Reinterpreting Popular Demonstrations for Use in a Laboratory Safety Session That Engages Students in Observation, Prediction, Record Keeping, and Problem Solving

Eleven demonstration activities for an introductory undergraduate chemistry safety session are described. The first two activities are a safety video and a lab tour. All other activities are drawn from popular demonstrations and presented in the context of chemical safety. These include a balloon bursting via toluene, a dry ice fog created in a fume hood, a reaction forming a carbon snake, a glycerol and potassium permanganate reaction, creation of a fireproof banknote, a candle extinguished by a copper coil, a candle extinguished by a test tube, a demonstration of a can crushed by air pressure, and creation of a soda geyser. The pedagogical narratives of these demonstrations cover all four areas of chemistry safety learning outcomes using the RAMP approach (recognizing hazards, assessing risks, minimizing risks, and preparing for emergencies) recommended for undergraduate students by the American Chemical Society.