Packing Peanuts
Recommended for Chapter(s): 21
Demo #039
Materials NOT in box
1. Safety goggles.
Procedure
1. (Prep) Fill the 500 mL Erlenmeyer flask with starch based packing peanuts (rougher
texture) and fill the 600 mL beaker with polystyrene packing peanuts (smoother texture).
2. Put 150 mL of water into the Erlenmeyer flask with the starch based packing peanuts, cap
the flask and shake it.
3. Put 100 mL of acetone into the beaker with the polystyrene packing peanuts.
4. Ask the students what would happen if you put acetone with the starch based peanuts and
water with the polystyrene peanuts.
5. In one of the 150 mL beakers put 2 starch peanuts and add acetone. Nothing will happen.
6. In the other 150 mL beaker put 2 polystyrene peanuts and add water. Nothing will
happen.
Safety
1. Wear safety goggles
Clean Up
1. Make sure the flask is stoppered.
2. Dump the acetone/polystyrene solution into the waste bottle.
3. Return the materials to the cart in the demonstration library room.
Stockroom Notes
1. Dump the starch peanuts solution (the solution in the Erlenmeyer flask) down the drain.
2. Empty to acetone/polystyrene waste bottle into an acetone waste bottle in stockroom.
3. Use a paper towel to collect the solid at the bottom of the beaker and throw it into the
trash.
4. Replace the glassware with clean glassware.
5. If needed refill any materials that have been used up.
6. Return items to demonstration tub.
7. Return tub to the demonstration library.
a. Return the goggles to the goggle box.
