Necessary Chemicals:

43 g Potassium Iodate (KIO3)

4.5 mL Sulfuric Acid 1.0 M (H2SO4)
15.6 g Malonic Acid (HOOCCH2COOH)
3.4 g Manganese Sulfate Monohydrate (MnSO4H2O)
4 g starch
400 mL 30% Hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2)

The Briggs-Rauscher reaction, also known as 'the oscillating clock', is one of the most
common demonstrations of a chemical oscillator reaction. The reaction begins when three
colorless solutions are mixed together. The color of the resulting mixture will oscillate
between clear, amber, and deep blue for about 3-5 minutes. The solution ends up as a
blue-black mixture.

Solution A:
Add 43 g potassium iodate (KIO3) to ~800 mL distilled water. Stir in 4.5 mL sulfuric
acid (H2SO4). Continue stirring until the potassium iodate is dissolved. Dilute to 1 L.

Solution B:
Add 15.6 g malonic acid (HOOCCH2COOH) and 3.4 g manganese sulfate monohydrate
(MnSO4H2O) to ~800 mL distilled water. Add 4 g of vitex starch. Stir until dissolved.
Dilute to 1 L.

Solution C:
Dilute 400 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to 1 L.

1. Pour 300 mL each of solutions A and B into a large beaker.

 2. Turn on the stirring plate. Adjust the speed to produce a large vortex.
3. Add 300 mL of solution C into the beaker. Be sure to add solution C after mixing
solutions A + B or else the demonstration will not work. Enjoy!

Wear safety goggles and gloves and perform the demonstration in a well-ventilated room,
preferably under a ventilation hood. Use care when preparing the solutions, as the
chemicals include strong irritants and oxidizing agents.

Briggs-Rauscher Reaction Yellow to Blue Switcheroo

DESCRIPTION: The standard among oscillating reactions. Three colorless solutions are
mixed to produce an oscillating reaction which changes from yellow to blue to colorless.
The period of oscillation is rapid and the reaction reaches completion within 10 minutes.

MATERIALS:

30% H2O2
Soluble starch
KIO3
Deionized water
1 M H2SO4
Large beaker
MnSO4H2O
Graduated cylinders (3)
Malonic acid
Stir plate / stir bar

PROCEDURE:

1. Solution A: Prepare 100 mL of 9% H2O2 by diluting 30 mL of 30% H2O2 with 70 mL

of deionized H2O.
2. Solution B: Prepare an acidified 0.2 M KIO3 solution by adding 10 mL of 1.0 M H2SO4
to 80 mL of deionized water. Dissolve 4.3 g KIO3 in this solution and dilute to 100 mL.
3. Solution C: Prepare starch solution by dissolving 0.1 g of soluble starch in 90 mL of
boiling deionized water. When cool, add 1.5 g malonic acid, 0.4 g MnSO4H2O, stir and
dilute to 100 mL.
4. Add 50 mL of Solution A to a clean beaker fitted with a stir bar. Next add 50 mL of
Solution B and let solutions mix thoroughly. Once complete, add 50 mL of Solution C
and let reaction stir. Upon addition of the final solution, bubbles should appear. The
solution will turn yellow then blue, then colorless. This reaction will oscillate for 5-10
minutes.