tags: Kitchen Science, elephant toothpaste, chemistry demonstration, streaming video
Elephant toothpaste is a classic chemistry demonstration that will make anyone overflow with joy. When hydrogen peroxide decomposes, it gives off oxygen gas and water. Under ordinary circumstances, it breaks down very slowly, but potassium iodide can act as a catalyst -- making the reaction tremendously fast. If there is some liquid soap mixed in with the hydrogen peroxide, steamy foam will gush out of the container. [1:05]
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A couple of years ago, during a cold snap in winter, I noticed my hands were getting acutely chapped, with cracking of the skin and bleeding.
I come from a cold climate, I had never had problems with cold weather before.
A couple of nights ago, I bought some toothpaste. At the risk of veering off into "in my day, we used sandpaper. And we liked it!" territory, there's a ridiculous variety of toothpaste.
Kate has been cutting The Pip's hair a little bit at a time, and this morning he demanded a trim. This is a somewhat fraught process, as he's two, and thus tends not to hold still very well.
I seem to have missed this NYT article over last weekend.