This chemical reaction looks like magic

In my opinion, the iodine clock reaction kind of looks like magic. To make it, the first thing I need is a mixture of cornstarch (just a bit), and some boiling water.

#shorts

[redcroft]

This is what I imagined "doing science" to be when I was a 5 year old, and it's fantastic. This brought a genuine, mirthful smile to my face. Thank you, good sir.

[Wofflebot]

That was made even more impressive by the reaction occuring during the pour

[davidmarshall]

Timing the color change with pouring out the solution was an excellent choice. That looked unreal

[DoFliesCallUsWalks]

Making part B before part A is the most nilered thing ever

[nateharvey]

“next we need to make part A”
*immediately cuts to a bottle with a huge “C” on it*
lol

[miadnde]

My granny told me, if you want to take iodine spots from clothes ( as kids we had scratches all the time and mom will put iodine to heal the wounds) thus we had spots everywhere). She took lemon and potato to rub it into a spot, it turned potato blue, they you wash it easily. Thank you for bringing back memories))

[digital_pocket_watch]

So you're telling me that if I swallow disinfectant, vitamin C, and corn starch, and some water, I can become a wizard?

[NotNotGrumm]

oversimplified analysis if anyone's wondering:

This is caused by the fact that there is 2 reactions happening at the same time. One that creates iodine (I2) and one that instantly reduces it. After a while, a threshold is reached where there is more I2 being created than there is reducing agent left in the mixture, and the I2 is able to exist long enough to react with the starch, creating a very distinct blue color. As long as it is well mixed, the entire solution will reach this threshold simultaneously.

[saltedcaramel]

I love the highly accurate measurements like "a bottle" or "a bunch"

[RealPhoenixFlight]

Its stuff like this that makes me question “Who the hell discovers this??”

[shubhadabangale]

We learned this under chemical kinetics... and the whole classed erupted in a spontaneous WHOA!!! when the teacher portrayed it.
Leaving this comment here so that I can recall those times I enjoyed practicals with no stress...

[marooon]

Fun fact! I also crush up vitamin C tablets to add into shampoo when I want to fade away my semi-permanent hair dye!! Crazy how well it works

[kala]

I like the subtle humor of first making part B, and then making part A, the first ingredient of which comes from a bottle with a big "C".

[SnyperMKJclL]

In this day and age if I didn't know any better I'd say that was some slick CGI, but I really enjoyed and excelled in chemistry and I've done those cool color flipping experiments before. Super cool!

[viscountslappy]

Huh...I missed the "crush up two vitamin C tablets" part of "how to season my molcajete"

[wcjerky]

If anyone is curious, the extra ingredients added to capsules like Vitamin C tablets are called excipients and they can perform a number of functions like buffering, reducing viscosity for crush manufacturing, or increasing solubility. This is one reason why when one looks at an ingredients list, it's always more than just the target compound.

EDIT: grammar.

[ginassi_]

This reminds me of titration 😩💕 truly the most enjoyable part of any chemistry project.

[liraneph]

2 questions.
1. For what can you use the blue solution?
2. What do you with the stuff when you don't need it anymore?

[sparkyheberling]

First dissolve the cornstarch in a little cold water. Before blending in the boiling water, give the cornstarch slurry another stir. No lumps, no straining.

[Alena-tx]

I genuinely had to search up multiple other videos of iodine clock reaction and I can't it's actually real, that's so cool!!