About the B-Z reaction:



More

In 1972, Art Winfree
(e.g. Science 175 634-6)
and I
simplified a chemical oscillator
(Zaikin and Zhabotinski,
Nature 225 535)
to the point where it can be made to work reliably for students,
with a manageable number (four)
of inexpensive components
with a shelf life of years.

It has the disadvantage that bromine is emitted,
but not in dangerous amounts in an airy room.





The

Belousov-Zhabotinski

Reaction


a description by Professor Jack Cohen

and the kit you can buy to do it yourself


B-Z reaction

Malonic acid is oxidised by bromate, producing carbon dioxide, but in acid solution the reaction cannot proceed; there must be a latent period while the CO2 diffuses away. The solution is 'poised'; foci of blue appear randomly, and spread as circles. New foci appear at circle centres, so that a series of bulls-eyes (not spirals) progresses.

You can display the reaction very well by placing the petri dish onto an overhead projector (as long as the projector's fan is not unbalanced and vibrating).



Copyright © 2009 Dr. Jack Cohen. All rights reserved. No part of this page including (but not restricted to) text and images may be reproduced without the prior written permission of the Webmaster

The Do-it-yourself Kit:





You get:
One 9cm petri dish.
Four bottles of the ready-made-up liquids.
Four syringes.
One A4 sheet of instructions.

The kit contains enough to do the reaction six times.

You can click on the PayPal button below to purchase your own B-Z kit.

Your location:
You do NOT need your own account with PayPal to make a card payment.

Zanaflex

Toradol

Imitrex

Periactin

Prednisone

Robaxin

Trental

Cafergot

Diclofenac

Topamax

Tegretol

Azulfidine

Baclofen

Celebrex

Colchicine

Indocin

Maxalt

Arcoxia

Artane

Feldene

Lioresal

Mobic

Skelaxin

Tizanidine