The chemical capsaicin is what makes chilies hot. The higher the capsaicin found in a chili, the hotter the chili will taste. Students can measure the capsaicinoids found in a chili using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Students will create a sample by soaking the chili in ethanol and then injecting 20 mL of the filtered chili-ethanol mixture into an HPLC machine, which will produce a readout that students can use to count the capsacinoids. Students can then compare their results to a Scolville scale to determine the specific type of chili from which they took the sample.
This project will provide a pragmatic way for students to apply the basic principles they have learned in a chemistry class to a domestic setting. Students will test and record the reactions of various household chemicals, such as baking soda, table salt and epsom salt, with various acids and bases. Next, present students with an unknown agent and have them determine what the unknown agent is based on its reactions with the acids and bases.
A superconductor is a material that will conduct electricity without losing energy and also create a magnetic field. Students can create a superconductor on their own. Students mix yttrium oxide, barium carbonate and cupric oxide and then fire this mixture multiple times in order to create the superconductor. Students can test whether they have created a superconductor by seeing if a rare earth metal magnet will levitate when placed over the superconductor. This project can be extremely time consuming, as firings can last up to 18 to 24 hours.
This project will demonstrate to students that the perceived wavelength of color is often different from the light that is exuded by a dye. Using a color wheel, students will mark the wavelength they perceive when they observe the color of the dye. Then, using a spectrometer, the students will measure the wavelength of the light exuded from the dye. Students will then analyze the differences in their results.