Bath Bombs - Periodic Table of Videos

Bath bombs are just glorified, perfumed alka seltzer tablets. They're primarily made of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and citric acid that result in this reaction...

3 NaHCO₃ (s) + H₃C₆H₅O_{7 (s)} --> Na₃C₆H₅O_{7 (aq)} + 3 H₂O _(l) + 3 CO_{2 (g)}

The cuteness of the dissolving, reacting Mad Scientist bath bomb is fun to watch, but there isn't too much really exciting in this video other than some chemistry folks playing around with the bath bombs - adding them to water, using a thermal camera to check the endothermicity of the reaction, checking the dyes under UV light, adding concentrated sulfuric acid to the bomb (oof), and finally trying to set the poor bath bomb on fire.

Feels a bit like the Nottingham folks are reaching a bit for content here.

Ditch the DSLR? The 200-year-old science of my new favorite camera (2^14 sub special!)

When I grew up, my mom was big on encouraging me to play with science toys.

She signed me up for enrichment classes at the University of Louisville in the summer, took me to museums, and bought me every sciencey toy that I showed any interest in. Relevant to today's video, I specifically remember making SunPrints with this same cyanotype process that AlphaPooenix demonstrates in today's video.

It wouldn't necessarily be easy for you and me to get ahold of the chemicals that he uses here - and likely not safe either - but you can certainly buy SunPrints paper without much trouble. Give it a try. 

This Chemical Cuts Like a Knife

I appreciate the note at the beginning of the video, "Hoping YouTube doesn't flag my video".

The YouTube algorithm is tricky and must be appeased.

The reactions shown, however, aren't all that tricky.

ferric chloride = iron(III) chloride = FeCl₃
sodium fluoride = NaF
potassium thiocyanate = KSCN

The first reaction, the one that produces the 'blood' is this one...

FeCl₃ + 3 KSCN --> Fe(SCN)₃ + 3 KCl

The 'blood' is the iron(III) thiocyanate. The initial reactants here are slightly yellow (FeCl₃) and colorless (KSCN).

The 'healing' reaction then is between the iron(III) thiocyanate and sodium fluoride to produce a complex ions.

Fe(SCN)₃ + 6 NaF --> Na₃[FeF₆] + 3 NaSCN

The Na₃[FeF₆] is a colorless, complex ion called hexafluoroferrate(III).

I'm not sure what the disposal of the thiocyanate compound is, but the complex ion should be mostly fine for easy disposal.

Source of reaction - link