Oscillating reactions are neat; I should write up one of my favorites sometime... Here, electrons flow from iron metal to mercury (I) sulfate to chromium (VI) oxide. Listen to the video for a step-by step explanation...
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« Molecules in the news... | Main | Isotopic food (Why was I not informed?) »
Mercury Beating Heart
Category: Inorganic
Posted on: April 20, 2008 3:36 PM, by Molecule of the Day
Find more posts in: 
Physical Science
Technology
Comments
That is very cool. I especially like how it depends upon the changing surface tension of mercury.
Posted by: selenized | April 20, 2008 11:09 PM
Ah, memories! We did this experiment in public high school in the UK, 1963 or there-abouts. All of us, ourselves, not just watching the teacher do it. We used a lot more mercury, and got a correspondingly slower beat. Our teacher believed in what he called "bucket chemistry" - or "we doan need no stinkin 5 ml test-tubes!".
And then I have not heard of it again until this year, and suddenly many references.
Posted by: Gray Gaffer | April 21, 2008 6:39 AM
This one's probably my favorite, and the neatest demonstration of it that I've seen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch93AKJm9os
Posted by: azmanam | April 21, 2008 10:06 AM
I have a book from 1932 "Experiments for Boys" where this is experiment is described as something boys could do at home. Quite a lot of good stuff with mercury in that book. It was better in the old days, before everything turned so dangerous.
Posted by: Nanono | June 5, 2008 5:59 AM