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Author: Subject: Pretty Pictures (2)
currawong
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[*] posted on 27-11-2025 at 14:01
Lead iodide


I'm sure this has been posted many times before, but this was my first time seeing the 'golden rain' demonstration which has been on my bucket list for a long time. First time I did it I used 0.1 molar solutions of each which was clearly too concentrated to see it properly (turned solid yellow instantly) but it worked much better when I used very dilute KI. Thanks to j_sum1 for the lead nitrate.

1000013527.jpeg - 3MB 1000013526.jpeg - 3.1MB
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[*] posted on 27-11-2025 at 14:04


Yes. Keep concentration relatively low. Then, after the reaction, heat the solution until all the precipitate dissolves. For large floaty crystals, allow it to cool slowly.

Glad you found some goodies in that package. I has forgotten that I had some Pr6O11 and spent some time last weekend making some PrCl3, Pr2(SO4)3 and Pr(NO3)3. I may make some bromide and aspirinate because -- well, I can.


Edit
I should add, unless you like dealing with soluble lead waste, it is better to have the KI in excess. It is still good practice to filter and then treat the filtrate with carbonate to precipitate as much lead as possible to be disposed of as a solid or reclaimed.

[Edited on 27-11-2025 by j_sum1]
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[*] posted on 27-11-2025 at 14:24


It did occur to me after I did it that it would have been better to use an excess of iodide. I already have a container for heavy metal waste that I treat with sodium carbonate though which I can put the waste solutions in. As an aside, this is actually a syllabus mandated practical but my school ignored it because the head teacher decided watching a youtube video was the same thing as doing a prac. It's really sad, the old textbooks have so many interesting demonstrations but now you get the impression the point of doing chemistry is purely to rank students and determine who will get into medicine at uni.
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[*] posted on 29-11-2025 at 10:43


Finally no more need to make my own cyanide! I can just buy it now :3
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[*] posted on 29-11-2025 at 11:36


Quote: Originally posted by Thyzoid  
Finally no more need to make my own cyanide! I can just buy it now :3



That's a boatload of cyanide. You will never need any more of it.




Water is dangerous if you don't know how to handle it, elemental fluorine (F₂) on the other hand is pretty tame if you know what you are doing.
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[*] posted on 30-11-2025 at 00:58


Trust me. This bottle won´t even last two years. In the past two months i used up about 500g of the old cyanide in two preparations

[Edited on 30-11-2025 by Thyzoid]




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[*] posted on 12-1-2026 at 07:37


Ammonium copper sulfate crystal, approx. 4 mm long. I didn't expect it would grow so well formed.

Ammonium copper sulfate_3.jpg - 180kB Ammonium copper sulfate_2.jpg - 374kB Ammonium copper sulfate_1.jpg - 221kB




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[*] posted on 12-1-2026 at 13:31


Beautiful! Think you'll keep it, or try using it as a seed for a larger crystal?



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[*] posted on 12-1-2026 at 14:45


I'll keep it. It is perfect and grew unexpectedly in a test tube. I have more than enough seeds in another test tube just waiting to be collected and used.



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