Mercury Beating Heart

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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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.

By Gray Gaffer (not verified) on 21 Apr 2008 #permalink

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.