Chemical Inventory
Complete list of available chemicals with safety information and experiments
Click any chemical to open its full page with safety information, demonstrations, and experiments.
Halide Salts
- Sodium Chloride NaCl Crystal Growing, Flame Tests, Electrolysis
- Potassium Chloride KCl Crystal Growing, Flame Tests
- Calcium Chloride CaCl₂ Hot/Cold Packs, Spherification, Flame Tests
- Ammonium Chloride NH₄Cl Hot/Cold Packs, Crystal Growing
- Cobalt Chloride CoCl₂ Crystal Growing, Humidity Indicator, Invisible Ink
- Ferric Chloride FeCl₃ Chemical Garden, Prussian Blue
- Cupric Chloride CuCl₂ Crystal Growing, Chemical Garden, Flame Tests
- Stannous Chloride SnCl₂ Tin Mirror, Prussian Blue, Reduction Reactions
- Sodium Iodide NaI Iodine Synthesis, Halide Precipitation
Sulfate Salts
- Copper Sulfate CuSO₄ Crystal Growing, Copper Reduction, Electroplating
- Epsom Salt MgSO₄ Crystal Growing, Natural Indicators
- Potassium Alum KAl(SO₄)₂ Crystal Growing, Natural Indicators
- Ammonium Sulfate (NH₄)₂SO₄ Crystal Growing
- Ferric Ammonium Sulfate NH₄Fe(SO₄)₂ Crystal Growing, Chemical Garden
- Zinc Sulfate ZnSO₄ Crystal Growing, Chemical Garden, Electroplating
- Ferrous Sulfate FeSO₄ Crystal Growing, Prussian Blue, Iron Colors
- Potassium Sulfate K₂SO₄ Flame Tests
Carbonates & Bicarbonates
- Sodium Carbonate Na₂CO₃ pH Landscape, Water Softening, Indigo Dyeing
- Baking Soda NaHCO₃ Acid Volcano, Electrolysis, Hot Ice
- Calcium Carbonate CaCO₃ Limewater Test, CO₂ Demo
- Potassium Carbonate K₂CO₃ Soap Making, Water Softening
Nitrates
- Potassium Nitrate KNO₃ Crystal Growing, Fractional Crystallization
- Silver Nitrate AgNO₃ Silver Mirror, Halide Precipitation
Acids
- Hydrochloric Acid HCl Flame Tests, Halide Precipitation, Electroplating
- Citric Acid C₆H₈O₇ Acid Volcano, Invisible Ink, pH Landscape
- Ascorbic Acid C₆H₈O₆ Iodine Clock, Iron Colors, Iron Gall Ink
- Acetic Acid CH₃COOH Hot Ice, Colors of Copper, Milk of Magnesia
- Tannic Acid C₇₆H₅₂O₄₆ Iron Gall Ink, Iron Colors
- Oxalic Acid C₂H₂O₄ Rust Removal, Bleaching
- Boric Acid H₃BO₃ Flame Tests, Slime
- Sulfuric Acid H₂SO₄ Sugar Dehydration, Electrochemistry
Bases & Hydroxides
- Sodium Hydroxide NaOH Blue Bottle, Traffic Light, Silver Mirror
- Ammonia NH₃ Silver Mirror, Hard Water, Colors of Copper
- Calcium Hydroxide Ca(OH)₂ Limewater Test, pH Landscape
- Magnesium Hydroxide Mg(OH)₂ Milk of Magnesia Rainbow
Dyes & Indicators
- Indigo C₁₆H₁₀N₂O₂ Indigo Dyeing
- Indigo Carmine C₁₆H₈N₂Na₂O₈S₂ Stoplight Reaction
- Iodine Tincture I₂ Iodine Clock, Starch Test
- Methylene Blue C₁₆H₁₈ClN₃S Blue Bottle, Traffic Light
- Phenolphthalein C₂₀H₁₄O₄ pH Landscape, Milk of Magnesia
- Red Cabbage Juice anthocyanin pH Landscape, Milk of Magnesia, Natural Indicators
Organic & Food
- Sodium Acetate CH₃COONa Hot Ice
- Cream of Tartar KHC₄H₄O₆ Rochelle Salt, Baking Chemistry
- Dextrose C₆H₁₂O₆ Blue Bottle, Traffic Light, Silver Mirror, Yeast Ferm.
- Xanthan Gum polysaccharide Non-Newtonian fluids
- Sodium Alginate (C₆H₇O₆Na)ₙ Spherification, Food Chemistry
- Corn Starch (C₆H₁₀O₅)ₙ Iodine Clock, Oobleck
- Ammonium Bicarbonate NH₄HCO₃ Food Chemistry
- Calcium Lactate C₆H₁₀CaO₆ Food Chemistry
- Calcium Lactate Gluconate mixed salt Food Chemistry
- Thiourea CH₄N₂S Silver Mirror, Gold Toning
- Mineral Oil alkanes Density Columns, Surface Chemistry
- Oleic Acid C₁₈H₃₄O₂ Oil Film / Molecular Size, Saponification, Ferrofluid, Surface Chemistry
- Glycerin C₃H₈O₃ Vanishing Glass, Soap Making, Slime
Oxidizers & Other
- Hydrogen Peroxide H₂O₂ Iron Colors, Iodine Clock
- Potassium Permanganate KMnO₄ Colors of Permanganate
- Borax Na₂B₄O₇ Crystal Growing, Slime
- Potassium Phosphate K₃PO₄ Buffer solutions
- EDTA C₁₀H₁₄N₂Na₂O₈ Hard Water Titration
- Chrome Oxide Cr₂O₃ Green Pigment, Metal Polishing
- Potassium Ferricyanide K₃[Fe(CN)₆] Prussian Blue, Cyanotype
- Aluminum Oxide Al₂O₃ Polishing, Anodizing
- Sodium Metabisulfite Na₂S₂O₅ SO₂ Bleaching, Iodine Clock, Anti-Browning
Metals
- Titanium Ti Anodizing Colors
- Copper Cu Colors of Copper, Copper Reduction, Electroplating
- Zinc Zn Electroplating, H₂ generation
- Iron Fe Iron Colors, Copper Reduction
- Magnesium Mg Burning ribbon, acid reactions
- Nickel Ni Electroplating
- Aluminum Al Amphoteric reactions
- Gallium Ga Melting Metal, Aluminum Embrittlement
Nonmetals
- Sulfur S₈ Crystal Polymorphism, Plastic Sulfur
Missing Chemicals - Recommended Additions
The following chemicals would complement the current inventory and enable additional educational experiments:
Indicators
Universal Indicator - Shows the full pH spectrum with color changes. More informative than single indicators.
Additional Salts
Sodium Thiosulfate (Na₂S₂O₃) - For the classic “clock reaction” with acid, photography chemistry, and as a reducing agent with iodine.
Potassium Iodide (KI) - For iodine clock reactions, starch-iodide test, and elephant toothpaste demonstration.
Copper Carbonate (CuCO₃) - Beautiful green color, decomposes on heating to black CuO, reacts with acids to produce CO₂.
Other Useful Chemicals
Activated Charcoal - Demonstrates adsorption, water filtration, and can be used in color-removal experiments.