How to Recreate the Bella Usow Zabatinski Reaction

TL;DR

To recreate the Bella Usow Zabatinski reaction, first obtain the key ingredients, including malonic acid and phenanthroline ferrous sulfate (ferroin). Purify the ferrous sulfate, mix the necessary solutions, and carefully control the reaction conditions to achieve the characteristic oscillating color changes. Expect challenges like bubbles and uneven waves during the experiment.

Transcript

about a year ago i came across this video and it was one of the weirdest reactions that i'd ever seen it's called the bella usov zabatinski reaction and it's one of the very few good examples that exist of an oscillating chemical reaction the moment i saw it i knew i had to repeat it myself and with a bit of searching i managed to find a decent rec... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ The Bella Usow Zabatinski reaction is a unique oscillating chemical reaction.
• ❓ Obtaining all the necessary ingredients, especially malonic acid, can be challenging and expensive.
• ❓ Purifying the ferrous sulfate is necessary before creating the pheraoin.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the main ingredients needed to recreate the Bella Usow Zabatinski reaction?

The main ingredients are sulfuric acid, sodium bromate, malonic acid, sodium bromide, and phenanthroline ferrous sulfate (pheraoin).

Q: How did the chemist obtain the hard-to-find malonic acid?

The chemist managed to find malonic acid for a reasonable price on eBay after searching extensively.

Q: How did the chemist make the pheraoin?

The chemist created the pheraoin by purifying ferrous sulfate heptahydrate and combining it with 10 grams of 110 phenathylene monohydrate.

Q: What challenges did the chemist face during the experiment?

The chemist encountered challenges with the formation of bubbles in the reaction, uneven wave propagation, and difficulty in recreating the visually pleasing results seen in the original video.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The chemist discovers the Bella Usow Zabatinski reaction and becomes determined to recreate it.

• They gather the necessary ingredients, some of which are difficult to find and expensive.

• The chemist purifies the ferrous sulfate and successfully creates the phenanthroline ferrous sulfate (pheraoin). They then conduct the Bella Usow Zabatinski reaction, but encounter challenges with bubbles and uneven waves.