• Question: what is your favourite reaction

    Asked by koss532guar84 to kirstenhawkins, Karen R, Carlyn B, Calum, Get2ammar, Alicia M on 24 Feb 2026.
    • Photo: Karen Rae

      Karen Rae answered on 24 Feb 2026:

      I think my favourite reaction is Sodium in water

    • Photo: Carlyn Bezensek

      Carlyn Bezensek answered on 24 Feb 2026: last edited 24 Feb 2026 10:12

      Sometimes the simplest are often the best. A bit of citric acid with a bit of baking soda and a smidge of washing up liquid, some water… add in some food colouring for some extra drama and kaboom! A simple acid/base reaction causing the rapid release of carbon dioxide in an effervescent bubbly mess. If you stick a small deflated balloon, filled with one of the ingredients, on top of the flask first, it’ll inflate with the gas. Causes no end of excitement if you’ve got younger cousins or siblings!

    • Photo: Calum Cunningham

      Calum Cunningham answered on 24 Feb 2026:

      When you burn mercuric thiocyanate and ammonium dichromate together, they react violently and produce weird snake-like coils that grow out of nothing. It’s known as the Pharaoh’s Serpent reaction, and there are other variants too (like reacting mercuric nitrate with potassium thiocyanate). There’s this great video on YouTube which looks more like someone has opened a portal to a demon world – check it out!

    • Photo: Ammaru Ismaila

      Ammaru Ismaila answered on 24 Feb 2026:

      Hi Koss532guard84, My favourite reactions are: i. steam methane reforming reaction and ii. Dry methane reforming. Thank you

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