The massive amount of foam seen in this version of the

Exploding Toothpaste demonstration. The secret ingredient
is actually potassium iodide, which acts as a catalyst
(something that speeds up a chemical reaction, and in this
case, it’s the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide).
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. https://www.proakademia.eu/gfx/baza_wiedzy/461/nr_26_
45-52_2_2.pdf
2. https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/hydrogen_pe
roxide,Access data: 19.03.2017
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/68006861 ,
4. Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. 4th ed.
Volumes 1991
5. https://doi.org/10.32933/ActaInnovations.26.5
6. Abdollahi M., Hosseini A., ”Hydrogen Peroxide”,
Encyclopedia of Toxicology (Third Edition)2014, Pages 967–
970
7. Conklin, A.R.; Kessinger, A. Demonstration of the catalytic
decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. J. Chem. Educ., 1996,
73(9), 838.
8. Trujillo, C.A. A modified demonstration of the catalytic
decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. J. Chem. Educ., 2005,
82(6), 855.
9. https://theses.gla.ac.uk/79268/1/13850335.pdf

10. https://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/elephant-
toothpaste.html .