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Your Own Chemistry Set

Your kitGetting set up

Collect yoghurt pots, jam jars and bottles to do experiments in, and to store chemicals. Be sure to label everything, and keep it well away from food.

  • Cut up straws to use as droppers
  • Coffee stirrers make great spatulas!

If you want to buy equipment, the most useful things are:

  • Dropper bottles from the chemist
  • Small paint palettes from art shops make good test kits
  • Small funnel
  • Kitchen roll to use as filter paper
  • Blotting paper from a stationers for chromatography

The most useful chemicals to keep in stock are:

From the supermarket:

  • Distilled (white) vinegar
  • Washing soda (also called soda crystals)
  • Turmeric powder
  • Food colouring

From the chemist:

  • Bicarbonate of soda – larger packs than supermarkets
  • Alka-Seltzer
  • Household borax. This is getting more difficult to buy. Chemists or hardware shops may order it for you, or you might need to buy online. Borax substitute is different and will not work in the experiments on this site.

From an art shop or stationers:

  • PVA glue (it must be PVA)