Chemorg42
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Beginner Project Ideas
First Post!
I know that this topic has been heavily explored in other threads but I have not found one that quite fits my particular situation.
I am looking for projects and experiments which satisfy the following criteria.
Uses no elaborate equipment
uses only OTC chemicals.
Is relatively safe (about Golden Book level for starting out.)
Thanks in advance.
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j_sum1
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Welcome aboard.
It has been quite a while since this question has been asked. I think more than a year.
Here are some favourites:
Copper chemistry: begin with copper sulfate and a few other OTC acids and bases and produce a range of copper compounds. If
you search for copper csrnival on this board you will find a competition with 3 (5?) entries with procedures and ideas to follow. Copper aspirinate
for example.
Disassemble a zinc carbon battery and isolate various compounds from it. Getting a pure manganese compound from the paste is tricky (messy) but
a good way to develop some skills. Several methods are possible.
Extractions from otc products. All kinds of useful things can be isolated. Go nuts. Recrystallisation os your friend.
Plant extractions. Some basic equipment will help but you can go a long way using beakers funnels and gravity filtration.
That should get you started. 
I am sure others will be by with more good ideas.
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Twospoons
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Growing crystals is a good simple starting activity. Growing large, single, high quality crystals is a bit more challenging. Copper sulfate is a good
one to start with.
making pH indicator from plants is another satisfying experiment - I got a bunch of kids at a Harry Potter themed party playing with that and they
loved it.
Red cabbage works well, as do most dark blue flowers. You can extend this by making buffer solutions and using them to calibrate your pH indicators.
[Edited on 7-1-2020 by Twospoons]
Helicopter: "helico" -> spiral, "pter" -> with wings
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woelen
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Electrolysis experiments also are very nice. If you take apart a zinc carbon battery and you do this carefully, then you get a nice carbon rod, which
can be used as anode in electrolysis experiments (you have to clean the rod well, by rubbing off black powder). You can try electrolysis of salt,
copper sulfate, dilute acids. It also is interesting to do electrolysis with copper wire at the anode instead of a carbon rod. You can try to collect
some of the gases, produced in electrolysis of a salt solution. You need a decent 5V power supply for these experiments, 5V and a few ampere is OK. A
nice thing to start with is a newer Raspberry PI 4 power brick (it is 5V, 4A), which can be used for many interesting small-scale electrolysis
experiments.
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Sulaiman
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I've not looked yet, but now is the season of almost as new, ex-Xmas present chemistry sets,
eBay, thrift/charity store/shop, local recyling etc. I found such kits a really good way to get started,
spirit lamp, flasks, test tubes and rack, indicators, chemicals, even some good experiments .....
I used a lot of a kit for years (along with new equipment), some of it I still use five years later.
I suggest getting comfortable eye protection asap (not the pathetic goggles in toy chemistry kits)
If possible, try to have an 'experiments' area that is stain- and burn-proof.
Welcome, stay safe and enjoy.
... start collecting bottles and jars ...
P.S. e.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chemistry-Set-John-Lewis/25446825...
[Edited on 7-1-2020 by Sulaiman]
CAUTION : Hobby Chemist, not Professional or even Amateur
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Chemorg42
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Thanks for the great suggestions. Ideas still definitely welcome
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