Liquid Crystals—How Do They Do That? Chemical Demonstration Kit

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Combine two clear liquids and heat them, then watch as the mixture produces vivid color changes from red to green to blue as it cools. From skin mapping to circuit board testing to mood rings, liquid crystals have amazing modern applications. Liquid crystals have properties that are in-between those of solids and liquids—molecules move independently as in a liquid, but they also tend to orient or align themselves, like a crystalline solid. The alignment of the molecules changes with temperature and produces fascinating color changes. A simple introduction to the world of nanotechnology! Teacher Demonstration Notes, reproducible student worksheets, and answer sheets are included.Enough materials are included to perform the demonstration seven times. Concepts: Liquid crystals, nanotechnology, phases of matter, light reflection and transmission. Time Required: 20 minutes Chemicals Provided: Cholesteryl oleyl carbonate and cholesteryl pelargonate (liquid crystals).