Micro Mole Rockets—Hydrogen and Oxygen Mole Ratio—Student Laboratory Kit

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The combustion reaction of hydrogen and oxygen has been used to send people to the moon and to design electric vehicles for the future. What factors determine the explosiveness of this reaction? In this microscale lab activity, students generate hydrogen and oxygen and collect the gases by water displacement in small plastic pipet bulbs. Then, they test the combustion properties of the gases, first separately, then in mixtures of various proportions. The goal is to find the most powerful gas mixture and use it to launch a micro mole rocket across the room! Students learn about mole ratios, stoichiometry, and limiting reagents as they compete to beat class or school records for the distance traveled by a micro mole rocket. Be forewarned—your students will think these difficult topics are the most fun they have had all year! Includes reproducible student handouts, detailed background information, complete Teacher Notes with sample data, and all necessary chemicals and consumable supplies. Complete for 30 students working in pairs. Instructions are provided for making piezoelectric igniters, which may be used instead of matches, to test gas mixtures. Piezoelectric igniters may also be purchased separately.