A Safe Way of Performing Some Dangerous Experiments. I. Construction of a Safety Spoon

The demonstrations of many remarkable experiments include a high safety risk (e.g. the reaction of large pieces of sodium/potassium with water; the reaction of potassium with liquid bromine; the reaction of sodium with concentrated sulfuric acid, etc.). Chemistry teachers and instructors are usually reluctant to perform experiments that include a hazard. As a result, a number of fascinating experiments remain unknown to the public. Using homemade devices (in this case a safety spoon) one can perform all the above experiments with complete safety, both for the audience and the demonstrator. Details for performing some of these dangerous experiments are given in this paper. In addition, the construction of a simple remote-controlled (RC) safety spoon is explained in detail. Video clips of two demonstrations are offered as an aid for inexperienced instructors.