Chemistry kit

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A chemistry kit or chemistry experiment kit is a compilation of chemicals and simple devices for performing chemical experiments for students and hobby chemists. Such a box is also intended for in-depth practical self-study by children and young people interested in science. A manual is enclosed with the box, in which the experiments planned and tested by the publisher are described. There are precise instructions and a simple explanation for each attempt.

Furnishing

equipment

The most important components are simple glass devices such as test tubes , glass rods and glass tubes. In order to save costs, the individual experimental set-ups are mostly implemented with a few standard elements, so that the apparatus used to carry out the experiments sometimes differs greatly from that in real laboratories (use of plastic or rubber hoses, limited repertoire of glass appliances, cork and rubber stoppers instead of standard ground joint connections Etc.). A small alcohol or dry spirit burner is usually used as a heat source. Larger boxes also contain pipettes , funnels , filter paper , beakers , Erlenmeyer flasks , stands and much more. The addition of protective glasses is now the rule.

Chemicals

Strong poisons or flammable substances are usually not part of the equipment of a chemistry kit. In many experiments, however, hazardous substances are used that can be assigned to today's categories of harmful , irritant , oxidizing or corrosive . Therefore, the sale of such substances to minors is prohibited. In recent times chemical kits have come onto the market that are free from hazardous substances. In order to be able to carry out all experiments, the appropriate ingredients (e.g. acids and bases) must be purchased through the school or through adults. Supervision must be present when the experiment is carried out, which is also indicated in the instructions. Traditionally, everyday chemicals such as soda , baking powder , ammonia (ammonia solution), hydrogen peroxide and denatured alcohol are also used in the household . Further chemicals are produced in-house in the course of the experiments. The basic equipment usually includes the following chemicals:

history

The Young Chemist (REAHIM), around 1978, large version

Chemistry kits had been available since the end of the 18th century. Since the beginning of the 20th century, they have also been offered as series, so that it is easy to get started and the home laboratory can be built up step by step.

literature

Florian K. Öxler: From the portable laboratory to the chemistry kit - On the history of the experiment kit with special consideration of the German-speaking area . Stuttgart: Wiss. Verl.-Ges., 2010 (Sources and studies on the history of pharmacy, Vol. 9).

Web links

Historic chemistry kits

Current chemistry kits

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Georg Schwedt: Chemische Probierkabinette , HisChymia Buchverlag, 2001.
  2. ^ Kosmos Verlag: Press kit "Year of Chemistry" , KOSMOS Verlag, 2011.