Chameleon Chemical Reaction - Beautiful Four Steps Colour Change

Chameleon Chemical Reaction

Introduction:

Chameleon chemical reaction is redox reaction which show a beautiful colour change. During the reaction, the colour is change from violet -> green-> yellow -> red.

Procedure:

1.Prepare a breaker with 500ml warm water

2.Start the magnetic stirrer

3.Add 6 grams sodium hydroxide

4.Add 9 grams sucrose (sugar)

5.Prepare the potassium permanganate solution by adding 30mg of potassium permanganate into 30ml of water

6.Add potassium permanganate solution into the breaker and watch the colour change

Principal:

Permanganate MnO4 is reduced by sucrose under alkaline environment. During the reaction, KMnO4(violet) is reduced to K2MnO4(green), then it further reduced to MnO2 (brown/yellow)

Notes:

1.Sodium hydroxide is corrosive, please be carefully when you use it

2.Magnetic stirrer is not a must but it will mixed the solution faster

3.If more sucrose in added, the colour change will be faster

4. If more potassium permanganate is added, the reaction will start with dark violet and it is not easily to see the colour change

5.If less potassium permanganate is added, the final colour may be yellow but not red.