This experiment must be done with an adult!!!
While this experiment won't do what our bundle of dynamite in the corner will, you still need to be careful. Get the following materials, and that includes adult sepervision!!!
1. One half ounce (~15 ml) of non-detergent household ammonia.
2. A few small Iodine crystals, or ~ 3-5 ml Tincture of Iodine.
3. Filter paper (coffee filters work fine), long fireplace matches, safety glasses, and if you don't already have the Free Real One (tm) player, please get it from our home page Real Player link or just click here and select the Free basic player. Watch the Nitrogen Tri-Iodide Video, above, before you do the experiment.
Place ~ 1/2 oz ( 15 ml) of ammonia into a large test tube (or a small paper cup). Add a few small Iodine crystals or ~ 3-5 ml Tincture of Iodine into the ammonia solution and carefully mix for about 1 minute. Filter the mixture and rinse the dark Nitrogen Tri-Iodide residue with ~ 10 ml of water. Let the filter paper dry in a safe place (on a sturdy counter or stove top). Don't touch the dry NI3 as it can explode when touched or even while drying!!! Let's not have any unplanned explosions make it onto the 6:00 news. Now carefully light the filter paper with a long fireplace match and BOOM!!! The NI3 explodes into Nitrogen and Iodine gases. Please clean up and dispose of any left over chemicals carefully. If you do this carefully, it is a great experiment to show how much energy is stored in a chemical bond. Keep having fun with Easy Science.