Famous chemical reactions for kids
From the pop of potassium in water to the metals that make bronze and brass, here are 48 of the most famous reactions, each explained in simple words with its equation and a safety note.
- POP! Potassium meets WaterPotassium + Water · Potassium hydroxide + hydrogen gas
- Fizz and whizz! Sodium meets WaterSodium + Water · Sodium hydroxide + hydrogen gas
- Gentle bubbles! Lithium meets WaterLithium + Water · Lithium hydroxide + hydrogen gas
- KABOOM! Caesium meets WaterCaesium + Water · Caesium hydroxide + hydrogen gas
- Cloudy bubbles! Calcium meets WaterCalcium + Water · Calcium hydroxide + hydrogen gas
- Bubble trouble! Zinc meets AcidZinc + Hydrochloric Acid · Zinc chloride + hydrogen gas
- Super fizz! Magnesium meets AcidMagnesium + Hydrochloric Acid · Magnesium chloride + hydrogen gas
- Flash! You made table salt!Sodium + Chlorine · Sodium chloride (table salt)
- Dazzling light! Magnesium burnsMagnesium + Oxygen · Magnesium oxide
- Slowly... Iron turns to RustIron + Oxygen · Iron(III) oxide (rust)
- Colour change! Copper and OxygenCopper + Oxygen · Copper(II) oxide
- Invisible shield! Aluminium and OxygenAluminium + Oxygen · Aluminium oxide
- Glowing hot! Iron meets SulfurIron + Sulfur · Iron(II) sulfide
- WHOOSH! Zinc meets SulfurZinc + Sulfur · Zinc sulfide
- Sparks fly! Aluminium meets BromineAluminium + Bromine · Aluminium bromide
- Purple smoke! Aluminium meets IodineAluminium + Iodine · Aluminium iodide
- Glittering sparks! Antimony meets ChlorineAntimony + Chlorine · Antimony trichloride
- The only one that can! Lithium meets NitrogenLithium + Nitrogen · Lithium nitride
- A metal sponge! Palladium meets HydrogenPalladium + Hydrogen · Palladium hydride
- Trapped! Mercury meets SulfurMercury + Sulfur · Mercury sulfide (cinnabar)
- Tarnished! Silver meets SulfurSilver + Sulfur · Silver sulfide (tarnish)
- Sneaky and dangerous! Osmium meets OxygenOsmium + Oxygen · Osmium tetroxide
- A famous gas! Uranium meets FluorineUranium + Fluorine · Uranium hexafluoride
- Shiny brass! Copper meets ZincCopper + Zinc · Brass (an alloy)
- The Bronze Age! Copper meets TinCopper + Tin · Bronze (an alloy)
- Super strong steel! Iron meets CarbonCarbon + Iron · Steel (iron with a little carbon)
- A liquid metal! Sodium meets PotassiumPotassium + Sodium · NaK (a liquid alloy)
- Crumble! Gallium meets AluminiumAluminium + Gallium · Gallium soaked into aluminium
- Gold disappears! Gold meets MercuryGold + Mercury · Gold amalgam
- Hairy metal! Aluminium meets MercuryAluminium + Mercury · Aluminium amalgam (growing white "fur")
- Iron says no! Iron meets MercuryIron + Mercury · Nothing: iron and mercury do not mix
- BANG! You made Water!Hydrogen + Oxygen · Water
- Instant BANG! Hydrogen meets FluorineHydrogen + Fluorine · Hydrogen fluoride
- Snap! You made Hydrogen ChlorideHydrogen + Chlorine · Hydrogen chloride
- Feeding the world! Nitrogen meets HydrogenHydrogen + Nitrogen · Ammonia
- Glowing embers! Carbon burnsCarbon + Oxygen · Carbon dioxide
- Made by lightning! Nitrogen meets OxygenNitrogen + Oxygen · Nitric oxide
- A blue flame! Sulfur burnsOxygen + Sulfur · Sulfur dioxide
- It glows in the dark! Phosphorus burnsOxygen + Phosphorus · Phosphorus pentoxide
- A super-heavy gas! Sulfur meets FluorineFluorine + Sulfur · Sulfur hexafluoride
- Almost as hard as diamond! Silicon meets CarbonCarbon + Silicon · Silicon carbide (carborundum)
- A noble gas reacts! Xenon meets FluorineFluorine + Xenon · Xenon difluoride
- Fluorine burns water!Fluorine + Water · Hydrogen fluoride + oxygen gas
- Pool water! Chlorine meets WaterChlorine + Water · Hydrochloric acid + hypochlorous acid (chlorine water)
- Orange water! Bromine meets WaterBromine + Water · Bromine water
- Water gas! Carbon meets SteamCarbon + Water · Carbon monoxide + hydrogen (water gas)
- Safe under water! Phosphorus meets WaterWater + Phosphorus · Nothing: phosphorus is kept safe under water
- Just a bit weaker! Acid meets WaterWater + Hydrochloric Acid · Dilute hydrochloric acid