Fb-9 Mercury Gobbler
Published: Friday 10 March 2006 - Updated: Tuesday 29 March 2011
Aim
To demonstrate that electrical and chemical effects can vary the surface tension.
Apparatus
- Overhead projector
- Petri dish
- Mercury
- Potassium Dichromate
- Water
- Nitric acid
Diagrams
Click on pictures to enlarge.
|
Mercury Gobbler Diagram |
Description
The demonstration consists of a blob of mercury in dilute Nitric acid with a few grains of Potassium Dichromate added. The electrical and chemical effects at the surface leads to surface motions that cause the mercury to swim towards the Potassium Dichromate crystals.