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Spectacular Chemical Experiments

Herbert W. Roesky

Foreword by George A. Olah

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The Author

Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Herbert W. Roesky
Institute of Inorganic Chemistry
Georg-August-University of Göttingen
Tammannstr. 4
37077 Göttingen
Germany

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© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim

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ISBN: 978-3-527-31865-0

Foreword

Whoever is ignorant

of the four elements,

of the strength they wield

and of their quality,

cannot master

the band of the spirits.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust I, Study

In Faust, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe shows, in masterly fashion, the magic attraction of the elements or alchemy (chemistry), whilst at the same time claiming that another field – the one of the spirits or, in a more open interpretation, the one of philosophy and arts – is of fundamental importance. In the present collection of spectacular chemical experiments, Herbert W. Roesky has created a fascinating amalgam of brilliant chemical experiments, in addition to a variety of amusing and pensive aphorisms, quotations, anecdotes, and small stories originating from this universe that is almost lost to the scientist or, more generally speaking, to homo technicus or at least far away from him. In his book Chemical Curiosities, the author has already proved convincingly, that this synthesis of natural science and arts is not a combination of fire and water but rather two sides of the same medal. It is very good that again a bridge has been thrown across two disciplines of the modern world which seem to be far away from each other.

This book contains new “bang and smoke” experiments that make people’s hearts beat faster (see Münchhausen’s canon ball, bromide and potassium!!). It can also revive playful instincts (“sodium billiards”) or raise magic reactions (“the alchemist’s gold”). It is possible that some people might prefer the aesthetics of some experiments or the fascination of art (beautiful color experiments). In this book, the varied journey through an easily understandable pure scientific universe with anecdotes, quotations, and brief stories introducing every experiment not only becomes an adventure but also perhaps gives us back some of the magic that is inherent in the worlds of both chemistry and arts.

George A. Olah